3,432 reviews
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AI reviews summary
Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) receives high praise for its competitive pricing and efficient claims processing. The majority of users report a seamless experience from online purchase through to claim settlement, frequently noting that funds are disbursed within 10 to 14 working days. While the sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, some users have encountered difficulties with emergency contact availability and specific policy exclusions.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Southern Cross Travel Insurance is a highly reliable choice for travellers seeking affordable, comprehensive cover with a proven track record of fast claim payouts. It is particularly well-suited for those with pre-existing conditions who want a simple online application, provided they read the PDS carefully to understand specific exclusions regarding luggage and vehicle engine sizes.
I was very happy with the coverage of my previous travel but due to medical reasons I needed to put a claim in for a cancellation for a cruise I was so looking forward too. SCTI staff dealt with my claim once they received all relevant information and documentation. Thanks so much. Show details · 1
Reviews with attachments
Good price, easy to apply, complete cover, Security knowing they are there to help if required Show details · 1
The real test of an insurance company is what happens when you need to make a claim. This is something where Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) have been great. We have used SCTI for all of our travel insurance for quite a few years. In that time we have done many overseas trips. We never needed to make a claim until our recent trip to South… Read more · 1
America. On that one trip we had 3 separate incidents and SCTI were great with all of them. The first was that my wife thought that she might have DVT when we were in Ecuador. Our guide arranged for a doctor to come to our hotel to look at her. We rang SCTI and told them and they were very helpful. As it turned out, it was not a DVT and the doctor could fix it with some drugs. The total cost was only US$95 so we did not need to make an actual claim with SCTI. However, SCTI still got us to send through the medical report so that they could check with their experts that the treatment was appropriate. They also contacted us a few days later to make sure that everything was OK. The second incident was in Peru. My wife and I both got salmonella poisoning (despite being very careful about what we ate and drank). Our local guide arranged for a doctor to come straight over and the doctor said that we needed to go to hospital for tests. We were taken by ambulance to a travellers’ clinic (which was like a small private hospital) and spent the next 24 hours on intravenous drips. We had a large room for the 2 of us and constant care for the 24 hours. The doctor had taken details of our SCTI insurance and we also emailed SCTI to tell them what was happening. SCTI handled everything and we did not have to pay anything at all . SCTI contacted us a few times to make sure that everything was OK and that we were feeling better. The third incident arose due to some civil unrest in Bolivia. The road that we were supposed to travel on had been blocked by protesters. This meant that we had to cancel 2 days of our trip and catch a flight instead of driving. We advised SCTI at the time. When we got back to Australia, our travel agent provided us with a letter that set out the cost of what we had missed out on and the costs (hotel, airfares and meal) that we had to pay for our alternative arrangements. We submitted this to SCTI and they rang about 5 working days later to say that the claim had been approved and that, in accordance with the policy, they would pay the greater of the 2 costs. This seemed very fair and we were happy to have the claim resolved so quickly and for the amount that we expected. We have always used travel insurance for peace of mind. Our experience on our recent trip showed that it was really worth it. Even though we had things go wrong on the trip, having insurance meant that we didn’t have to worry about the cost. We were very impressed with SCTI. They took responsibility for everything and communicating with them was very easy – both through phone calls and through emails. We will be using SCTI for our future trips and we are already actively recommending them to our friends.
Purchasing Southern Cross Travel Insurance was quick, easy, and affordable. The online application process was straightforward, with clear information and no complications. The policy offered good value for money and was simple to set up before my trip. Fortunately, I did not need to make a claim, so I cannot comment on the claims process. Based… Read more · 1
on my experience purchasing the policy, I would happily consider using Southern Cross Travel Insurance again in the future.
