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Travel insurance for missed flights and delays

Travel insurance can cover missed or delayed flights but only in certain circumstances..

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Compare policies with cover for missed flights

Does travel insurance cover missed flights, when won't i be covered, missed flight compensation, what other cancellation cover is available, frequently asked questions about missed flights and delays.

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What you need to know

• Travel insurance can cover you for missed flights and delays for reasons outside of your control.
• It typically will not cover you if the airline is at fault for the delay.
• An injury, bad weather and industrial action, are typically considered valid grounds for a claim.

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You are typically covered for reasons outside your or your airline's control.

You are covered for missed flights provided you miss your flight due to an event that is out of your control and is recognised by your insurance provider. This may include a vehicle accident, natural disaster, hijacking or strike. You will be covered under cancellation and trip interruption.

In most cases, missed flight travel insurance only provides cover for flights that are missed due to circumstances beyond your or your airline's control. Circumstances outside of an airline's control such as bad weather and industrial action, are usually considered valid grounds for a claim. Pre-booked accommodation expenses are usually covered in these situations too.

Good to know – if you missed your flight because of mechanical problems or overbooking, your airline is usually responsible for providing compensation or an alternative flight as they were responsible for your delay. In lots of cases, travel insurance can't help you.

Gary Ross Hunter Finder's insurance and innovations editor

Finder survey: What is the biggest concern for Australian travellers?

You're not covered in situations where you are at fault for the delayed or missed flight, for example:

• You did not allow enough time to get to the airport before your flight's departure.
• You booked connecting flights with arrival and departure times too close.
• You missed your flight due to issues with your travel documents and/or passport.

Circumstances such as being caught in a traffic jam on the way to the airport are generally not covered. However, situations such as your train breaking down may be. The reason train delays are covered is because there will be a record of the breakdown, which will provide proof when you're making a claim.

As part of your travel insurance policy, you might be eligible for compensation for accommodation, transport, meals and other additional costs. These costs may also be recoverable through your airline. However, this is at the airline's discretion and not all airlines will be accommodating.

Make sure you keep receipts of any out of pocket expenses you incur as you'll need to provide your insurer or airline with evidence of these costs.

Don't jump the gun . Be mindful that if you're delayed and find yourself alternate transport without consulting your airline or insurer, there's a good chance you'll lose your chance to recover the costs of your plane tickets.

As well as compensation for missed flights, travel insurance can provide cover for trip interruptions and cancellations of different kinds. Cancellation cover protects policyholders from lost deposits and cancellation fees for prepaid travel arrangements that are interrupted by unforeseen situations. Circumstances that cancellation insurance may cover includes:

• Extreme events. Situations where your travel arrangements are affected by natural disasters.
• Severe illness or injury. Trip cancellation expenses incurred as a result of a doctor declaring you unfit to continue your journey.
• Severe illness, injury or death of a close relative. Trip cancellation expenses incurred because you must return home to be with a sick or dying relative.
• Emergency accommodation expenses. Accommodation expenses incurred due to trip delay or disruption.
• Alternative transport expenses. Transport expenses incurred in getting to a pre-booked event such as a wedding, funeral or sporting event after your journey has been cancelled or disrupted.

As with missed flight insurance, there are certain circumstances that trip interruption or cancellation insurance will not cover. These include:

• Pandemic/epidemic. While insurers such as AAMI and iCover don’t provide cancellation cover in the event of a pandemic or epidemic.

Meet our travel expert Angus Kidman

Angus Kidman is the international editor-at-large at Finder. He's an award-winning journalist, avid travel enthusiast and passionate frequent flyer. Angus appears regularly on Sunrise, Today, The Project, Seven News and other TV and radio shows to share his expert tips.

Angus's top flight insurance tips

• Flying is quick, but airports are slow. Always aim to be there at least 2 hours ahead of time.
• Remember, flight delays that are the airline's fault won't typically be covered by insurance - that's the airline's problem to solve.
• Taking out insurance purely to cover the risk missing flights doesn't make sense, but it's a potentially useful extra you'll find in most cover.

Does travel insurance cover missed connections?

Travel insurance won't usually cover you if you miss your connecting flight due to a delay caused by the airline. In this case, the liability falls with the airline and it is responsible for arranging an alternative flight for your return.

