3,467 reviews
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AI reviews summary
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Overall sentiment towards Southern Cross Travel Insurance is largely positive, with customers frequently praising the competitive pricing, transparent policy wording, and user-friendly online setup. Many policyholders who navigated the claims process reported prompt and supportive service during stressful medical or travel disruption events. While a small subset of reviewers experienced communication hurdles or found the documentation requirements challenging, the general consensus highlights the provider as a reliable choice for international travel coverage.
My husband & l travelled to Thailand (have used SCTI before)he had a few mishaps & SCTI after coming home were very helpful & quick to process our claims. Thank you again would use them every time. Show details
I was very happy with SCTI and the way they handled my travel insurance claim. Unfortunately, I got COVID while I was in Thailand and had some medical expenses. When I returned to Australia, I put my claim in and had the money in my account within 3 days. My claim was fairly straightforward, but I found the process easy and the service was good. … Read more
My advice is to keep all your receipts, medical paperwork and other documents while you’re travelling. Having everything ready makes the claim process much quicker.
Very happy with SCTI and would definitely recommend them.
Southern Cross Travel Insurance provided me with the comfort and confidence that in case of need that shoudl not arise I shall be able to receive the best medical assistance I need. Even if needed I would recieve other support I needed, if required, such as loss of baggage, airlines delay of flights and emergency requirements Show details · 1
Reviews with attachments
On the second day of a six week trip to Japan I had an accident which required an ambulance and an 18 day stay in hospital, five days of which were in ICU. I contacted Southern Cross Travel Insurance and let them know of my plight. They immediately made contact with the hospital and from there the medical cover was sorted. I never saw a bill. In… Read more · 1
the meantime my wife was flying over to assist me in my recovery. Southern Cross covered her flights, accommodation and meals. I made a few phone calls and several emails over the next month which were answered promptly and professionally. Thank you, Southern Cross Travel and their wonderful staff.
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
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
A1 service – After a fall on holiday SCTI were helpful, caring and quick to settle my claim. The first claim I have ever had and was totally impressed by their professional service. Show details · 1
Follow-up · All of my hospital charges were covered, including X-ray, MRI and stitches. I paid for these myself and put in the claim as soon as I got home. The claim was dealt with quickly and the money was back in my bank within a week.
Find out how Southern Cross Travel Insurance compares to other Travel Insurance
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Good communication skills – Staff were very easy to deal with and all details were explained carefully to me before we decided to take out the policy for my wife and myself. Whilst we did not need to make a claim, we had full confidence in the company should we have needed to… Read more · 1
make a claim. A pleasure to be able to speak to someone by phone when finding out details of cover. Even though this is the first time we have used this company we would definitely use them again in the future should they be as helpful and accommodating as they were this time. Thank you.
Follow-up · Once again good communication and easy to get a competitive rate.We have used Southern Cross Insurance four times now and even though we have never had to make a claim we are confident in being able to successfully make a claim when and if we have to.
Wonderful service, totally impressed and was able to change the medical side of my insurance prior to commencing trip and received a refund!!! Will definitely recommend and use again. Obliging and patient staff. Show details
Follow-up · I had a year of chemo and radiation and had not completed my treatment when I took out the policy. Was advised to call back after it was finished and have our policy revised with the possibility of a reduced premium. I was sceptical. Once finished I called and the staff asked questions which I didn’t have dates at hand but said take your time, no… Read more
Follow-up · Refund process involved a phone call and redid the answers to original questions and was quick with a speedy refund. Most impressive.
In-depth reviews
Southern Cross Travel Insurance loves taking your money upfront, but when it is time to actually pay out a claim, they treat you like an inconvenience to be managed rather than a customer to be supported. My experience with them was a masterclass in institutional stonewalling. As someone with a disability, I expected a basic standard of fairness,… Read more
professionalism, and human decency. Instead, I found an organization that weaponized red tape and hid behind defensive bureaucracy. Empathy is entirely absent from their vocabulary; customer service takes a backseat to the real mission: finding loopholes to deny help and protect their bottom line. By the end of this exhausting ordeal, my confidence in them was entirely shattered. They made it abundantly clear that my concerns meant nothing to them. Insurance is supposed to be a safety net for your worst moments, but Southern Cross pulls the rug out from under you the second you need it. If you are comparing travel insurers, save yourself the immense frustration and look literally anywhere else—especially if you have a disability and expect to be treated with a shred of understanding and respect.