We (a couple) took 6 months insurance covering 3 continents for a single trip. Following research, it was the most cost effective, especially for add ons like motor bike riding or cruise cover. We did have to make a claim for rental excess as someone damaged our car and left no note. The online process struggled to upload the supporting photos… Read more · 1
which was mildly frustrating - in the end I think it was the browser I was using was not supported by their site - but I got there! Their communication was excellent, and the full amount (there is no excess for rental excess) was paid back into my account within 4 or 5 days. Would I use them again? 100%. I recommend them to you. I have already got a quote on an upcoming trip which again is on the money.
Covered everything we needed including skiing in Canada for seniors Show details · 1
I have used SCTI for over 15 years. Being on line they are very easy and quick to use - this recent trip I actually had to add an updated medical condition and I was able to speak to a consultant who assisted me. I will continue to use SCTI for future travels. Thanks Lisa Show details
I took out travel insurance to travel to Bali. When in Bali I get on the back of scooter run by local companies. So I was looking for accident cover in case I was involved in an accident on a bike. It was very difficult to ascertain if other insurance companies covered this event but it was very easy to find on Southern Cross. Thankfully I did not need to make a claim Show details
Useless policy, I spoke to an agent before I took out the policy to ensure I was more than adequately covered in case of a medical emergency as I was spending my time in Mexico City. Unfortunately I needed to go to hospital and rang the emergency contact number on the policy, was advised to go to a public hospital, which I did and don't have a… Read more
problem with, only to be horrified when we got there, the hospital was surrounded by bars and razor wire, the only way in was by ambulance. We tried another public hospital only to find the same thing, couldn't get in. The public hospitals seem to be surrounded by undesirables living in tents and quite scary at night. Thank you Southern Cross Insurance, I was left in agony and I'm sure if your customer service had made me aware of the hospital system in Mexico City, I would have been quite happy to pay a few dollars more to be able to go to any of the private hospitals. As travel insurance is your business, I'm sure your staff would be well aware of the hospital system in Mexico City given that FIFA is hosted there and many tourists with travel insurance.
EDIT: IT HAS BEEN 4 WEEKS AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY FEED BACK AS STATED BY SOUTHERN CROSS TRAVEL INSURANCE REPLY TO MY REVIEW. VERY DISAPPOINTING AND A FALSE RESPONSE THEY GAVE.
Latest follow-ups
Our airline delayed our flight by 37 hours after we booked a Vatican tour in Rome, which was non - refundable plus we had to find a nights accommodation in Kuala Lumpur. We missed a day in Rome and had to rebook the tour. SCTI paid us for the extra… Read more · 1
accommodation, taxi fares to and from KL airport and for the tour we missed. Very happy with the result. I have used SCTI for many trips and this is the first time I've had to claim and it was fairly easy to do. They resolved the claim in about four days.
Follow-up · Claim process was very easy via email. Just had to upload photos of all the documents and they processed it without trouble. I did have to pay a $200 excess but at least I recovered most of my outlay.
Kimberley Cruise – We have used SCTI a few times now and found their insurance package extensive and easy to see exactly what we were insured for. Fortunately we haven't had a reason to claim, but they do provide handy info in doing so. We had reason to change our trip dates a couple of times on our last trip and this was done by a simple phone call. Very helpful. Show details · 1
Follow-up · The changes cost nothing, they were fully covered by the travel co. Easy contact direct by phone. No excess paid.
Beware of the small print – My claim was rejected based on the fact my mother is over 85 years old. I had to cut my overseas trip short by a month so am now €2000 out if pocket. I've checked other companies eg Covermore and they don't have an age limit on close relatives. So… Read more
if you have an elderly parent and you might need to cut short your trip, check the product disclosure statement.
Follow-up · No I didn't get a refund. They eventually offered to refund the period remaining on the policy because of my early return. My conclusion was that basically travel insurance is a rip off with too many 'get out' clauses. What I ended up doing is getting a credit card that includes travel insurance so I at least don't have to pay extra for a useless policy.
