Ahh, we love a sunburnt country, we bet you feel the same.
While Australia may seem just a hop, skip and a jump away, you’re still on foreign terrain.
No matter the distance, travel insurance for your trip downunder is a fair dinkum idea!
Day or night, seven days a week, our emergency assistance team are just a phone call away should a medical emergency strike.
Don’t lose out if you have to cancel your Aussie trip. If you become sick or injured, we cover you if you need to stay home.
Downunder delays are a common frustration when travelling. We provide you with compensation if you’re delayed more than six hours.
Had to rush home or cancel due to a family emergency in New Zealand? Don't sweat, we’ll cover your lost non-refundable deposits.
Had a ding in your rental car downunder? No dramas mate, we cover your rental vehicle excess giving you peace of mind on the roads.
Taking a few gadgets with you on your Australian adventure? Our plans provide various levels of cover for phones, iPads, cameras & laptops
Whether you’re exploring the Outback or swimming in the Great Barrier Reef, don’t rush your trip. TINZ offers cover for up to 18 months. Yeew!
Cruising is automatically covered for all international trips, including to Australian waters.
Just a hop over the road and you're in sunny Australia. While their pavlova, lamington and rugby team isn't quite as good as ours, their sunburnt country is definitely worth seeing.
New Zealand citizens do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Australia for a holiday. If you are interested in also working temporarily in Australia, you may be eligible for a SCV (Special Category Visa), which allows you to enter, stay and work. To receive one of these on arrival, you require a valid New Zealand passport and a complete Incoming Passenger Card. To be eligible, you must never have been asked to leave Australia or deported from another country, and you may be refused entry if you have been imprisoned for more than a year.
Avoiding the Australian school holidays not only limits the crowds, but also limits the prices! Heading south in winter is only recommended for those who like freezing seas and icy snowfields, while heading north in the summer is only recommended for those who plan to be warm and wet - the rain and humidity will make sure of that.
Australia is home to some deadly animals - but it is their home. So if you're going swimming at the beach or in a waterhole, be aware of signs and warnings about sharks, jellyfish and crocodiles, and if swimming is banned there, head somewhere else. Places to swim are not hard to find in Australia.
Unless you're planning to stay for six months, you're not going to see much of this big country - it's bigger than the entire European Union combined - so it's best to stay in one state and see everything you can. It's not uncommon to drive for six hours in Australia and have barely moved on the map. So if you're going exploring by four wheels or on foot, make sure you pack plenty of water and fuel to get you back home again.
Slip slop slap wrap - this common childhood refrain from the 80s and 90s was also popular in Australia. In modern Australia, there's a few extra steps now. So it's slip on sun protective clothing that covers as much of your body as possible, slop on some SPF 30 or higher sunscreen, slap on a broad-brimmd hat, seek out shade, and slide on some sunglasses.
As a very multicultural nation, there is an abundance of exciting foods to try, but be aware that it's not going to be cheap. Cook for yourself when you can - there are public BBQs in most parks which are definitely worth using in summer.
Alcohol is taxed much higher in Australia compared to New Zealand, so you may wish to have a bevvie or two at home before you head out for a night on the town.
Australia is big - it's about 30 times the size of New Zealand. So depending on where you're headed and how long you're there for, transport is an important budget consideration. Flying is the quickest and easiest way to get from the major and regional cities, but it can also be very expensive - especially if you're flying during popular holiday times.
God bless America, God Save the Queen, God defend New Zealand and thank Christ for Australia.
- Russell Crowe, Actor
There's not a lot in Australia that you can't get in New Zealand. For example, a popular delicacy across Australia's big brown land is the Bunnings sausage sizzle. You also can't go past fish and chips at a bronzed Aussie beach.
While Indigenous Australian cuisine is unknown to most Australians, there are many opportunities to engage in cultural heritage going back more than 60,000 years - both with guides, and in your grocery store.
Head to the supermarket or butcher and grab some chilled kangaroo fillets. Don't expect to treat them like beef or lamb - these animals have very low body fat, and five minutes on a grill will make it turn to rubber. Instead, look at marinating and cooking inside a slow or pressure cooker.
For new seasoning flavours, consider wattle seed's nutty flavour, or the popular lemon myrtle. The latter is particularly good for wrapping fish as it cooks.
If you're looking for the full bush tucker experience, investigate local Indigenous guides who can tell the poisonous from the palatable - *many Australian plants are the former* - and help you find unique animal delicacies like honey ants and witchetty grubs.
With tiny country towns, sprawling cities, and endless outback and open waters, Australia offers New Zealand travellers a sensation range of places to see.
Australian Capital Territory: Australia's bush capital is a great place to travel, as it has less residents and tourists than Sydney and Melbourne. Take a tour of Parliament House, visiting science museum Questacon, the National Art Gallery, or the Mt Stromlo Observatory.
Victoria: if you're thinking of renting a car, the Great Ocean Road is a spectacular coastal drive. You can visit famed rock formation, the 12 Apostles (only seven remain after years of erosion from the elements), check out surfing hotspot Bells Beach, or go spot a koala at Kenneth River. Otherwise, why not head to Melbourne, for theatre, art, and some of the country's best coffee.