Hi Mort. We're sorry to read… Read more (+1 reply)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 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
Positive reviews
This is the 2nd time I've used SCTI. I haven't had to submit a claim, fortunately. I did contact the call centre before I purchased the policy both times, as I had questions. The customer service team were able to answer my questions and put my mind at ease. We have started using them for our travel insurance because they are upfront and policies have been reasonably priced. Show details · 1
Very reasonable price and I ended up having to make a claim which was resolved very promptly - had to call for help and spoke to a real person who was very helpful - will definitely use this company again ! Show details · 1
You were the only insurance company willing to offer my wife travel insurance because of her heart conditions and it was a little expensive but not unreasonable, which gave us peace of mind and also allowed us to travel overseas. Without it we would not have been able to go. So thank you. Show details · 1
Negative reviews
Typhoon conditions started affecting Shanghai on the day I was due to leave. It was a Saturday and, understandably, I didn’t want to risk being stranded. I first contacted Southern Cross by email to ask whether I could leave early. I didn’t receive a response until three days after I had already returned home. With time running out, I then phoned… Read more
during their business hours.
I was effectively trying to save both myself and Southern Cross the cost and inconvenience of being stranded once the airport closed. However, I was told their policy only responds once the disruption has actually occurred.
So rather than assisting a customer to take reasonable, proactive steps to avoid becoming stranded, the policy effectively requires you to wait until the problem happens. In my case, that meant they would rather risk me being stuck in Shanghai for several days than help me leave early.
Hi James. Thank you for taking… Read more
Find out how Southern Cross Travel Insurance compares to other Travel Insurance
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Needed there services whilst overseas. Tried calling them on there 24/7 worldwide number and got an answering machine that told me i was calling outside of office hours. Would not use them again. Show details
Hi Peter. Thank you for taking… Read more
I really do not know why we take out travel insurance this is now the second time they have not honoured a claim. T&C and small print really mean you are not covered for really anything like your jewellery being stolen. Please think twice before you go with this company Southern Cross they really are a wolf dressed as a lamb. And also they are not Australian owned so do not let the name also fool you! Show details
Hi Astrid. We are sorry to hear… Read more
Recent reviews
Never came across an Ethical Insurance firm. Till about 5 years ago. Southern Cross Travel Insurance. We pay for a service. We get a top service. They pay for genuine claims. Fuss free. We will stay with them. Thanks. Good value for money. Annual multi trip. Great. Show details · 1
Cannot praise Southern Cross highly enough. When my husband had a severe medical episode and had to come home straight away they paid all medical expenses and covered our flights home even one that we couldn’t take because he was unable to get on the plane. I would certainly use them again and recommend them to anyone. Show details · 1
I have purchased SCTI policies in the past and have luckily never needed to use them. After breaking my ankle bone and tearing a ligament I sadly had to cancel a trip less than a month out. My claim was successfully and easily processed within 2 weeks. The full refund appeared in my account the next day. I am very happy with the service! I definitely will use them again for future travel. Show details · 1
Easy to get cover including simple pre-existing conditions approval - flexible cover amounts and options, user friendly website/customer portal and reasonable prices were why I chose Southern Cross travel insurance. But I'll reuse them because the company did not bombard me with upsales or marketing emails/texts and the communications that did… Read more · 1
occur were necessary, brief and to the point- no promo jargon. Great to have the non intrusive check-in a few days after arrival home as reassurance also. Highly recommended.
Southern Cross Travel Insurance has been one of the most reliable and reassuring travel companions I’ve ever used. Their policies are clear, competitively priced, and easy to arrange, which immediately sets them apart from many other insurers. The online application process is smooth and intuitive, and getting a quote takes only minutes. Show details · 1
Getting my policy was very easy. The forms were easy to follow. The price was exceptionally good as I’m 80 so the price goes up considerably at my age. Luckily I didn’t need to make a claim so I can’t comment on that. It was my first time using this company and I will use them for any future travel. I’ve already passed on my experience to a group going away next year. Show details · 1
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Hi Mary. We’re sorry to hear… Read more (+3 replies)