Hi Tanya. Thank you for your… Read more (+1 reply)
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In-depth reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I don’t usually write reviews, but I felt this experience deserved one. I purchased travel insurance from Southern Cross Insurance before my trip to Mexico and the United States in June. During my holiday, while visiting La Paz, Mexico, I unfortunately lost two cameras, my wallet, some cash, and a few other personal belongings. At the… Read more · 1
time, the local police were not very helpful, and even after staying there for several days, I received no updates. I had almost accepted that everything was gone and that I would have to absorb the loss myself.
When I returned to Australia, I decided to submit a claim, although I honestly didn’t have high expectations. To my surprise, the claims process was straightforward, and once my claim was assessed, Southern Cross Insurance confirmed that I would be reimbursed.
I was incredibly grateful. Without this insurance, I would have lost nearly AUD $1,500. The whole experience reminded me why travel insurance is so important. Thank you to the team at Southern Cross Insurance for giving me peace of mind during such a stressful situation. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone travelling overseas.
I highly recommend Southern Cross Travel Insurance as they have been exceptional at resolving a travel claim due to a significant disruption to our holiday plans. I was able to speak to a Customer Support representative very quickly, who promptly… Read more · 1
reassured me that my children and I would be taken care of financially in respect of booking a new transfer to our initial destination. The claim form was incredibly straightforward and within 72 hours I received an email confirming our claim was accepted and would be paid in full. I have previously used Allianz, and while their service was superb, Southern Cross outperformed them by providing such a speedy resolution and straightforward claim process. I love the fact there is a zero excess option also. No one ever wants to be in a position where travel plans are disrupted, but it's very reassuring to know you're with a travel insurance company that's there to support you. Thank you Southern Cross for enabling my family and I to have a smooth journey for our overseas trip. We can now and look forward to a wonderful holiday.
Follow-up · Cancelled transport to and from our international airport and as we live in remote regional Australia, sourcing a way to get there was very challenging. Southern Cross were incredible from start to finish, allowing us to purchase return flights, which ensured we were still able to enjoy our holiday and get home safely. It was so stressful when the… Read more
My husband and I are keen travellers, especially when it comes to international travel. Securing travel insurance has always been our first priority when booking a holiday, with the hope of not having to make a claim. In preparation for a trip to Vietnam in March 2026, my husband and I, along with another couple who are our close friends and… Read more · 1
frequent travel companions, paid for flights, put down a deposit on a holiday package, and took out travel insurance. Unfortunately, one of our travel companions received a serious illness diagnosis, which necessitated cancelling the trip. We were fortunate to have organised our travel insurance through Southern Cross Travel Insurance, who demonstrated exceptional diligence, professionalism, helpfulness, and compassion. The claim process, which was handled online, was straightforward and efficient. Our claim for out of pocket expenses was processed in under two weeks, and the funds were deposited into our account promptly. In contrast, our travel companions, who used a different insurer and submitted their claim a week before we did, are still awaiting resolution. We appreciate the excellent service provided by Southern Cross Travel Insurance.
Recent reviews
My experience with Southern Cross Travel Insurance was a positive one. We initially selected them as they provided cover for a pre-existing medical condition, however I would choose them in future just based on their service. There were plenty of policy options to choose from, making it easy to find the right level of cover at a very competitive… Read more · 1
price. The followup throughout the process was excellent, with clear communication and prompt responses to any questions I had. Overall, the service was professional, efficient, and good value. I would happily use them again and recommend them to others.
