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 Buy Travel Insurance Away from Home

Get covered by World Nomads, even if you're already overseas.

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Can I buy a travel insurance policy if I'm already overseas?

I’m already overseas – can I get travel insurance?
Are there any special conditions?
How does a waiting period work?
Need to extend your policy?
FAQs

If you're an Australian and you’ve left home without travel insurance or your policy has run out and you’re still on the road, World Nomads has got you covered. With World Nomads, you can buy a policy online, anytime, from anywhere in the world.

We know it’s easy to forget to buy travel insurance. That’s why we’ve designed simple and flexible travel insurance so you can buy what you need, when you need it, no matter where you might be travelling.

I’m already overseas – can I get travel insurance?

If you forgot to buy a policy before you started your trip, are outside Australia without insurance, or your cover has ended but your trip hasn’t, you can buy a World Nomads policy 24/7 online.

Traveller tip: our 24/7 emergency assistance team is here to help if things go wrong. They can help organise medical transport, payment of hospital bills and assist with medical emergencies.

Are there any special conditions?

If you buy a policy while you’re already travelling, you will need to wait 72 hours after purchasing before your cover will start. This is called a waiting period.

How does a waiting period work?

  • If you buy a policy when you're overseas and the policy start date is within 72 hours of issue of your certificate of insurance, you'll need to wait 72 hours for cover to begin.
  • If you purchase a policy when you're overseas and the policy start date is 72 hours or more after the issue of your certificate of insurance, cover for Cancellation or Trip Interruption expenses will begin 72 hours from the time we issue the policy, with all other benefits commencing on your departure date.

Get a quote and buy online 24/7

With World Nomads you can get an instant quote anytime, anywhere, before you leave home or while you’re on the road.

Cover for medical emergencies

While there is a 72-hour waiting period if you purchase your travel insurance after you’ve started travelling, both our Standard and Explorer policies offer cover if you suffer a serious injury as the result of an accident after the policy departure date and before the end of the 72-hour waiting period.

If something goes wrong and you suffer a serious injury as the result of an accident, there's cover for emergency overseas medical and dental expenses, and emergency evacuation and repatriation expenses, without having to wait 72 hours.

All other cover and benefits still begin 72 hours from when your certificate of insurance is issued, and only for events first occurring after the 72-hour waiting period.

Need to extend your policy?

If you’re travelling and decide you want to travel for longer, we can help you stay covered by extending your existing policy for up to 12 months. It’s easy! Simply sign into your World Nomads membership to check eligibility and extend your cover before 11:59pm AEST/AEDT on the return date shown on your certificate of insurance. For more information, read our article on how to extend your cover.

If you have any questions, be sure to check out our comprehensive FAQs or you can also contact us.
  • Buy while travelling
  • Get cover 24/7 online
  • Instant confirmation
  • Ongoing traveller support
  • 24/7 Emergency Assistance

Waiting periods apply

Left home without travel insurance?

Learn more about how to buy travel insurance.

Travel insurance is not designed to cover everything, so take the time to read the full description of cover in the PDS for the full details on what’s not covered as well as the terms, conditions, limitation, and exclusions. If you are unsure of anything, please contact us for help.

Dengue in Bali.

I contracted dengue typhoid fevers in Bali. The doctor and medical expenses incurred, were all paid within 10 days of claim, which I submitted by email from Bali. Monies were paid into my bank account - efficient and simple!
Australian in Bali.

Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you

Trip Cancellation

Protect your trip from unexpected cancellation.

  • Explorer Plan: Unlimited
  • Standard Plan: $5,000
Trip Protection
  • Have you carked it?
  • Have your relos carked it?
  • Has a bushfire damaged your home?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Overseas

Take the pain out of medical costs.

  • Explorer Plan: Unlimited
  • Standard Plan: $5,000,000
Emergency Medical Insurance
  • Need medicine?
  • Accidentally injured?
  • Suddenly sick?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Transport

We'll get you to hospital lickety-split

  • Explorer Plan: Unlimited
  • Standard Plan: $500,000
Evacuation and Repatriation
  • Banged up overseas?
  • Medivac needed home?
  • You died overseas?

Help starts here.

Protect your gear

Cover your stolen or damaged gear and tech.

  • Explorer Plan: $10,000
  • Standard Plan: $2,000
Protect your gear
  • Damaged docs?
  • Passport pilfered?
  • Tech Trashed?

Help starts here.

  • Overseas Medical Expenses
  • Emergency dental treatment
  • 24 hour assistance
  • Emergency medical transport & repatriation
  • Cancellation costs
  • Trip interruption costs
  • Compassionate emergency visit home
  • Resumption of trip
  • Theft or accidental damage to baggage and personal items
  • Baggage delay over 12 hours
  • Funeral expenses overseas or repatriation of remains
  • Personal liability
This is a general summary for Australian residents only. Restrictions, exclusions and limitations will apply. Benefit limits may vary depending on the plan chosen. Check the policy documents for full details.

24/7 emergency assistance

If you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.

Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?

Phone: +61 2 8263 0470 or Phone: +61 2 8292 1470 (reverse charges via an operator from anywhere in the world)

Contact the team

FAQ

Here are our most frequently asked questions about buying away from home. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Help Center or you can ask the customer service team

  • Why is there a waiting period?
    A waiting period reduces the likelihood of travellers making claims as soon as they purchase insurance. It also helps to keep the price lower for everyone.