South Australia: make your first stop Kangaroo Island, with its powder white beaches, delicious local produce, and an abundance of incredible wildlife.
Western Australia: do you love your wine as much as we do? Check out Margaret River, a three-hour drive from capital city Perth. Known as one of Australia and the world's best wine regions, Margaret River has over 150 wineries, along with award-winning casual and fine dining restaurants and micro-breweries.
Northern Territory: Visit the desert heart of Australia for red soil and blue skies in every direction. Breathtaking indigenous sites, Uluru and Kata Tjuta are must-sees (especially early in the morning or late in the afternoon to watch them change colour). Do the right thing by the locals, and resist any inclination to climb Uluru - there is a ban from October 2019 anyway.
Queensland: The Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest, or the glorious beaches of the Whitsunday Islands - there is no shortage of incredible natural landscapes to explore up north. Or if bugs and fish aren't thrilling enough for you, hit up the Gold Coast to visit the theme parks.
New South Wales: Biggest city Sydney has iconic attractions the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, popular beaches Bondi, Coogee and Marboura, and fantastic cultural spots like the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Sydney Theatre Company. Or head out of the city to the wonderful hikes of the Blue Mountains or the south coast's seaside hideaways.
Planning on heading elsewhere on your trip? Whether you're saying 'Hey!' to the USA, or you're chilling in China, TINZ has you covered.
Get cover for the things you love for your holiday to Australia. Whether you’re an adrenalin junkie, a gadget freak or a high-end holiday maker, TINZ has the extra cover you need.
There are always risks when you travel, even in your home country. Protect your New Zealand holiday with domestic travel insurance and get cover for rental car excess, luggage, personal effects, lost deposits and more.
Heading to the snowy mountains? Snow problem! TINZ covers winter sports from skiing, snowboarding to heli-skiing & cat skiing. Simply select snow ski cover within the quote process.
Are your Aussie travel plans packed with thrills and spills? Without proper cover, your heart-pounding adventure could leave you with a headache.
Are you travelling to Australia with a group? TINZ offers special rates that can save you significant time and money!
Do you have expensive items that you just can’t leave behind? You can add your tech toys, high-end cameras, or designer handbags to your policy as high value items..
Don’t let a pre-existing medical condition get in the way of your travels. We cover 35 existing medical conditions automatically for free. You can also apply to cover additional conditions by assessment.
Do you visit Australia often? If you’re planning several trips downunder, or elsewhere this year a frequent traveller policy can save you time & money.
Our annual multi-trip policy covers an unlimited number of trips over a 12 month period. We give you the same level of cover as our comprehensive international plan, meaning you get full coverage for less. You can tailor your individual trip duration from 15 days up to 30 days. Please note this policy is only available for customers under the age of 64.
Travelling often means stepping out of your comfort zone, even in a country as neighbourly as Australia. Flight delays, missed connections and lost luggage can thump your trip harder than a boxing kangaroo! Make sure you're covered for a range of travel disasters regardless of destination.
New Zealand and Australia share reciprocal healthcare agreements meaning you will have access to government medical facilities and care while travelling in Australia. Whilst you may be eligible for reciprocal health care in Australia, this would not cover any ambulance fees, additional accommodation costs, flights for family members or medical repatriation to New Zealand. TINZ can help to cover these costs should the worst-case scenario occur.
Absolutely. We agree that scuba diving is a great way to explore the deep blue sea. You're only covered if you hold an open water diving license or you are diving under licensed instruction. If you are a qualified scuba diver you are covered for accompanied dives with a maximum depth of 30 metres. If you are unqualified you are covered for a maximum depth of 30 metres with an instructor.
Yes. At TINZ we cater for those who enjoy getting wet. We cover a wide range of waters sports such as surfing, scuba diving, snorkelling, kite surfing, canoeing, kayaking, white water rafting, water skiing & wakeboarding, stand up paddle boarding, jet skiing and more. Please refer to our Sports & Activities Cover for a full list of covered activities. This outlines activities requiring an additional premium and activities automatically covered for free.
We don’t cover outdoor rock climbing, hang-gliding, boating in international waters or any kind of professional or competition sports. For a full list of excluded activities please refer to Policy Document.
When it comes to alcohol we understand that for some, there’s no better way to kick off a holiday than with a poolside cocktail (or two). However, we would exclude any claims involving drugs/or alcohol. Please note this exclusion is only applicable if it was your intoxication that resulted in the claim. Refer to our Policy Document to see a full list of exclusions.
It depends. We will pay up to $1,000 for standard individual single items and $3,000 for personal computers, video recorders or cameras. If you have an item that exceeds either of these costs you can insure it separately up to an additional $5,000. You are only able to cover an item of jewellery for up to $1,000. For more information on insuring specific items during your travels, please refer to our high value items page.
All of TINZ's travel insurance policies cover kids at no additional cost. Your child is eligible if they are financially dependent, under nineteen (19) years, travelling together with a parent or grandparent for 100% of the holiday, and are named on the Certificate of Insurance.
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