What are the things I should be aware of if I am thinking of buying a policy from Fast Cover?
Before you buy a policy with us there are 7 things you must know.
Travel insurance is there to protect you against unexpected circumstances like medical emergencies, trip cancellation and lost baggage.
Each travel insurance policy is different and we want to ensure our travellers understand how our travel insurance policy works so that you can choose the right cover for your circumstances.
1. Cover is only available if:
- You are an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia, who has resided in Australia for at least 200 days of the 12 months immediately preceding your trip, and hold a current Australian Medicare card which is not a visitor Medicare card; and
- You purchase your policy before you commence your trip or you satisfy all of the requirements for purchasing a policy while you are already overseas; and
- Your trip ends in Australia; and
- You are aged 89 years and under.
For temporary residents of Australia, cover is available, however, only if:
- You are a non-permanent resident who holds a valid Medicare card or are covered by an Australian Private Health Insurance policy that satisfies the government health insurance requirements for your visa type; and
- You have a home in Australia to which you intend to return; and
- Your trip starts and ends in Australia; and
- You hold a return ticket to Australia; and
- You are aged 89 years and under.
2. If you are already overseas
If you left Australia without travel insurance or if your travel insurance policy (even if issued by another insurer) has expired, we may be able to help. You can purchase our Standard Saver, Comprehensive and Snow Sport Plus policies if you are already overseas, provided you meet all of the following requirements:
- You have
- Been overseas for less than 14 days, or
- Have been insured under a travel insurance policy since you left Australia that has been expired for no more than 14 days; and
- You are an Australian resident normally residing in Australia; and
- You have a home in Australia to which you intend to return; and
- Your trip ends in Australia; and
- You are aged 74 years and under at time of purchase; and
- You advise us at the time of purchase that you are already overseas (this will be noted on your Certificate of Insurance).
- You cannot purchase a Basics Policy or Frequent Traveller Saver Policy if you are already overseas.
Policies purchased while you are already overseas are subject to:
- A 48-hour waiting period for all benefits.
- A $500 excess for all claims.
3. It's your responsibility to read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and decide whether this policy suits your needs
You should (and we rely on you to) read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). before purchasing this insurance. Your policy is made up of the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). the Certificate of Insurance and any other change to the terms of the policy otherwise advised by us in writing (such as an endorsement or Supplementary Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).) which may vary or modify the above documents. Together they form our agreement with you. All benefits are subject to the policy terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of cover described in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)..
4. Your medical history affects your cover
Please consider your medical history carefully. This includes any condition at any time in your entire life that you (including your dependants travelling with you) have:
- been diagnosed with, or
- taken or take medication for, or
- seen a medical practitioner for (GP, physiotherapist, nutritionist, etc.), or
- had an operation/procedure for, or
- had a test for (x-ray, blood test, scan, etc.), or
- received or currently receive any form of treatment.
Travel insurance policies provide cover for unexpected sudden illnesses or injuries. Our travel insurance includes cover for 43 Pre-existing Medical Conditions but only if you have not been hospitalised for the condition in the past 24 months and your medications for the condition have remained unchanged for the past 6 months prior to purchase and departure. The 43 Pre-existing Medical Conditions that we cover are listed in our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)..
If you have a Pre-existing Medical Condition that is not included in this list then it is not covered and we will not pay for any claims where your medical history is a contributing factor.
Refer to 'Pre-existing Medical Conditions' in our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). for guidelines on cover for Pre-existing Medical Conditions.
5. You must take all care to protect your possessions
There are times when we will not pay if you have not looked after your luggage and personal effects. For example, we will not pay if you transport your jewellery, computer or certain other items in the cargo hold of the airplane or other modes of transportation. Similarly, we will not pay if your items are left unsupervised in a public place or in a motor vehicle overnight. This is not a complete list of times when we will not pay if you do not protect your possessions. See Benefit 14 - Luggage and Personal Effects in our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). for other ways you must protect your possessions.
You must report a theft within 24 hours to the police or an office of the bus line, airline, shipping line or rail authority you were travelling on when the theft occurred. You must prove that you made a report by providing us with a written statement from whoever you reported it to.
6. Money Back Guarantee: You can cancel your policy within 14 days and receive a full refund
You have a full 14 days from the purchase date of the policy (as set out in the Certificate of Insurance) to make sure you are happy with every aspect of your policy. This is known as the 'cooling off' period. During this time, you may cancel the policy simply by writing to us and we will give you a full refund.
You cannot cancel your policy if you have exercised any of your rights or powers under the policy (e.g. you have made a claim) or if the travel departure date (shown on your Certificate of Insurance) has passed within the 14-day cooling off period.
7. Your policy is issued by Hollard Insurance
The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd ABN 78 090 584 473 AFSL 241436 (Hollard) is the insurer and the issuer of this Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) Hollard is also responsible for the assessment and payment of all claims.
Hollard is a part of the Hollard Insurance Group, one of the world's leading insurance companies, protecting customers with more than 7 million policies throughout Australia, the United States, Africa, Europe, India, and China.