Online Knowledge Hub

For more information on nib’s Coronavirus benefits, please view our What's Covered article

Our international policies can offer cover for emergency overseas medical expenses and medical evacuation and repatriation following a serious injury or sudden illness; this includes coronavirus, subject to all policy terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions. However, if the plan you already purchased doesn’t include the benefit section ‘Coronavirus Travel Costs’ (which offers some cover for eight specific coronavirus-related events), contact us for assistance.

We are not able to change the plan issued after purchase, but, provided you have not used your original policy, and do not need to make any claim, we may be able to assist with issuing a replacement policy and providing you with a refund of your original premium. It is important to remember that this would be a new policy, subject to the policy terms conditions and pricing in effect at the date it is issued and would not offer cover for any event that has already occurred.

If you need to cancel or rearrange your travel arrangements, even at the last minute, don’t delay in speaking with your airline or other travel providers to minimise any potential cancellation costs or fees.  If you booked through a travel agent, they may be able to assist you with this, too.

If you do need to make a claim, the cover available will depend on your individual circumstances, as well as the plan you have purchased. For us to assess if cover can apply, you’ll need to submit a claim along with all supporting documentation. Remember, if you are required to take a test prior to travel, it is important to allow sufficient time for results to come back.

Cover may be available if you are unfit to travel due to contracting COVID-19, depending on the plan you have purchased, and the facts of your claim - check the policy you have purchased and if it has Coronavirus Travel Costs cover. We assess all claims on a case-by-case basis.

Speak with your travel providers, you may be able to cancel or change your arrangements at no or minimal cost. If you booked through a travel agent, they may be able to assist you with this, too.

Please note, if you’re already travelling and need to make changes to a flight change or your accommodation, even at the last minute, don’t delay in speaking with your airline or provider.  If you can’t continue with your planned arrangements due to a positive diagnosis, simply not showing up could mean you forfeit your booking or incur additional fees when you may have been able to move your dates or times at no or minimal cost. If you booked through a travel agent, they may be able to assist you with this, too.

Yes. You will need to provide documentation to support the circumstances of your claim. We understand that the type of documentation you are able to provide may vary and assess every claim on a case-by-case basis. You should submit as much information as you’re able to along with your claim, this will help us to assess your claim in a timely manner and reduce the possibility that we may need to ask you for further information. Information you supply may include:

• PCR Test demonstrating that at the time you were due to travel, you had an active case of COVID-19;

• Proof you were subject to mandatory isolation at the time you were due to travel due to a registered RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) result;

• Letter from medical practitioner confirming you are medically unfit to travel due to COVID.

Don’t forget to contact your travel service providers as well, as you’ll also need to demonstrate that you have requested to refund or reschedule your arrangements, and what your out of pocket costs are. Remember, not all of our plans cover pre-trip cancellation for COVID-19.

The type of evidence required to support any claim will vary. It is best to obtain as much information as you can to support any potential claim. Depending on the scenario, a Rapid Antigen Test may be sufficient, however, in order to confirm the facts of your claim, we’ll look at what is reasonable in the situation, and may need additional information.

You should also adhere to applicable government advice and register the results of any positive Rapid Antigen Test as required.

Planning is the key to being better prepared for travelling while COVID-19 continues to impact travel. Knowing what you’re covered for, what to do and who to contact in the event of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis during your trip will help navigate these potentially new situations for many travellers:

• Before you go - plan ahead to make sure you understand what you will need to do if you do receive a positive COVID-19 test during your trip

• On-trip – what to do if you test positive

Here are a few tips that may assist you:  Before you go

• Research the government requirements around a positive COVID-19 test at the destinations you intend to visit
  
  No two countries are alike, and neither are their rules around dealing with COVID cases. Some countries may require hospitalisation if you test positive to COVID while travelling to or through them, regardless of whether or not you have symptoms. It’s important that you know if there are any quarantine or testing requirements on both entry and exit from where you're travelling, as well as the costs.

• Understand your travel insurance policy and its benefit limits
  
  All our travel insurance plans have different benefit limits and exclusions – make sure you know what they are and if you’ve purchased the right level of cover for you.  You can read more about what is, and isn’t, covered for Coronavirus-related events.  If you’re not sure, contact us.

• Budget for a positive COVID-19 diagnosis 
  
  We don’t say this to instil fear, but the chances of contracting COVID-19 may be higher when travelling when you’re out exploring, which could mean some unexpected costs that you’re not prepared or covered for (depending on your policy and situation). It’s always a good idea to keep some reserves for last minute unexpected costs. 

