When holidaying around New Zealand travel insurance might be the last thing on Kiwis minds. After all, travelling in their home country with the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) covering accidents and health and contents insurance handling the rest, it’s easy to assume you’re fully protected.
But, that’s not quite true.
At MoaTours, we’ve been running small group tours for Kiwi travellers since 1971, and in that time, we’ve seen just how valuable domestic travel insurance can be, especially when the unexpected happens. In our opinion, Domestic Travel Insurance is an absolute must.
Why Domestic Travel Insurance is Important
The main reason travellers take out insurance is to protect themselves against unexpected changes to their plans. Illness, injury, or family emergencies can strike at any time – and cancelling a trip at short notice often results in financial loss.
Like most tour operators, MoaTours requires a non-refundable deposit when you book, with full payment due 90 days before departure. If you cancel after making payment and don’t have insurance, that money is typically non-recoverable.
Unforeseen events – such as personal or family illness – can make it impossible to travel on your planned date. Since tour companies, airlines, and accommodation providers often require non-refundable payments to confirm bookings, travellers can be left out of pocket.
For this reason, we strongly recommend that all MoaTours travellers purchase domestic travel insurance, primarily to cover cancellation costs. It offers peace of mind from the moment you book.
You can review our small group tour booking terms and cancellation policy here.
When Should I Buy Insurance?
We always recommend purchasing your travel insurance at the same time you pay your tour deposit. This ensures you’re protected from the outset, in case you need to cancel unexpectedly.
The cost of the insurance is calculated based on the number of days you’re travelling and, most importantly, you’re covered for cancellation from the time you purchase the insurance.
Delaying your insurance until you pay the final balance increases your risk – any cancellations or issues that arise in the meantime won’t be covered.
Real-life Scenarios Where Insurance Helps
Medical Assistance While Travelling
New Zealand’s public health system and Accident Compensation Corporation do provide great support for emergency care or accidents – but they don’t cover everything.
Imagine you’re travelling and managing a pre-existing condition like high blood pressure. It’s under control, but during your trip, things change and a doctor recommends that you stop travelling and rest. You may need to book extra accommodation, new flights, or have someone accompany you home. While our team will assist with the logistics, these extra costs aren’t something MoaTours can cover.
But with the right policy, insurance can help cover those extra costs, especially if it includes your pre-existing condition.
Even though you’re still in New Zealand, these situations can quickly become costly. Insurance helps remove that burden.
Similar situations would be where you or a family member fall ill just before the tour which requires you to cancel your tour.
Weather Disruptions
New Zealand’s weather can be unpredictable, especially in alpine or coastal regions. If a major weather event (like a cyclone, flood, or storm) forces part or all of your tour to be cancelled, travel insurance can help you recover your costs for missed transport or accommodation or even the full tour when the weather gets in the way.
Family Emergencies
If a loved one is suddenly hospitalised or passes away and you need to cancel your trip or return home early, insurance can help reduce the financial stress at an already emotional time.
It may cover cancellation fees, the unused portion of your tour, and any additional costs such as additional accommodation, transfers, or emergency flights home.
Force Majeure Events
Some events are simply beyond anyone’s control. Unpredictable large-scale disruptions, such as natural disasters, road closures or civil emergencies (known legally as force majeure), while rare, may prevent your tour from operating as planned.
In these situations, having travel insurance means you may be able to recover costs from cancelled travel or accommodation. Without it, you could be left out of pocket for something entirely out of your control.
Do Australians need travel insurance in New Zealand?
Yes. Australians have partial access to New Zealand’s public health system under a reciprocal healthcare agreement, but not everything is covered.
For the same reasons outlined above – such as cancellations, travel disruptions, or lost luggage – we strongly recommend that Australian travellers take out travel insurance.
Ideally, this should be a comprehensive policy that includes health cover.
Final Word: Peace of Mind
While it might be tempting to skip travel insurance when exploring your own backyard, we strongly recommend getting covered – especially for cancellations. Unexpected events can and do happen, and having insurance means you’re not left out of pocket if plans change.
We believe travel insurance is the one thing you should never travel without in New Zealand. It’s a simple way to protect your trip and your peace of mind.