What if my delay from my missed connection lasts for a couple of days?

The airline should provide additional cover for food and accommodation while you wait for your next flight.

What if I am travelling with 2 different airlines and the first is delayed?

Unfortunately, the second airline of your connecting flight is not liable to cover you if the first carrier is delayed. This means you may need to purchase another ticket out of your own pocket.

I'm going to miss my flight, what do I do?

If you know you're going to miss a flight there are steps you can take to help your situation with both your airline and insurer.

• Call the airline ahead of time. Calling ahead will allow airlines to sometimes hold the aeroplane if you are a few minutes late, or if they have to take off, they may move you to the next flight for free.
• Get proof of delay. If there is a breakdown on the road, get a police report or if your flights are missed because of a late connection get a written statement from the airline. These will back up any claims you make with your insurer.
• Check in online. If you check in online, have picked up your boarding pass, but arrive at the gate late, some airlines may issue a ticket to the next flight for free.

>What if I get bumped from a flight?

Quite often, airlines will overbook tickets to account for no-shows. Sometimes, when all of the ticket holders do show up, they will involuntarily "bump" or move you to the next flight and compensate you in rewards or by refunding you more than your ticket's cost price. While this is legal, it can be inconvenient for your travel plans, especially if you're travelling on business. The airline will also generally cover you for accommodation and meals if it is required. In these circumstances, there's little that travel insurance can do to help.

Will travel insurance cover me if my car breaks down on the way to the resort I'm staying at?

Unfortunately, travel insurance will not provide cover if your car breaks down and you miss a day at the resort you are staying at. It is not covered under trip interruption cover.

Will I be covered if I miss my flight due to traffic?

No, you will not be covered if you miss your flight due to traffic. You may be covered if you are involved in a car accident.

How does the baggage delay benefit work with travel insurance?

Baggage delay benefit will provide cover for you to purchase clothing, toiletries and other essential items if your luggage is delayed for a specified period of time – usually at least 12 hours.

Gary Ross Hunter

Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).

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Enter the destination(s) you plan to visit or select them from the list of countries and regions in the dropdown.

Planning a stopover? If you’re in a country for less than 72 hours, you do not need to list it as a destination.

Don’t currently know all the countries you’ll be visiting? You can select a region to obtain cover for all countries within that region, or you can select “Anywhere in the world”. Important: If selecting “Anywhere in the world”, your policy will not provide cover for claims arising in countries that are subject to sanctions. Your safety is paramount, so please read and familiarise yourself with the “ Standing Travel Alert for High Risk and Sanctioned Countries ” when undertaking worldwide travel – and before making any side trips to neighbouring countries – to ensure you have adequate cover.

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Want to come to Australia on our Inbound Plan? Select “Australia Inbound”.

When do you depart?

Enter the date you will leave your home to start your trip.

When do you return?

Enter the date you will arrive home based on AEST (considering any time differences/zones and travel times).

Duration of each trip?

Select the maximum trip duration that best suits your needs.

The maximum trip duration you select will apply to each separate trip you take during the 12-month period of your policy.

For cover to apply, you cannot take trips that exceed this maximum duration. If you make a claim related to a trip that exceeds this maximum duration, it may be declined.

The maximum trip duration you select will be shown on your Certificate of Insurance.

Age of each traveller?

Enter the age (as of today) of each adult and child to be included on the policy.

Travel Insurance with Travel Delay Cover

Our travel delay benefit provides cover for more than flight delays

It’s incredibly frustrating to experience transport delays when you’re travelling – but they’re often an unavoidable part of the holiday experience.

If you have travel insurance with cover for flight delays, your cover may help ease the pain of extended delays of not only flights, but buses and trains, too.

If you’re a Cover-More travel insurance policyholder, our travel delay benefit can help you worry less about unexpected and lengthy delays ruining your trip. Protect your travels by getting a free quote online now.

Skip ahead to read:

• What is travel delay cover?
• Does Cover-More travel insurance include a travel delay benefit?

When does Cover-More’s travel delay benefit apply?

What does cover-more consider an “additional” cost, what does cover-more consider a “transport provider”, what isn’t covered under cover-more's travel delay benefit, what is travel delay insurance cover.