On trip

• Negotiate with your airline or travel provider
  
  If you need to make changes to a flight or your accommodation, even at the last minute, don’t delay in speaking with your airline or provider.  If you can’t continue with your planned arrangements due to a positive diagnosis, simply not showing up could mean you forfeit your booking or incur additional fees when you may have been able to move your dates or times at no or minimal cost. If you booked through a travel agent, they may be able to assist you with this, too.

• Contact Emergency Assistance if you need help overseas
  
  If you’ve received a positive COVID diagnosis and you’re already travelling, contact our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team who can help with what to do.  They can help navigate what to do if you can’t travel home as planned, help you access medical attention or hospitalisation if you’re sick, or talk you through options to extend your policy if you’re stuck and can’t get home. If your diagnosis is at the end of your trip and you are unfit to travel, your policy may automatically extend to when you’re able to fly and get home by the first available flight.

If you have purchased a policy with the Coronavirus travel costs benefit, your policy may be able to cover reasonable additional costs for meals, for example, even if your isolation doesn’t take place in a hotel. This cover is subject to all the policy terms and conditions, and the policy only covers additional costs for the insured, and you do need to be able to provide proof of the expenses.

If you incur costs, you can submit a claim along with all supporting information for our claims team to assess. Our policies do contain a general exclusion that is applicable to travel delay and additional expenses benefit, so cancellation by the carrier due to the impacts of COVID-19 may not be covered.

"A loss arising from an epidemic, pandemic or World Health Organization declaration of a public health emergency of international concern. This exclusion does not apply to:

• Overseas medical expenses;
• Hospital compensation;
• Medical evacuation and repatriation;
• Funeral expenses overseas; and
• Coronavirus travel costs.

Our Coronavirus travel costs section covers eight specific events, which do not include cancellation of a flight by the airline.

Our policies can automatically extend if you are unfit to travel due to an illness.

"Automatic extension

If you are unable to return to your home in Australia before the end of the period of insurance (at 11.59pm AET on the return date shown on your Certificate of Insurance), due to an illness or injury causing you or a member of your travelling party to be unfit to travel, contact our emergency assistance team as soon as possible. We will apply an extension to your policy whilst your claim is being determined, which will continue if we accept cover for your claim. This extension will last until the earlier of six months after the return date of your policy, or until you are able to return to your home in Australia. If we determine that there is no cover for your claim, we will notify you of this, and the cover under the automatic extension will end.

If you are prevented from returning to your home in Australia before the end of the period of insurance by the delay, cancellation or restriction of your scheduled public transport, an extension of up to 48 hours applies to your policy. If you will be delayed longer than 48 hours, you may be eligible to extend your policy prior to the end of the period of insurance (see Extending your policy), or you can buy a new policy."

Given how quickly the travel requirements are evolving, it is a good idea to frequently check for guidance on requirements for your destination on official government sites, including government guidance, restrictions, or requirements.

You can also subscribe to Smartraveller.gov.au to receive updates.

If you are travelling to a destination that requires travel insurance that includes cover for COVID-19 related medical expenses as a condition of entry, it is important that you check that the policy you have purchased is suitable for your circumstances.

Our policies can offer cover for some COVID-19 related events, including unlimited cover for medical expenses overseas, for up to 12 months from the date this illness first appears. To assist travellers visiting destinations which require visitors to demonstrate they have Travel Insurance which includes overseas medical cover for COVID-19, this will be listed on your Certificate of Insurance. The cover is subject to all policy terms, conditions, limits and exclusions, it is important to read the (PDS/policy document) to determine if the cover offered is right for you.

If there are additional travel insurance requirements at your destination, or you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us.

Travel insurance products distributed by nib, as a representative of nib Travel Services, will be underwritten by Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd as of 22 November 2021. This replaces our previous relationship with AXA XL (XL Insurance Company SE, Australia branch), a division of AXA.

All of the changes that are due to come into effect 22 November 2021, can be found here.

As part of the design and distribution obligation, we must ensure we have a publicly available Target Market Determination (TMD) for any product we offer. This is to assist distributors and consumers in identifying and determining if a product meets their objectives, financial situation and needs. A TMD describes the target market, any conditions and restrictions on distribution, reporting requirements and product review periods, which will ensure that the TMD remains appropriate. These documents will be publicly available on our websites by 5 October 2021. Issuers (such as nib) will not be able to offer a product if an appropriate target market has not been identified for the product, and they must take reasonable steps to issue products in accordance with their target market.

