Complete Guide to Vacations To Go for NZ Residents
Learn how Vacations To Go can help NZ residents save on travel. This guide covers everything from finding deals to booking your trip.
Complete Guide Zoom Travel Insurance in New Zealand [2024 Review]
Travel insurance is one way to add security to a trip when heading abroad. A good policy can provide financial compensation for everything from lost luggage to issues related to natural disasters. But to get travel insurance, you must make sure you and your trip meet the conditions of the provider.
If you’re considering Zoom Travel Insurance, read on to learn more about eligibility, coverage, and how to make claims. And if you want to make travel even easier, check out how Wise can make paying in local currencies a breeze with the Wise Travel Card.
What is Zoom Travel Insurance in New Zealand?
Zoom Travel Insurance is a travel insurance service provider in New Zealand. The company offers travel insurance to New Zealand citizens and permanent or temporary residents. Zoom Travel Insurance has won several awards for being one of the country's best travel insurance service providers.
Zoom Travel Insurance covers almost every unexpected event, from cancellations of international holiday trips to lost luggage and family emergencies to rental vehicle excesses, making it a good option if you are heading overseas.1
Zoom Travel Insurance Eligibility
Zoom Travel Insurance differs from other insurance service providers in New Zealand because it offers travel insurance coverage to residents and non-residents, including temporary residents and students on visas. Let’s look at how to be eligible for Zoom Travel Insurance:
New Zealand Residents:
Zoom travel insurance is available for all New Zealand residents. Any of the following people qualify as New Zealand residents:
- A New Zealand citizen
- A holder of a current and valid NZ permanent resident visa, partner/spouse visa, Skilled Migrant visa, Entrepreneur Resident visa, or any other skilled working visa
- An Australian passport holder residing permanently in New ZealandNew Zealand residents must satisfy the following additional conditions.
- Have unrestricted right of entry into New Zealand
- Have access to long-term medical care in New Zealand
- Have a permanent New Zealand residential address
- Must agree to be repatriated to New Zealand under this insurance.
Zoom Travel Insurance coverage is available only if you purchase the policy before starting the trip, and you must begin and end the journey in New Zealand.2
Temporary Residents of New Zealand:
Temporary New Zealand residents are eligible for Zoom Travel Insurance if they meet the following requirements:4
- Aged 74 years and under
- Hold return tickets to New Zealand
- Have a home in New Zealand, where they intend to return
- Hold a valid visa or permit, providing access to publicly funded health and disability service care in New Zealand
- The validity period should cover the journey and extend beyond the policy's end date.
Types of Zoom Travel Insurance Benefits
Zoom Travel Insurance offers its policyholders the following benefits and coverages across most packages:
- Medical Benefits include 24/7 emergency assistance services, overseas emergency medical expenses, hospital cash allowances, compensation for permanent disability, accidental death, and loss of income.
- Trip cancellation coverage includes cancellation fees, lost deposits, alternate transport expenses, and travel delay expenses.
- Loss coverage for luggage, personal effects, travel documents and theft of cash.
- Additional benefits include coverage for personal liability and rental vehicle insurance excess.
- Specific travel insurance coverage is available for cruise, ski, and other sporting adventure activities.
Please note that not all policies offer similar coverage. See the next section for how they differ.5
Travellers can purchase additional insurance to cover the following activities according to their trip.6
- Specified Items: Increase your luggage cover for high-value items.
- Cruise Pack: Specific coverage for going on a cruise.
- Snow Pack: This pack covers skiing, snowboarding, and participating in other snow sports activities.
- Adventure Pack: This pack covers additional sporting activities not automatically covered by travel insurance.
- Bicycle Pack: This pack covers lost, damaged, or stolen bicycles during your journey.
- Golf Pack: This pack covers golfing equipment and related fees.
- Rental Vehicle Excess: This pack covers excess payable for renting a vehicle.
Types of Zoom Travel Insurance Packages available
Zoom Travel Insurance offers different packages which can be broadly classified under five categories.7
- Plan A - Medical Only - The maximum age limit is 79 years
- Plan B - Standard - The maximum age limit is 79 years
- Plan C - Comprehensive - The maximum age limit is 79 years
- Plan D - Domestic - The maximum age limit is 79 years
- Plan E - Frequent Traveler - The maximum age limit is 69 years.
The maximum age limit for Zoom Travel Insurance for New Zealand temporary residents is 74 years for Plan A to D, and 69 years for Plan E.
Here are the main features of each package and how they compare:8,9
| Plan/Package | Coverage Available (per adult) |
|---|---|
| Plan A - Medical Only |
|
| Plan B - Standard |
|
| Plan C - Comprehensive |
|
| Plan D - Domestic |
|
| Plan E - Frequent Traveler |
|
You can find more information online in the Zoom NZ Policy Wording Document.
No two insurance policies are priced the same. The cost of your travel insurance will depend on which package you choose, plus these factors:
- Your age
- The number of accompanying dependents
- The countries you wish to visit
- The length of your overseas trip
- The number of optional packs you choose
- Coverage sought for pre-existing medical conditions
- The number of applicable excesses
- Government charges and taxes (GST)
How to apply for Zoom Travel Insurance
You can apply for travel insurance online by accessing the Zoom official webpage and seeking a quote. Here are the steps:10
- Access Zoom Travel Insurance.
- Type your destination countries.
- Enter the start and end dates of your trip.
- Choose between a single trip and an annual multi-trip.