Travel delay cover is a benefit of travel insurance for flight delays or other transport delays.

In the event your trip is interrupted by lengthy travel delays resulting from unforeseen circumstances, travel delay cover can help reimburse you for the cost of additional accommodation required because of the transport delay.

Check out our travel insurance benefits section to learn about more cover benefits.

What does Cover-More’s disability cover include?

Yes, all our Cover-More comprehensive travel insurance plans and Inbound Plan include a travel delay benefit to protect your travels overseas and in Australia if your pre-booked, prepaid transport is delayed for longer than six hours.

No travel delay cover is offered on our Basic Plans.

The maximum benefit limit for this section is:

Limits, exclusions, and conditions apply. Please check the PDS for full policy conditions.

If your pre-booked, prepaid transport is temporarily delayed for at least six hours because of an unforeseeable circumstance outside your control, cover is provided for:

• reasonable additional accommodation (room rate only) expenses you incur; and
• the cost of the unused, prepaid accommodation (if you must pay for new accommodation) less any refund you are entitled to from the supplier of the original accommodation

There is cover for up to $300.

Cover will also be provided – up to this $300 limit again – for each full 24-hour period that the delay continues beyond the initial 6-hour delay.

Please note: you must claim from the transport provider initially, and provide written confirmation from the transport provider of the cause and period of the delay and the amount of compensation offered by them. You must also provide receipts for the additional accommodation (room rate only) expenses incurred.

In relation to our travel delay travel insurance benefit cover:

“ Additional ” means the cost of the accommodation or transport you actually use less the cost of the accommodation or transport you expected to use had the journey proceeded as planned.

When we use the term “ transport provider ”, we mean a properly licensed coach operator, airline, cruise line, shipping line, or railway company.

Travel insurance covers unexpected incidents, and it can’t cover all scenarios. If you’re wanting to protect your trip with our Cover-More travel insurance, it’s important to be aware of the conditions and exclusions of our travel delay cover.

We will not pay claims for travel delays due to an epidemic, pandemic or outbreak of an infectious disease or any derivative or mutation of such viruses.

Limits, exclusions, and conditions apply. Please refer to our PDS for full policy conditions.

Want us to protect your trip from flight delay costs?

Discover our best plans for travel delays and more today.

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Cover-More Comprehensive Travel Insurance Review

Published: Mar 20, 2024, 2:42pm

Cover-More Travel Insurance offers Australians high-quality cover within its comprehensive plan, including unlimited medical cover that extends to Covid-19. While dental isn’t included in the unlimited medical cover, it is still covered up to $2,000. Plus, Cover-More provides automatic cover for nearly 100 sports and activities, making it a great choice for the adventurous traveller.

Related: Best Travel Insurance Providers for Australians

• Unlimited medical cover
• Maximum age limit of 99 years of age
• Automatic cover for nearly 100 sports and activities
• Snow, cruise and adventure cover cost extra
• Dental not included in unlimited medical cover
• No online discounts

Table of Contents

About cover-more travel insurance, what is covered by cover-more, does it cover me for covid, what about pregnancy, what about sports and activities, customer service.

Cover-More Travel Insurance is part of the Zurich Insurance Group, with the Australian Cover More Travel Insurance policies underwritten by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited. Cover-More was established in 1986 in Sydney, and claims to protect more than 15 million travellers per year with its policies.

The company has won numerous industry awards over the years, and its comprehensive policy has received a 3.3 star ranking from 2843 customer reviews on Australia’s leading consumer review site, ProductReview.

Featured Partners

Fast Cover Travel Insurance

On Fast Cover’s Secure Website

Medical cover

Unlimited, 24/7 Emergency Assistance

Cancellations

Unlimited, (Trip Disruption $50,000)

Key Features

25-Day Cooling Off Period, Australian Based Call Centre, 4.6 Star Product Review Rating

Cover-More Travel Insurance

Covid Cover?

Maximum age limit?

99 years old

Lost luggage cover?

