UTS Travel Insurance

The Travel Insurance Policy provides cover to UTS students on approved travel. The cover includes domestic and international travel. The traveller is automatically covered upon receiving written approval from their supervisors.

Travel insurance cover is available for maximum 365 days from the date of travel. If your trip is likely to go over 365 days please contact Insurance at insurance@uts.edu.au.

Insurance Certificate

Private/Leisure Travel Insurance

Emergency contact ISOS

Pre-existing condition

How to make a claim

Claim Excess

Frequently Asked Questions

Medical Expenses

Am I covered for medical expenses for injury/sickness overseas?
Yes. You are covered for medical expenses incurred due to injury/sickness during the approved travel period. This includes COVID related medical expenses as well. Expenses incurred outside the approved period is not covered. Medical expenses incurred in transiting countries are also covered.

Are my medical expenses covered if I contract COVID whilst on approved study program?
Yes. Medical expenses incurred for the treatment of COVID are covered whilst on approved travel as long as you have complied with the government requirements to travel overseas, these are currently to be double vaccinated and to have returned a negative PCR test within 48 hours of your departure time.
If you are travelling outside of the approved period UTS insurance will not cover you. It is your responsibility to organise your own cover.

Do I have to pay for medical costs first and then make a claim?
Yes. You have to pay for medical expenses first and then lodge a claim with CSN. The claim will be assessed as per the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy and settled accordingly.

Am I covered for pre-existing medical conditions?
No. The expense incurred to manage/treat a pre-existing medical condition is not covered. However, costs relating to any emergencies arising out of pre-existing conditions are covered.

Can I claim for vaccinations/flu/covid shots that I take prior to travel?
No. Costs incurred for precautionary measures are not covered, this includes Covid vaccinations/booster shots.

Are medicines purchased over the counter covered?
No. Only prescribed medicines by a legally qualified medical practitioner are covered.

Extension of Medical expenses

What if my flights get cancelled or altered due to COVID? Are the cost of rebooking or additional costs covered?
No. All additional cost incurred due to COVID e.g. cancellation, rebooking, loss of deposit, quarantine costs are not covered in any circumstances. Please directly contact the airlines, accommodation providers etc. as through the COVID pandemic they have been often been offering refunds or credits.

Will losses from flights and other charges be claimable / covered if I am required by the University to return home?
Yes. If UTS has directed to return home then UTS will cover the cost.

Will losses from flights and other charges be claimable / covered if I am required by the University to return home and I refuse to return home?
No. If you go against UTS's direction then you will not be covered for losses resulting out of the consequence.

Can I extend my coverage if COVID means I have to stay on past the end of the UTS approved cover period?
Yes. Extension is possible in situations which are out of your control. You need to contact insurance@uts.edu.au immediately.

What if I have to return home due to illness or death in the family?
Before booking your flights you must contact ISOS to get approval to be covered. Please note where the death or illness in the family is of a person aged over 75 years of age, the costs of returning home will not be covered.

What is a dental emergency?
Dental emergency arises due to an unforeseeable circumstance (an accident caused by violent, external and visible means and occurring solely and directly and independently of any other cause) and a registered and legally qualified dentist provides treatment for the relief or management of the resultant dental pain. Claims arising out of cavities are not covered as cavities are caused due to lack of dental health maintenance over a period of time. Any claims arising out of lack of dental health maintenance are not covered. Cover is not provided for routine dental check-ups or procedures (for instance teeth cleaning, filling of cavities, cosmetic dentistry etc.).

What is an optical emergency?
Optical emergency arises due to unforeseeable circumstance (an accident caused by violent, external and visible means and occurring solely and directly and independently of any other cause) where treatment is provided by registered and legally qualified medical practitioner or optician. Cover is not provided for routine optical treatment & check-ups.

General Expenses

What are the major exclusions?

Pre-existing conditions
Travelling against medical advice
Phone bills from stolen phones
Loss of unattended personal items / luggage
Pregnancy and childbirth
Sexually transmitted disease
Medical expenses incurred more than 12 months after the date of injury
Medicare gap
Cost of emergency return trip home if the insurer is not notified before travel commences

Personal Items, laptop, digital camera etc. covered?