- Enter the ages of each traveller.
- Click on “Get Quote.”
- Select your policy from the options given on the screen.
- Choose extras if required.
- Provide details of each traveller, including their names, addresses, email address, and mobile number.
- Provide information on pre-existing medical conditions.
- Enter your payment details.
- Pay your premium and receive your travel policy online.
Making a Zoom Travel Insurance Claim
With travel insurance, you typically pay for most expenses upfront, and the company reimburses you when you make a claim.
Making a claim with Zoom Travel Insurance is easy. The process is entirely online:11
- Visit the Zoom Travel Insurance Claims Page.
- Click on “Create or Update a Claim.”
- You can log in to your policy by entering your credentials, such as the policy number, email ID, and policyholder’s date of birth.
- Keep your documents ready.
- Complete the claim form by providing all the relevant information.
- Scan and attach the necessary documents.
- Submit the claim online.
Zoom may ask for additional information if necessary, so keeping all your receipts and reports is a good idea. Submitting all claims within 30 days of completing your trip and returning to New Zealand is recommended. The company will try to clear all travel-related claims within ten working days.
Instead of the online submission, you can also download the form, complete it, and email it to info@travelclaimscentre.com.
Zoom Travel Insurance Emergency Assistance
Zoom Travel Insurance offers 24-hour emergency assistance, which can help you with the following:12
- Managing your medical care while overseas
- Emergency evacuation and repatriation to New Zealand
- Guaranteed payments directly to the hospital for large bills
- Informing your family or employer in the case of an emergency
You can contact Zoom Emergency Assistance by phone from overseas at +64 9884 0229 or by email at help@travelclaimscentre.com.
Zoom Travel Insurance Contact Details
Zoom travel insurance can be purchased online 24/7, and customer service is readily available. You can email your inquiries to info@zoomtravelinsurance.co.nz.
Zoom Travel Insurance Reviews
On travel insurance comparison site CompareTravelInsurance, customers have given Zoom a rating of 8.6 out of 10. Customers find it convenient and easy to use, although there have yet to be any reviews from 2024.
Zoom Travel Insurance has won the MOZO Experts Choice Awards for 2023 and 2024 for exceptional value comprehensive travel insurance.
Meet Wise: The Simple Way to Manage Money Abroad
Now that your travel insurance is figured out, how about your money? Travelling overseas used to be expensive and cost lots of fees, but not anymore. The Wise Travel Card has made paying overseas simple, easy and fast when you travel.
The Wise Travel Card is a debit card that allows you to load up to 40+ currencies and spend in 150+ countries—making country-hopping or extended trips abroad seamless.
Your Wise Travel Card offers attractive features like contactless payments, which you can use in your Apple Wallet or Google Pay. The best feature of the Wise Travel Card is that it uses the mid-market exchange rate, so you’re never paying a markup on currency exchange.
Get the Wise Travel Card today and enjoy your next holiday hassle-free.
Zoom Travel Insurance - Frequently Asked Questions
Who underwrites Zoom travel insurance in NZ?
HDI Global Specialty SE—New Zealand underwrites Zoom travel insurance. Zoom issues the policy and handles claims as an agent of HDI Global Specialty SE—New Zealand.
Can I extend or upgrade my Zoom Travel Insurance policy while travelling overseas?
You can extend your policy free of charge if your return trip to New Zealand is delayed due to the travel service provider. However, you must get written approval from Zoom.
You can also extend your travel insurance by placing a request with Zoom before the policy expires. Zoom will consider each case individually. You might be asked to pay an additional premium, after which Zoom can extend the expiry date on your policy.
The maximum period of extension is 12 months. The coverage period can’t be more than 12 months from the start date of your journey, as shown in the certificate of insurance.
The Plan F (Frequent Traveler) cannot be extended because it is an annual multi-trip policy.
Can you shorten your trip and get a refund?
No, Zoom does not offer refunds after a 14-day cooling-off period. However, you can change the details of your travel dates and destinations before the start of your policy.
Does Zoom Travel Insurance cover pre-existing medical conditions?
Generally, Zoom Travel Insurance does not cover pre-existing medical conditions. However, travellers can disclose these conditions when applying for travel insurance, complete the medical screening process, and pay the relevant additional premium. Under such circumstances, Zoom confirms coverage of pre-existing medical conditions in writing.
Does Zoom Travel Insurance cover COVID-19-related medical expenses?
Zoom Travel Insurance covers COVID-19-related medical expenses, provided the traveller strictly abides by Government directives on COVID-19.
Can you cancel the Zoom Travel Insurance at any time?
Every Zoom Travel Insurance policy has a 14-day cooling period during which you can cancel the policy provided you cancel before you start your trip and have not made a claim. You can also cancel the policy after 14 days. Zoom will consider your request on a case-to-case basis and refund the amount you have paid minus the proportion of the premium for the period you were insured. In addition, there will be a deduction of $25 NZD for administrative fees.
Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
Sources used for this article:
- Zoom Travel Insurance - An intro
- New Zealand Resident - Definition - page 81 of Zoom Policy Wording
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Eligibility for residents - Page 9
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Eligibility for temporary residents - Page 9
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Benefits - Page 17
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Additional Packs
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Age limits for different packages - Page 10
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Different packages/plans - page 17
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Comparison between packages
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Apply for travel insurance
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Claim Procedure
- Zoom Travel Insurance - Emergency Assistance - Page 2
Sources verified on 10 July 2024.
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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