Yes, up to $15,000

Southern Cross Travel Insurance

Medical Cover

Including medical treatment, doctors’ visits, prescribed medication, specialist treatment & medical transport costs

$2,500 with option to increase to unlimited

Cover-More’s Comprehensive Travel Insurance policy is available for travellers up to 99 years of age, subject to meeting the acceptance criteria. Dependent children are also automatically included up to 21 years of age, provided they are financially dependent and are not in full time employment–making this policy a good choice for family holidays.

While Cover-More doesn’t state a maximum amount of credit card fraud it will cover in its comprehensive plan, it does say that it will repay the legal liability of illegal use and also provide a replacement. As for personal liability, this is covered up to $2.5 million.

Additionally, missed connecting flights are covered up to $3000, and there is cover for hire car excess up to $5000 as well. Cancellations are also covered, with the amount chosen by the customer upon taking out the policy.

Lost luggage

Yes, the Cover-More Comprehensive Travel Insurance policy includes lost luggage cover up to $15,000. Sub limits apply; however, item limits can be increased when taking out the policy if required.

Cover-More’s Comprehensive Travel Insurance policy comes with unlimited medical cover. This includes COVID-19 (as explained below) and some pre-existing medical conditions.

There are 32 conditions that are automatically covered in Cover-More’s policy, provided they meet certain criteria. These conditions include epilepsy, asthma, coeliac disease and more.

Other medical conditions require an assessment to determine whether cover will be provided, and may incur an additional premium on the policy. Cover-More urges policyholders to disclose all medical conditions upon taking out a policy to ensure the correct level of cover is provided throughout the trip.

Is Dental Cover Included in Medical?

Dental is not included in Cover-More’s unlimited medical cover. However, policyholders are covered for dental costs up to $2,000.

Related: Review of Travel Insurance Saver Insurance

Yes, Cover-More includes Covid-related medical expenses within its unlimited medical cover. There is also cover up to $5,000 for trip cancellations due to Covid, and additional expenses–such as emergency accommodation if required to isolate–are covered up to $2,500.

Related: Are You Covered for Covid?

When it comes to pregnancy, a single-child pregnancy is automatically covered with Cover-More’s comprehensive plan. For multiple babies, or if the pregnancy was IVF-assisted, policyholders must apply for extra cover upon taking out the policy.

The pregnancy cover that Cover-More provides is only up to week 24 of the pregnancy, and only for serious and unexpected complications. Childbirth is not covered.

Cover-More provides its customers with plenty of choice when it comes to cover for sports and activities on their holiday. Automatically included in the travel insurance policy are 96 different activities, which range from windsurfing and swimming with dolphins to paint balling and archery.

Some activities that are automatically included come with extra conditions in order to be covered, such as hiking/trekking only up to 2000 metres, and hot air ballooning as a passenger through an organised activity only.

Cover-More adds that all activities listed within its 96 automatic-inclusions must be undertaken recreationally and in a non-professional capacity, with certain limits and sub-limits applying.

For travellers looking for travel insurance that covers other sports and activities outside of the 96 listed, Cover-More provides optional add-ons at an extra cost. This includes adventure activities, snow packs and cruise cover.

Cover-More offers its customers 24/7 emergency assistance via a dedicated overseas medical and emergency assistance team known as Cover-More Assist. Policyholders can contact Cover-More Assist by calling +61 2 8907 5619 from anywhere in the world.

There is also a general customer service phone line, and a separate claims line. Alternatively, customers can choose to submit claims online via the Cover-More website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is there a discount for cover-more travel insurance.

No. At the time of writing, there are currently no online discounts for Cover-More Travel Insurance.

Cover-More does frequently run promotions for its customers (such as the chance to win a $2,000 Visa giftcard or 15% off your policy), with these promotions and deadlines found online at the Cover-More website.

Does Cover-More Travel Insurance cover Covid-19?

Yes, Cover-More’s Comprehensive Travel Insurance policy includes cover for Covid-19. As Cover-More offers unlimited medical cover, COVID-19 related medical needs are included within this.

There is also cover up to $5000 for trip cancellations due to Covid, and additional expenses that incur due to contracting COVID-19 are covered up to $2500.

Is Cover-More Travel Insurance good?

Forbes Advisor compared a wide range of travel insurance policies to find the best choices for Australians. Cover-More Travel Insurance was rated 4.5 out of 5 stars by Forbes Advisor, and also has a 3.3 star ranking from 2,843 customers on independent site, ProductReview.