The policy covers accidental loss or damage of accompanied luggage, personal effects, portable business equipment (including laptops and mobile phones) that occurred during the approved travel period.
Mislaid luggage by any carrier for more than 8 consecutive hours.
Travel Documents for non-recoverable cost of replacing.
Credit Card Frauds
Money – cash, bank or currency notes, cheques etc
Each personal item has a limit of $5,000. If you have any one item valued at more than $5,000 please notify insurance.

Stolen Sim Cards
The policy does not cover any contractual liability that you may have with the mobile service provider. If any payments are outstanding as you are on a plan, this will not be covered.

What if I miss my flight?
If due to unforeseen circumstances (excluding COVID related events) that are not in your control means you cannot travel and lose your deposit on airfares, accommodation etc. that you have already paid for, the policy will cover for those losses. International SOS must be informed in advance of your situation. Where the missed flight relates to COVID please initially contact the airline as they have been offering alternatives, refunds/credits for COVID related matters through the pandemic. If for COVID related matters the airline is not helpful, please contact your travel coordinator at UTS.

What if my travel is longer than 365 days?
You are covered under UTS insurance for the period noted on your insurance certificate. The cover is not blanket cover for 365 days. Travel of more than 365 days is not covered. Students are required to come back to Australia and renew their insurance cover or organise their own insurance cover overseas prior to their departure. Insurers will not consider any extension to the policy beyond 365 days if you are already overseas.

Does the policy cover weekends and public holidays?
Yes. It covers weekends and public holidays that fall within the approved period. You must obtain your own private travel insurance if travelling outside the approved period.

If I have to see a doctor do I have to pay upfront for the fees?
Yes. You do have to pay upfront and then lodge a claim.

Are leisure activities such as skiing, bungee jumping, rock climbing, etc. covered?
For the safety and well-being of our students, it is within UTS's guidelines to strongly advise against partaking in high-risk leisure activities during the overseas program. High-risk activities are defined as those with an inherent potential for serious injury or death, such as extreme sports like rock climbing, bungee jumping, paragliding, hand gliding, and racing (other than on foot). Please note the list is not exhaustive.

However, if a student chooses to engage in a high-risk leisure activity, the following conditions must be met:

The activity must be guided by a licensed and reputable operator. This helps ensure that the activity is conducted safely and within appropriate parameters
The student must take all necessary precautions as advised by the guide and relevant authorities. This includes wearing appropriate safety gear, following instructions, and being aware of potential risks
The student must comply with all requirements for participating in the activity. This may include obtaining necessary permits, completing training courses, and meeting any physical fitness requirements

UTS encourages all students to prioritise their safety and well-being during overseas travel. Contact insurance@uts.edu.au if you have any questions or concerns.

Will I be reimbursed for the expenses incurred in returning to my Country of Residence due to the unexpected death, serious injury or sickness of a relative?
Yes. Prior approval from the Insurer is required. The policy defines Country of Residence to mean;
a) the country the Insured Person is a citizen or permanent resident of (i.e. holder of a multiple entry visa or permit which gives the Insured Person resident health care rights in such country); or
b) The country in which the Insured Person is residing on an overseas expatriate assignment. A relative means the spouse, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, step-parent, child, step-child, grandchild, brother, brother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, daughter-in-law,

Relative means;
Son-in-law, fiancée, fiancé, half-brother, half-sister, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew of the Insured Person, provided such person(s) are under 80 years of age and reside in the Insured Person's Country of Residence.
Therefore, if there is a serious illness of a relative in Australia and the student is studying in London, the policy will provide cover for costs to return back to Australia. However if the student is from Australia and are studying in London and there is a serious illness of a relative in South Africa, then the policy will not cover the costs for the student to fly to South Africa.

Non-Emergency Events

Any assistance provided by International SOS for non-emergency events may not be covered by UTS Insurance nor will UTS be willing to pick up the cost. This should be clearly communicated to students.
Advice received on phone from International SOS is free.

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