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After some initial issues getting through on the phone, I think something wrong with phone lines, they were very helpful. i wasn't sure about getting travel insurance especially for such a short trip. Was very scary being overseas with my young one injured. Thanks again for all your help Show details · 1
This policy seemed comprehensive and covered me for my age-related medical conditions for a 13-day trip to Sri Lanka. On face value, they should get 5 stars, but the truth in these things comes out if you have to make a claim for anything. My trip was fantastic and event or disaster-free, so everything ended up sweet. Show details · 1
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
Reviews with attachments
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
Great Support, Easy Claim Process and Excellent Outcome – Glad I chose SCTI - not the cheapest but will now be my travel insurer of choice. Had a minor car accident in Sri Lanka while travelling and while the hire company, hire car insurers and just about everyone else there peppered me with endless phone calls and vague threats, SCTI were calm and helpful, checking on our well being and guiding us… Read more · 1
through the claims process. Paid the hire company up front to stop the noise but had to fight to get an invoice. Once we had that and put it together with all the relevant paperwork and sent it to SCTI they did the rest. A couple of weeks later claim was paid in full. Couldn't be happier - definitely recommended.
Fast and excellent service – SCTI are exceptionally easy to work with and provided very prompt, professional and caring service. Show details · 1
SCTI (Southern Cross Travel Insurance) Exploited My Grief and Gave Me Nothing I’m writing this while still overseas after losing my grandmother—a deeply painful time that was made so much worse by Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI). I paid extra for a policy that included mental health coverage, thinking I’d be protected if anything happened… Read more
while I was away. When my grandmother passed, I submitted my claim on June 16th, providing a medical certificate and explaining that I was cancelling my flight due to bereavement and mental distress.
They took two full weeks to respond—replying on June 30th, a day before my flight. No updates, no follow-up, just silence during one of the most emotionally fragile periods of my life. And when they finally replied, their message was filled with fake empathy and no actual help. It was a carefully worded non-response that felt like a stalling tactic.
Their email sounded “compassionate,” but they didn’t approve anything, didn’t offer reimbursement, didn’t even try to ease the burden. It felt like they were hoping I’d just give up and go away.
I am lucky I was flying with Austrian Airlines, who treated me like a human being. They rebooked my flight with understanding and fairness. SCTI, on the other hand, sold me mental health coverage then emotionally abandoned me when I needed it most.
This was not just poor service—it was exploitative. SCTI’s policies look good on paper, but when it comes to real support, they fail completely.
I’ve reported their handling of this to Consumer Affairs and the ACCC, and I strongly advise others to stay away from SCTI unless you want to be gaslit in your most vulnerable moments.
Hi Helena. Thanks for your… Read more
Latest follow-ups
The good news. Very competitive pricing. The bad news: Their website is difficult. Mainly due to the fact that if you need a copy of the… Read more
quote, it can't be done.
At the end of filling in all the details, the only choice is to pay.
After searching for the quote, don't log out because it disappears.
Don't phone or try to get a copy because it's a very polite reply that it can't be done.
Not much point in emailing because the quote is somewhere in the ether
I spent a total of four hours trying to get it to work on a phone or tablet.
The buttons disappear under the bottom banner, whether in portrait or landscape.
In my opinion it makes for an unpleasant experience that made me worry that the whole or organisation could be dodgy.
I do however, believe that they are a good and trustworthy organisation that is let down by an amateur website.
There must be a reason they decided to design their site that way.
I did purchase a policy anyway and to their credit the certificate and pds arrived in my email almost immediately.
So it wasn't all bad.
Follow-up · The payment process was similar to most online payments. So not much of a hassle. I didn't try it on a PC. But it should work on the most common platform, Android. I don't have an iPhone. I tried it on my android phone and tablet. It was truly a painful waste of time. It must put off a lot of customers unnecessarily. Especially when the helpline was as close to useless as possible.
Follow-up · See latest answers to some queries.
