No Travel Insurance Policy Covers War – But Coverage For Terrorism, Natural Disasters And Strikes Varies Significantly

Every travel insurance policy sold in New Zealand contains a blanket exclusion for war and armed conflict, but coverage for terrorism, natural disasters, civil unrest, airline strikes and pandemics varies significantly between insurers – and most travellers have no idea what their policy actually covers until it's too late, according to a new guide published by personal finance research website MoneyHub.

The guide analyses hundreds of pages of policy documents from the four underwriters that back virtually every travel insurance brand sold in New Zealand and presents the findings in plain language.

Key findings from the guide include:

• War is universally excluded: No travel insurance policy sold in New Zealand covers claims arising from war, armed conflict or military hostilities
• Terrorism cover is rare but available: Only one insurer offers dedicated terrorism medical cover; only one offers terrorism-related cancellation cover (with strict conditions). Most policies exclude terrorism entirely
• Natural disasters are the bright spot: All four underwriters provide genuine natural disaster cover – but only if the event occurs after you purchased your policy and was not foreseeable at the time of purchase
• Civil unrest cover depends on timing: Travellers already on their journey generally have better coverage than those trying to cancel before departure
• Airline strike cover is inconsistent: Some insurers cover cancellation due to strikes; others explicitly exclude it
• Buying early is the single most important decision: Every insurer excludes claims for events that were known or foreseeable when you bought your policy – buying at the time of booking maximises your protection

"Most people assume travel insurance covers everything unexpected – it doesn't," said Christopher Walsh, Founder of MoneyHub. "The single best thing you can do is buy your policy the moment you book your trip. Every hour you delay increases the risk that a breaking news event turns your unforeseeable loss into a known event that's excluded."

The full guide, including an insurer-by-insurer comparison table across all major event types, is available at: Travel Insurance for Unexpected Events

MoneyHub's comprehensive travel insurance comparison, covering 500+ sample quotes from 10+ providers, is available at: Compare Travel Insurance NZ

About MoneyHub

MoneyHub is New Zealand's leading independent financial guidance website, offering free research, tools, and guides to help New Zealanders make better money decisions.

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