PR NewsWire | Oct 22 2025
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BRISBANE, Australia, Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Allianz Partners is urging Australian travellers to rethink their approach to travel insurance, following new ICA and DFAT research revealing that one in seven travellers are still going overseas uninsured. The findings underscore Allianz Partners’ ongoing commitment to helping Australians when things go wrong overseas.
"It is concerning that those travellers who might decide against purchasing insurance are doing so because they think a destination is safe, because this doesn’t give consideration to accidents, medical emergencies and travel interruptions that can be very costly if travelling without insurance," said Damien Arthur, Executive Head of Travel at Allianz Partners Australia.
Despite growing awareness of travel risks, misconceptions persist about the value of coverage. Two-thirds (65%) of uninsured travellers said they had consciously chosen to forgo coverage, citing beliefs that their destination was safe (31%), that insurance was poor value (27%), or that they could handle emergencies themselves (22%).
The survey found Australians under 30 and those born overseas were significantly more likely to travel uninsured, with 23% of both groups reporting they did not purchase travel insurance on their last trip. Travellers visiting friends, relatives, or returning to their home country were also more likely to skip coverage, often citing short trips or familiarity with their destination.
"The reality is nobody plans for things to go wrong," added Mr Arthur. "Even in destinations considered safe, such as Japan, medical emergencies can result in claims worth tens of thousands of dollars, covering hospital care, extended accommodation, and repatriation."
 
When Jason and Melissa took their family of five for a two-week ski holiday in Japan, things took a turn for the worse when Melissa fell gravely ill. What began as a headache ended up with her fighting for her life in a Japanese hospital. Our team supported her throughout her treatment in Japan and ensured she returned home safely to her family.
For traveller Melissa Borody, the benefits were clear: "When I suddenly became seriously ill during a family ski trip in Japan, having Allianz there made all the difference as it came out of nowhere. Their team supported my husband and me at every step, explained what was happening, and gave us the confidence that we were being properly looked after."
Allianz Partners remains committed to helping Australians travel with confidence, backed by insights that highlight the importance of being protected wherever their journey takes them.
For more information, visit http://www.allianz.com.au/travel-insurance.
About Allianz Australia
Allianz Partners is a world leader in B2B2C insurance and assistance, offering global solutions that span travel insurance, assistance and health insurance. Customer driven, our innovative experts are redefining insurance services by delivering future-ready, high-tech high-touch products and solutions that go beyond traditional insurance. Our products are embedded seamlessly into our partners’ businesses, sold through intermediary channels or directly to customers through the Allianz brand. Present in over 75 countries, our 21,900 employees speak 70 languages, handle over 72.5 million cases each year, and are motivated to go the extra mile to offer assistance to our customers around the world.
ICA & DFAT Travel Insurance Survey
Data derived from the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Travel Insurance Survey 2025. The survey was conducted independently by Quantum Market Research to assess traveller understanding of risk, behaviours and awareness of travel insurance.
A short video case study illustrating the customer experience is available here
Melissa spent time in a Japanese hospital with Bacterial Meningitis
Melissa and Jason are Allianz cutomers who benefitted from travel insurance when Melissa fell gravely ill in Japan.