It is considered a good travel insurance option for Australians, largely due to its unlimited medical cover–which includes Covid coverage–and its many automatically included sports and activities.

Where Can I Find The Cover-More Policy Document?

Cover-More offers a range of different travel insurance policies to Australians, each with differing product disclosure statements (PDS) outlining their inclusions and limitations. The comprehensive plus policy’s PDS can be found here , while the standard comprehensive offering’s policy document can be found here .

For all PDS’ from Cover-More, including its domestic travel insurance offering , you can find them online on the Cover-More website .

Who underwrites Cover-More Travel Insurance?

Cover-More travel insurance is underwritten by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited.

How do I contact Cover-More Travel Insurance?

For general enquiries, Australians can contact Cover-More Travel Insurance by calling 1300 72 88 22.

For policy holders requiring emergency assistance, you can call Cover-More Assist 24/7 from any country on +612 8907 5619.

To make a claim over the phone, policyholders should call 1300 36 26 44.

Complaints can be made via the general enquiries line, by submitting a form online , or emailing [email protected].

Does Cover-More offer domestic travel insurance?

Yes. Along with Cover-More’s comprehensive offering, as reviewed above, the travel insurance provider also provides plans for those travelling domestically.

Cover-More’s domestic plan made it onto Forbes Advisor Australia’s list for our pick of the Best Domestic Travel Insurance , scoring 4 stars out of 5.

From our review, we found that the Cover-More Domestic policy is available for all ages up to 99 years, subject to acceptance criteria such as pre-existing medical conditions. Delays are covered up to $1000, missed connections are also covered up to the value of $2000, and the value of cancellation cover is chosen by the customer.

Sophie Venz is an experienced editor and features reporter, and has previously worked in the small business and start-up reporting space. Previously the Associate Editor of SmartCompany, Sophie has worked closely with finance experts and columnists around Australia and internationally.

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I would like to ask if anyone here knows any travel insurance that is available for any country's citizen and covers missed flihgt connections.

I'm wondering if there is any that we can buy.

11 replies to this topic

I would suspect any insurance covering self connections would have fairly rigid T&Cs so if you find a policy check carefully

Where are you based?

People cannot recommend a policy available to you if they don't know where you live.

Also - if your intended self-connection time is deemed "too short" by the insurer, they wouldn't cover it anyway.

Thank you for the reply! I'm based in Poland and my mom is based in Japan. We are both japanese citizens.

Our transit time will be 3 hours and 40 min.

If by "a self-transit in Mumbai" you mean separate ticket then no insurance company will cover that.

You will need different insurance as they need to be taken out in your country where you live. You might get more advice if you post in the Poland and Japan forums.

There is missed connection insurance BUT you most certainly do need to study the T&Cs . Self connection may be ruled out altogether or a minimum time set for the connection.

I seem to remember some people complaining about insurance they thought covered them but didn’t from some of the dodgy on line travel agents we read so much about

If you're a resident of Poland, then you should consider insurance options from there. The same for your mother in Japan.

You could consider insurance from Japan as well, however, most insurers won't offer coverage for journeys longer than 30 or so days in one trip, so that would be a problem if you live in Poland.

#8 never had a problem getting 60 day trip insurance in the UK

Many uk insurance policies state that the journey should begin an end in the country of residency or words to that effect

My annual travel policy is maximum 45 days per trip but it can be extended for an additional trip.

The one I used to have with my bank current account was 45 days but they reduced it to only 30 days and the premium to go back to what it was, doubled the annual cost, so I downgraded the current account and switched to Saga insurance.

Basic term may be 30 days on policies but not all of them and even those that do have 30 days often have alternatives for longer periods, just like some have 3 levels of cover for trip cancellation

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Please Note - If you are cruising around Australia you need to select Pacific. With Regions, variances can apply for Bali, Indonesia, Japan and Middle East. You are not required to enter stop-over countries if your stop-over is less than 48 hours.

If you don’t know where you’re traveling to within the next 12 months, choose Worldwide to ensure you’re covered no matter where you go. If you’re travelling to multiple countries choose the region that you are visiting that is furthest away (excluding stopovers less than 48 hours). In most cases you will be covered for the closer regions as well. For example, if you choose Europe, you will also be covered in the Middle East, Asia and Pacific.