We ask customers to list all their destinations when they get a quote, so if they know which countries they will travel to, you should enter each country. If they are planning on travelling in a specific region, they should indicate the specific countries they know they will visit as well as the general region (e.g. type in France, Germany, Spain and Europe if they plan to go to those countries and also intend to visit other countries in the region but are unsure which ones specifically). New destinations or regions cannot be added after a policy has been purchased.

Yes. Cruising is covered as standard.

If the cruise only stops in one country, just select that country. If the cruise only visits stops within Australia, make sure you select the ‘Cruising – Australian Waters’ option and NOT just Australia.

If there is a ‘cruising’ option for the region (e.g. South Pacific cruise), select that region. If there is no option to select cruising, you should enter the names of each of the countries where the cruise will dock. For example, a cruise in Asia may include Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia (among other countries).

Yes. If they fall within the below definition, they can be added to policies at no additional charge.

Your children, stepchildren, grandchildren, foster children, and children for whom you are the legal guardian, who are travelling with you on the same itinerary for the entire duration of your trip and at the time the Certificate of Insurance is issued are:

• under 25 years of age, and
• working less than 30 hours per week.

Agent policies are no longer available however, agents and partners can purchase policies via the Partner Portal where they have the ability to reduce their commission to net, for a reduced premium.

The nib Partner Portal will default your commission to the level set in your agreement, with the ability to change the premium offered to your traveller within your commission range.

The ability to apply a discount off the partner commission sits in the Quote Summary section in the purchase path on the nib Partner Portal, allowing you to apply a reduction to the commission using the default commission functionality.

There is also an Invoice Details section below the Quote Summary, which can be expanded or hidden from view.

This section shows the Total Premium the customer pays, the Net Policy Amount, and your Net Commission as both a dollar value and a percentage of the Total Premium. This aligns with what is shown in your Monthly Statements.

There is a 21 day cooling off period from the day a policy is purchased where a customer is welcome to cancel and receive a full refund provided they:

• Haven’t started their trip
• Haven’t made a claim or intend to make a claim or exercise any other rights under your policy.
• To cancel a policy, sign into the nib Partner Portal and search for the policy you wish to cancel. You can also contact our Customer Service team who are happy to help.

For more information on refunds, credits and amendments, click here. and search for the policy you wish to cancel. You can also contact our Customer Service team who are happy to help.

Yes. You can amend the travel dates on existing policies via the nib Partner Portal.

Search for the policy and select 'Amend' in the Policy Details box.

Amend the departing and returning dates as required the click Update.

You will be prompted to verify by accepting the Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the page, provide a reason for amendment and lastly provide payment details.

Yes. When issuing a quote in the nib Partner Portal a quote summary will be displayed on the right side of the screen. Here you will find the option to “email quote”. This is sent to the customer’s nominated email address with a link to buy. The sale will be tracked back to the agent that issued the quote.

Quotes are valid for 31 days, unless the start date has already passed.

No. An email address is mandatory for all travellers, and this cannot be your email, or your agency’s email address. It is more important than ever for us to ensure our travellers are receiving the accurate PDS and their Certificate of Insurance.

If your customer needs to make a claim, they should visit our claims page to submit.

Please note that we ask for any claims to be submitted as soon as your customer can. Once a claim is submitted, your customer can expect to hear from us within 10 working days.

In an emergency, travellers should contact our emergency assistance team, who are available 24/7.

Please contact the nib International Assistance team using the contact details below:


Phone:+61 3 8523 2800 (outside Australia) or 1300 555 019 (within Australia)

Fax:+61 3 8523 2815

Email: travelassist@nib.com.au


To place a call reverse charge, travellers should dial their local operator, ask for reverse charges and to be connected. Provided a traveller’s claim is accepted, we can also reimburse them for calls made to our Emergency Assistance team.

An existing medical condition is any medical condition which:

• at the time you buy your policy is:
• chronic; or
• displaying symptoms; or
• under investigation; or
• pending follow-up consultation, treatment or surgery; or where these are recommended or planned; or
• metastatic; or
• terminal; or

• in the six months prior to the time you buy your policy there has been:
• treatment by a medical practitioner; or
• medication prescribed; or
• surgery

Applying for cover

If you have an existing medical condition that is not automatically covered, you must complete a medical screening at the time you buy a Comprehensive, Australian Travel or Annual Multi Trip Plan. If we agree to offer you cover for your existing medical condition(s), these can be added to your policy under the Specified medical conditions option for an additional premium.