Pleased with the ease of applying for travel insurance online. Although we didn't have to claim, we felt that we could rely on SCTI making any claim seamless. We would recommend SCTI to our friends for their travel insurance Show details · 1
I cannot rate SCTI highly enough. I have held multiple policies in the past, ranging from single country to multi trip international travel. I have always felt the customer service and value on the policies is good, and easy to set up online or by phone. However, having recently lodged a claim on a recent policy, my impression of SCTI has improved… Read more · 1
even more. Shannon in the claims team was excellent and helpful to deal with, especially after a very stressful trip overseas when my daughter became ill. Shannon was professional, kind, courteous, and prompt in communications, and my claim was resolved within 10 days. I have been completely delighted by how easy and quick the process was. Thank you so much SCTI for the great experience, I cannot recommend your service and staff highly enough, and will continue to be a loyal customer. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Recently had a wonderful holiday in Japan after our travel was delayed by unforseen circumstances. En route to airport our travel was disrupted when a serious motor vehicle accident closed the road for 6hrs and the detour prevented us from boarding our flight. After purchasing fresh tickets and staying at an airport hotel we departed next day on a… Read more · 1
different international route with a different airline and missed out on our groups 1st day tour. It was a stressful time which we had to relive when making our claim. SCTI were wonderful once all the receipts and documented evidence was received so I emphasize the importance of having travel insurance and keeping all receipts. Screenshots from traffic management and police reports about the accident were also helpful.
Affordable for 2 seniors with several medical conditions to declare between us. Didn't have to claim, however claimants posted good reviews which helped us decide to go with Southern Cross Show details · 1
Being over 80 and having medical issues I found SCTI on line quotation user friendly I could state my medical issues which were are all diagnosed and to travel with no cover on those items. It was the first time that I used SCTI as usually I am covered by my Black credit card. Show details · 1
Find out how Southern Cross Travel Insurance compares to other Travel Insurance
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At this stage we found Southern Cross Travel Insurance very reasonably priced and good value as we both have existing conditions. The policy was much better value than the others we have had before for the same conditions. We have not had to claim so are unable to review the process, but good communication before and even after our trip which doesn't happen with other providers. So far so good Show details · 1
First time using this company. Had used Covermore before. I was very happy with the premium and ease of filling out the policy online. I lost my new Rayban sunglasses down a squat toilet in China and I put in a claim when I got home and they got back to me within a few days to say the claim was successful and will put money into my back account. … Read more · 1
The excess was $200 but it was worth claiming as the glasses were $338.00, I will receive $129.55, so will put it towards buying a new pair. I will use SCTI again on my next holiday.
I made my first claim for International Medical only. The service was prompt, courteous, helpful in every way with my claim. I provided all paperwork requested and the claim was handled quickly. No hesitation in giving a five star review. Show details · 1
First time that we used, we don’t have any issues with our travel, but I am very impressed with they follow up, we never had received from the other insurance companies Show details · 1
Bought travel insurance twice with Southern Cross Travel Insurance and this is the Ist time we claimed. My wife was sick and was admitted to hospital for 5 days in Malaysia recently and we also were forced to cancelled our tour to Japan from Malaysia. We contacted the Emergency Team and their respond was quick and helpful . They offer assistance… Read more · 1
for my wife’s hospital admission and give us some helpful advice. They emailed us few times asking us any other service we need while we are in Malaysia. When we came home we submitted the claim online. The claim was easy and simple, the respond was very quick. We received our full claim within 10 working days as the promised. We are very happy and satisfy with Southern Cross Travel Insurance. We strongly recommend them. Roger & Sook Adelaide, Aus.
Best value travel insurance. Have been using SCTI for years and unfortunately had to make a claim recently. They were super friendly, knowledgeable and fair when assessing our claim. We received our claim within 10days and they kept us informed every stage of claim. Was very simple and easy. Well done SCTI, especially Andre who processed our claim! Show details · 1
Great service - great value for money PLUS peace of mind. We had a flight cancellation and possible major travel delay. Customer support were great - answered all my questions. Fortunately we didnt have to make a claim but after that call I was confident that they would be helpful if we needed to claim. Show details · 1
Seems good value. I only have one issue. Their contact numbers may not be easy in some parts of the world. You should not have to call an Australian number with the associated costs. There needs to be a free emergency number. Show details · 1
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Hi Mary. We’re sorry to hear… Read more (+3 replies)