Worldwide means anywhere in the world

Americas means USA, Canada, South America, Latin America, Hawaii and the Caribbean

Europe means all European countries, including UK

Middle East refers to the area from Syria to Yemen; Egypt to Iran

Asia generally means Asia and the Indian subcontinent. For some insurers this excludes Japan*

Pacific means the South West Pacific, Australia and Indonesia/Bali*. Select Pacific for domestic cruises in New Zealand waters

New Zealand means domestic travel within New Zealand only

*Note: Variances apply for Bali, Indonesia, Japan and Middle East. Check that your destination is covered once directed to your chosen insurer’s site.

Travel Insurance And Missed or delayed Flights

Have you ever had that rising feeling of desperation that you are going to miss your flight? Final boarding call. Gate Closed!...Hearing these words at an airport can ruin your day. Who is going to pay for this! Exactly who pays will depend upon who was at fault for the missed departure and whether or not you took out  comprehensive travel insurance. There is no clear-cut yes or no answer for missed flights being covered by  travel insurance , but in a nutshell, you would be covered if you missed your flight for an insured reason .  The reasons covered would be detailed in your insurer's policy wording.  However, if you miss a connecting flight because of travel delays caused by the airline, then you wouldn’t be covered. Whilst in Australia, airlines are not obligated to compensate passengers whose flights are deferred or cancelled, they are required by law to assist you in rescheduling your flight if you are bumped from an oversold flight. Terms vary by airline, but most airlines will either rebook you on their next available flight to your destination at no additional charge or provide you with a credit for future travels. Travel insurance is there to cover you for unexpected, unforeseen events, not regular travel disruptions.  So far in 2023, 22% of flights have been delayed. 

Connecting Flights On Different Airlines

Understanding when you’re covered (and when you’re not) can get a bit fuzzy when two legs of your journey are with different airlines. If your journey all the way through to your destination is with one carrier – you should be fine. If you miss your connection, the airline will make sure you get on another flight, or they will provide food and accommodation if long delays are expected. However, if you are booked on two airlines and miss your connecting flight, Housten, you could have a problem!  The second airline is not responsible for putting you on another flight just because of the first carrier’s delay. And because travel insurance does not cover missed connections caused by the airlines, you might not be covered for the cost to buy a new airline ticket.

So When Does Travel Insurance Cover For Missed Flights?

You’re covered for travel and accommodation expenses if:

• You miss your connecting flight because of a motor vehicle (or rail, bus, marine) accident you’re involved in.
• You miss your flight because of natural disasters , severe weather, hijacking, riots or civil unrest . The event must have begun after the insurance policy was issued.
• A medical practitioner notifies the insurer that you are unfit to continue with your trip. You will need this in writing and it cannot be a  pre-existing medical condition  unless this was disclosed and covered.

When You Are Not Covered?

When it comes to travel insurance, it is important to know that most policies will not cover delays that are caused by the airline. So you wouldn’t be covered for…

• Mechanical issues, delays or overbooking. The airline should provide compensation in these instances.
• You wouldn’t be covered if you missed your flight because you didn’t leave enough time to get there. This includes traffic on the way to the airport delaying your journey.
• If you are offered compensation or alternative flights by your airline and you do not take them.
• If you miss your flight for a covered event such as severe weather, but you book another flight on a higher class ticket. Your insurance will only cover the cost of the initial ticket price that you booked. So don’t go upgrading yourself too quickly!

What Do You Need To Have Ready To Claim For Missed Flights?

• Know how to claim with your insurer - read their product disclosure statement, and check the sections on cancellation and lost deposits, alternative travel expenses, and general exclusions.
• Proof proof proof. If you experience delays or cancellation of any sort you will always need written proof of the cancellation or delay from the airline.
• If you’re involved in a road traffic accident that stops you from making your flight, make sure you get evidence from the transport authority in that destination.
• If you cannot travel for health reasons, make sure you get documentation from your doctor.

