Am I covered for cancellation if a relative is hospitalised?

The following advice is general advice only and has not taken into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the PDS prior to deciding whether this policy is right for you.

The cover available under your policy for your cancellation, rescheduling and lost deposits for your travel and accommodation would be dependent on your relative's situation, and the type of policy chosen. 

Certain cover is available up to the policy benefit limit if your close relative is unexpectedly hospitalised, provided: 

  1. you were not aware of the likelihood of their hospitalisation at the time that you purchased your policy, and 
  2. your close relative meets our definition of a ‘close relative’ and ‘close relative conditions’,as defined below. 

If your close relative’s unexpected hospitalisation does not satisfy the above, the most that we will pay under either the Trip Cancellation Expenses or Trip Disruption Expenses benefits in total is 25% of your non-refundable claim expenses up to a maximum of $2,000, whichever is the lesser. 

Definitions: 

Close relative means your or your travelling companion’s spouse, de facto partner, parent, parent-in-law, children (including adopted or fostered children), brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchild, grandparent, step-parent, step-son, step-daughter, fiancé or fiancée or guardian, that meets all of the following criteria:  

  • they are aged 84 years of age or younger at the time of the claimable event,  
  • they reside in Australia at the time of policy issue,  
  • they are not a person listed as covered in the certificate of insurance. 

Close relative conditions means all of the following:  

  • immediately before the sickness or injury that has resulted in your need to cancel your trip or return, the close relative:  
    • is living independently at home, in a retirement home or retirement village, with independent living arrangements and does not need home care or flexible care provisions,  
    • is not living in a nursing home, aged care centre, residential aged care home, a high and/or low care facility, Supported Residential Services (SRS), Supported Residential Facilities (SRF) or any form of residential care facility,  
    • is not on a waiting list or aware that they required surgery, inpatient treatment or medical tests at a hospital or clinic,  
    • if pregnant, has not had complications with their pregnancy and have not had complications with their pregnancy and childbirth for any previous pregnancy, and  
  • during 3 years prior to issue of your policy, the close relative:  
    • has not been hospitalised (including for day surgery or emergency department) for the sickness or injury that has resulted in your need to cancel your trip or return home early,  
    • has not had a drug or alcohol addiction, and  
    • has not been diagnosed with a terminal condition.

Note:

  • There is no cover available for Trip Cancellation or Trip Disruption under our Basics policies.

As each individual’s circumstances are different, in the event of a claim, our claims team will assess each claim on a case by case basis.

Cover is subject to the policy terms, considerations, limits and exclusions in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).

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