Do I Really Need a Travel Insurance?

If it remains optional in the framework of a brief tourist stay, multi-risk insurance is nevertheless a compulsory condition to apply for a Working Holiday Visa. The certificate issued by your insurer will be checked at your arrival in New Zealand.

I do not wish to dramatize, but it should not be forgotten that a one-year stay in a foreign country exposes you to many risks.

For if the cost of a doctor's consultation is not excessive, hospital care and repatriation can leave you broke, with debt for life in the worst case.

You do not waste your money by taking out travel insurance.

You actually pay the price of your tranquility and reassure your family and friends at the same time. Honestly, there is no need to argue (the insurance is mandatory for a Working Holiday Visa anyway), I propose instead to help you choose an appropriate formula.

A good insurance is not necessarily the cheapest, but the one that effectively covers the activities of the stay.

Rest assured, affordable solutions exist and the issue of insurance will not prevent you from getting your Working Holiday Visa.

In any case, a Working Holiday Visa imposes an insurance covering yourself in any situation and during an entire year.

Unless you have taken out a specific contract, you can already forget the insurance of your credit card. For a trip that multiplies journeys on the road, small jobs or sports activities, you need a real multi-risk travel insurance.

The first step to select the appropriate insurance is to verify that it can pay for any care you might need in New Zealand. Otherwise, you may find yourself stuck by a lack of money on your bank account.

Then look at the nature of the risks covered, the repayment ceilings and the amount of deductibles.

Review the fine print of the contracts and you will discover that the insurance does not cover the illnesses prior to the departure: do not hope to complete in New Zealand a dental care started in your country.

Without going so far as to imagine improbable scenarios, let's consider nevertheless the possibility of an emergency repatriation. If it takes place only at the last extremity, when the care on the spot is impossible or far too expensive, the sums committed for the plane return are already enough to justify an integral coverage!

Of course, insurers do not like extreme sports such as bungee jumping in Queenstown.

This type of activity is high on the list of exclusion clauses. Classic sports such as cycling are usually covered, but take the time to study the issue seriously before you commit. Multi-risk insurance is not “all-risk” insurance. Depending on the nature of your stay in Working Holiday Visa, there are other types of insurancesr (for the vehicle you plan to buy for example).

Renting a car, a small van or a camper always includes a basic insurance, but it does not necessarily cover all the damage that the vehicle could suffer.

Tires, for example, are generally not covered. A flat tire will remain at your expense, just like broken glass (a frequent problem in a country where there are many gravel roads).

Under these conditions, it is advisable to redeem part of the franchise of the vehicle to travel with the free spirit.

It is generally forgotten that the rented vehicle is not necessarily designed for all types of land.

Some roads are reserved for four-wheel drive vehicles. If you do not comply with these conditions, you will not be covered in case of accident. Think about it twice before driving with your motorhome on the 90-mile beach!

To the extent that the rental of a vehicle is not profitable over a long stay, many young traveling with a Working Holiday Visa prefer to buy an old vehicle.

If you choose this solution, the vehicle insurance will be mandatory.

As unbelievable as it may seem, driver insurance will be optional, as New Zealand law prohibits claims in the event of accident, including if serious injury or property damages happen.

In return, the ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) will compensate you even if you are foreign to the country. Physical and psychological therapies will be fully refunded.

Please note that the ACC can also compensate you if a work stoppage results from your accident (of course we are talking here about a New Zealand job, not in your own country).

Remember, however, that the ACC is not a health insurance. It only covers accidents and does not replace a real travel insurance.

It is also necessary that the so-called accident be recognized as such, which excludes driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. Having said that, I will size this opportunity to say a word about how to behave in the event of an accident.

However, the risks on the road are not to be underestimated in a country where people drive on the left side (if you are not already used to do it in your own country). The driving speed is limited to 100 km / h, which may seem slow but is already sufficient to cause serious accidents.

Keep a list of emergency numbers and your insurance certificate in your pocket. In the event of an accident, keep your calm, do the necessary, and call an emergency number if you can, or seek for help.

Do I need to recall that a hit-and-run is a serious crime, especially in New Zealand? If you damage (even slightly) another vehicle, you must notify the owner within 48 hours.

Otherwise, you will incur a fine, and you also lose the right to any compensation from your insurance.

To activate the insurance, note the names and addresses of the people involved, and the number plates if it is a road accident.

Collecting testimonials, ideally signed by a police officer, is highly advised.

On the other hand, do not assume responsibility for what happened!

Keep a neutral tone, do not accuse anyone, and forward the elements to the insurance company that will handle the case and the claim to the ACC.

I have chosen to recommend Chapka Insurances in complete independence. The various offers from this insurer range from simple cancellation insurance to multi-risk solutions perfect for a Working Holiday Visa.

The price / quality ratio is one of the most advantageous (if not the best) of the market.

You will pay approximately $50 per month ($600 per year) to be covered seriously.

If you consider the amount too high, remember that you would have spent almost the same for the Internet subscription that you will shut down anyway before you leave.

Which brings me to underline the fact that you must imperatively subscribe an insurance BEFORE your departure to New Zealand.

If you are still studying (or going to New Zealand to take a course), it may be more interesting to ask your care insurer to extend your coverage to the whole world. You will have to pay an extra, but you will avoid multiple opening and closing of accounts..