5 Tips To Avoid Missing Flights

With so many fun things to do in life, most of us tend to time our arrival at airports with just enough time to get through security and walk onto the plane. Traveller be warned, it doesn’t take much to set off a domino effect of missed flights and misplaced luggage. It’s no fun running through an airport hearing “Last boarding call for Eugene Wylde”.  So here’s some words of wisdom…

• When travelling by plane, assume you’re going to be delayed by traffic, experience long check-in queues or be stopped by security for packing a python in your suitcase.
• If possible, book all flights to your destination with the same airline. That way the airline is obligated to get you on the next flight and/or put you up if long delays are expected.
• If you know you’re likely to miss a connecting flight – call the airline. They might be able to put you on a later flight and then problem is solved!
• Do your research – don’t just go with the cheapest option and have to pay later. Look for flights with better connecting times. You might find you’ll only be paying a few dollars more anyway.
• Don’t leave yourself less than 3 hours for a connecting flight - why not enjoy the stopover? Break up the journey and stay overnight rather than leave yourself no time to make the next flight.
• See if you can check your bags all the way through to your final destination, even if you’re flying with different airlines.
• If you plan to snooze at the airport, do it at your gate, so if you wake up at the last minute, you have a chance of getting on board.
• Remember that some policies will be more favourable than others when it comes to missed flights. So take a look at your policy documentation, check out travel insurance reviews  from customers, and give your insurer a call to check their cover. 

Travel Insurance  FAQs on Flight Cover

Does travel insurance cover delayed or rescheduled flights.

Typically, travel insurance will cover you for missed flights and travel delays, provided it's not your, or your airline's, fault. Many travellers wrongly assume that travel insurance covers flight delays or rescheduling due to operational, technical or mechanical reasons caused by the airline. This isn't the case. So far in 2023, 22% of flights have been delayed. It is ultimately. your airline's responsibility to provide you with the service that you have paid for. Where possible, they should get you on the next availale flight and compensate you for lengthy delays if meals and accommodation are required. Travel insurance will however cover you for missed flights and delays, as long as it's because of a reason outlined in your policy. This would usually include a motor vehicle accident, natural disasters, riots and strikes.

Am I covered to buy new connecting flights?

Travel insurance won't usually cover you if you miss your connecting flight due to a delay caused by the airline. In this case, the liability falls with the airline. In the event that you have an important special occassion such as a concert, wedding or funeral where the date cannot be moved and you have to buy new flights to reach your destination on time, there may be provision to claim on travel insurance. Special terms will apply, such as allowing plenty of time betweeen the original connecting flight booking. This is usually in the realm of 3 hours. Commonsense prevails when planning your trip. Flight delays are commonplace so it makes sense to arrive at least one day prior to any planned event.

Will I be covered if I miss my flight due to traffic?

Not usually. It is up to you to monitor the expected time to get to the airport allowing for heavy traffic. In particular you should allow plenty of time to check-in, expecting queues during peak holiday periods. You may be covered if you are involved in a car accident.

Am I covered if my flight is cancelled?

As with flight delays and rescheduling, whether or not you're covered for flight cancellations depends on the cause of the cancellation. If your flight was cancelled due to a mechanical fault, overbooking, maintenance, repairs, rescheduling, service faults, a pilot sleeping in, or the airline closing down then you are generally not covered. You've paid the airline for a service that they haven't delivered. The exception is where insurers offer alternative transport expenses or disruption of journey benefits, which help you get to a special event such as a wedding or funeral on time. This may include cover for additional meals and accommodation regardless of whether the airline was at fault. There are also of course unforseen and expected circumstances where you are cancelling your trip would be covered. Visit cancellation cover to learn more about the benefits of travel insurance when you have to cancel your trip.

Can I lodge a formal complaint against the airline?

If your flight is delayed or cancelled, the rules for compensation are generally set by the country the flight is departing from and it seems that Australian flyers are in a world of pain copmared to the USA and Europe. Airlines have been allowed to write the rules on how they operate putting the consumer at their mercy and the Australian government has taken its hands off the wheel. Under Australian fair trading laws, you have the right to make a complaint to the airline if it fails to deliver an adequate service. In the event that you have a dispute with an airline which isn't resolved to your satisfacytion, you can lodge a formal complaint with the ACCC. Visit the ACCC website to learn more.