What happens if you choose not to get cover for your existing medical condition?

If you have an existing medical condition that’s not automatically covered under your policy or added to your policy as a specified medical condition, then you won’t be covered for any claim that arises from that existing medical condition.

Automatically covered conditions

We automatically cover you for over 40 existing medical conditions that may exist at the time you buy your policy. Your medical condition is classified by us as an automatically covered condition if it’s listed in the table below, provided that you satisfy all criteria listed for that condition. You must read this information together with the General exclusions, as these may affect your cover.

Travelling while pregnant

For information regarding travelling while pregnant please refer to the PDS.

Existing medical conditions of other people

The definition of existing medical condition also applies to claims you make that arise from the existing medical condition(s) of your travelling party, a close relative, and your business partner.

There are exclusions that may apply to claims arising from existing medical condition(s).

Generate a quote via the nib Partner Portal. Once you reach the 'Details' page, you will be asked the following:

“Does this traveller have any existing medical condition(s) that are not automatically covered?” Read the customer the definition as described in the policy wording and if the customer’s medical condition falls within the existing medical condition(s) definition, then select “Yes”.

“Would this traveller like to be assessed for existing medical condition(s) cover?” If the customer would like to be covered for their existing medical condition(s), then select “Yes”.

On the next “medical” page, you will be given the option to complete the screening now, or later.

If “Screen now” is selected, a series of questions related to the customer and their conditions will begin. Please ensure the customer is comfortable to answer these with you.

If they would like to complete the screening themselves, select “Self Screen Later” and the screening will be emailed to their selected email address.

Sign into the nib Partner Portal and head to the 'Account' tab along the top of the screen.

Enter your new team member’s first name, last name and email address and select 'Add User +'.

This will automatically generate an email to be sent that includes instructions on how to complete training. Please allow approx. 20 minutes for the email to be sent.

Yes. If you are an 'admin' you can sign into the nib Partner Portal and head to the 'Account' tab along the top of the screen.

Search for the team members name and select the 'Disable' option.

No. You must have been set us as an account admin of financial user to access reporting.

This could mean that we don’t have your bank details and is easily fixed. Go to the ‘Resources’ tab in the nib Partner Portal to complete a Direct Debit form. For other issues related to payments, please contact us.

Of course! You’ll need to complete training to sell nib travel insurance products and use nib systems.

We’ve created a catalogue of online training modules covering product, system, compliance and authorisation to get you up to speed.

Don’t worry, each module should only take you 10-20 minutes to complete!

Log in to the nib Partner Portal and click on the 'Training' tab at the top, next to 'Resources’.

Simply put, We want to ensure all of our customers receive all the important information and the same great experience when buying nib travel insurance. It is also our job by law to ensure all our distributors complete up-to-date product and compliance training. Completing the online modules and receiving your certificates of completion, serves as recognition that you understand our products and how to sell them.

Completing the compliance training also means you are aware of your responsibilities as our representative and you are up-to-date with important rules that affects you (as a distributor) and your travellers (as customers).

If you have incomplete training, you will receive a notification on the Partner Portal alerting you to the approaching deadline.

If you miss the deadline, you’ll still be able to log in and complete your training (no additional passwords to remember!), but the system will automatically restrict quoting and sales functions. Once any overdue training has been completed, full functionality will be restored within approximately 20 minutes from completion.

Partners with training over 60 days outstanding may find they cannot access the agent console. They will need to contact our Customer Service Centre to reactivate their login.

With a growing requirement to source information digitally recently, purchasing behaviours have shifted online and the needs of modern travellers have adapted and evolved. Due to these changes in behaviours, we will not be distributing hard copies of product brochures.   

Of course, where a traveller has no option but to receive a physical copy, we can arrange this via our service centre, on an adhoc basis. 

Contact information, including Emergency Assistance, can be located on the Certificate of Insurance and travellers should be encouraged to save this to their smart phones – the wallet of today. 

The products assigned to your partner account will be available to you throughout the purchase path in the nib Partner Portal and can be downloaded via the links on each page. Additionally, all mandatory policy documentation is provided by email to all customers who have a quote or policy issued to them.

There are different disclosures depending on your agreement type. Please visit the nib Partner Brand Toolkit to find these

Remember to send your website copy to us for review at partners@nib.com.au for approval before it is published.