Travel Insurance Extraordinarie At Your Service

Need some help? Use the search box below to find answers to all those tricky questions. We’ve got heaps of travel insurance tips to help you get the best policy for your upcoming holiday!

Trending Tips And Guides

Ultimate guide to travel insurance

Although you shouldn’t bank on the worst possible scenario, it’s hardly worth taking a gamble on your travels. Our travel insurance guide helps you navigate around the tricky world of travel insurance.

Pre-existing medical conditions

Having pre-existing medical conditions doesn't mean you can't get cover or that it has to be expensive. It simply means that you need to dig a little deeper when doing your research.

Pregnancy travel insurance guide

Not all insurers will cover you automatically if you’re over 22 weeks gestation or have had pregnancy complications. See which companies offer cover for pregnant women.

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Comparetravelinsurance.com.au is Australia’s leading comparison site solely focused on travel insurance.

Our comparison is a free service that allows users to compare quotes in a few simple steps based on limited personal criteria. Comparisons supplied are not a recommendation or opinion about the suitability of a policy for a user. Comparisons are default ranked according to price and users have the ability to sort by popular cover levels. Whilst we compare a vast range of policies, we do not compare all providers in the market. This site compares the following brands: 1Cover, AllClear, Budget Direct, Downunder, Fast Cover Travel Insurance, Insure4Less, InsureandGo, iTrek, Simply Travel Insurance, Ski-Insurance, Travel Insurance Saver, Travel Insuranz, Wise Traveller, Zoom Travel Insurance . The directors and shareholders are common with companies i-Trek Pty Ltd, Zoom Travel Insurance and 1Cover Pty Ltd including it’s subsidiary brand Ski-insurance. CoverDirect takes all reasonable care when preparing this information but does not warrant its accuracy. Pricing information is supplied by the providers who participate on this site and should be verified with the insurer before you purchase. This site links users to the website of the provider to verify quotes and access the relevant PDS to understand what is, and is not, covered by a policy prior to purchase.

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Southwest Airlines quietly rolls out a new compensation program for flight delays

Southwest Airlines said it launched a compensation program for  flight delays as part of a $140 million U.S. Department of Transportation settlement over the carrier's meltdown in December 2022 during a busy holiday travel period.

Southwest agreed in December 2023 to provide $90 million in travel vouchers of $75 or more over three years to passengers delayed at least three hours getting to their final destinations because of an airline-caused issue or cancellation and to start the program by April 30.

The airline said Monday it had quietly launched the program on April 16 and has already heard from a few thousand customers seeking vouchers.

The airline agreed to the compensation program after the holiday meltdown that resulted in 16,900 flight cancellations and stranded 2 million passengers. The settlement included a $35 million cash fine.

Will Southwest start assigning seats? CEO says the airline is weighing changes

A massive winter storm in December 2022 and subsequent chaos prompted travel horror stories such as people missing funerals or long-awaited holiday gatherings, passengers with canceled flights forced to make cross-country drives of 17 or more hours and some cancer patients being unable to get treatment.

The delay compensation program is part of the Biden administration's aggressive efforts to get tough on airlines as it aims to require new passenger compensation. Vouchers will be awarded "upon request," Southwest said.

Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said in December that, given its operational performance, the $30 million in vouchers annually was "the right number" to commit to.

Asked if Southwest would end the program after three years, Jordan said consumer programs "rarely change or go away."

Rival U.S. airlines have not put in place similar programs and do not yet face a mandate to do so.

Enough with airline hidden fees: DOT rules take aim at 'corporate rip-offs'

President Joe Biden said last May that the DOT would propose new rules requiring airlines to compensate passengers with cash for significant controllable flight delays or cancellations by the end of the year. The DOT has not issued its proposal, and Congress has declined to mandate compensation for delays in a pending aviation reform bill.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said last week Southwest under the delay compensation requirement will "really lead the market and it will be very interesting to see how other airlines respond – not as punishment but by way of competition."

The DOT in 2022 asked carriers if they would pay at least $100  for delays of at least three hours  caused by airlines and none agreed.

Most carriers – including Southwest – voluntarily committed in August 2022 to provide hotels, meals and ground transportation for airline-caused delays or cancellations but resisted providing cash compensation as is required in the European Union .