Hi there, Thank you for sharing… Read more (+2 replies)
Was in New Zealand when my wife was suddenly ill due to her pre-declared condition. We spent 1 day in hopsital, and had to cancel around $600 of planned activities as a result. SCTI were quick to respond and approved the claim without question.… Read more · 1
They were also concerned about my wife's health and offered to fly us out the next day, however we already had flights booked a few days later, and she was feeling better, so we declined.
Customer support is great, and claim was approved. I always read the full DPS. Only downside is that the insurance is typically more expensive than others, but at least its not fake insurance.
Follow-up · 0 excess Policy covered all Worth
We chose to go with southern cross travel insurance as they covered MND/ALS. Pretty much all insurance deny insurance even though I am able to still do everything myself, only my walking is slow and I tire quickly, so a wheelchair is needed. It did… Read more
cost a good chunk to add the cover but for peace of mind it was worth it. I will mention that was a recent trip to Singapore, they won't cover me for our next trip to the USA (Hawaii). I can't comment on the claim experience as in all our years of overseas travel we have never had to make one.
Follow-up · We went to use southern cross for our next holiday to Hawaii however they would no longer cover for MND/ALS. I still have the same requirements, no difference but obviously the country makes the difference. A little disappointed!!
Find out how Southern Cross International Comprehensive (Single Trip) compares to other Travel Insurance
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In-depth reviews
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.
***In fairness I did not read Page 58 through 65 of the policy document & the insurers position is in accordance with the policy. My issue is that the policy is tantamount to fraudulent as it effectively excludes cover by stealth**** Background - As a result of a baggage handling issue in Spain my bag was delayed. In re routing the bag the… Read more
baggage handlers loaded an invalid flight number which left my bag "lost" in Barcelona.
After 6 weeks engaging with BA I submitted a claim to BA for reimbursement and lodged a claim with Southern Cross for the value of the items in the bag.
The claim was for circa NZ$4,000 (well under coverage of $25k) being exclusively clothing & footwear, toiletries and a day pack.
It was then that the Insurer sprung the magic clause on page 60 of the policy..... Give us proof of ownership and value. You must send us: • proof of when you bought the item and how much you paid for it (for example, the receipt)
Maybe I am unusual but I do not retain proof of purchase for all my clothes or shoes. I have no idea how someone is supposed to "prove" they owned things purchased in the years before they travel. I assumed (applying some common sense) that when you travel for 1 month there would be an expectation that you would carry goods up to a certain value in their bag and if that bag were lost those goods would be covered but that is not the case.
YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS ARE NOT INSURED UNLESS YOU CAN PROVE OWNERSHIP / VALUE OF EVERY ITEM IN YOUR BAG.
I do not know if this is just a Southern Cross Travel Insurance issue or if it is standard across the Industry but in my opinion this is tantamount to fraud. Inserting a clause on page 60 of a policy that effectively negates any ability for a normal person to claim for lost goods should be unacceptable.
I guess you live and learn....... and I suggest anyone getting travel Insurance should check what coverage they have if there bags go astray..... can you proive ownership / value of every item in your bag.
*****Update***** BA "found the bag after 11 weeks and claim was cancelled. In fairness Insurer MAY have made a payment, however my experience up to that point was that they would only reimburse for those items where I could evidence purchase. Still underwhelmed. ******
We can’t thank enough SCTI for their professionalism and support in our worst moment during our recent trip. One of our family members had through review of all travel insurance policies and recommended SCTI to us and he is correct. Our extended family members all took our travel insurance with SCTI and unfortunately one of the family members… Read more
became very ill and was admitted to ICU. We contacted SCTI and they were very helpful and supportive during the whole process. Due to the complexity of sickness our claim was very lengthy but SCTI assessing officer Amiena was in contact with us during whole claiming process. We had to make few amendments to our claim, but Ameina was very helpful, understanding and very supportive and truly a customer care professional. We are very happy with the overall outcome of the claiming process with SCTI. It was a pleasant experience for us and we must state the assessing officer Ameina made it a very positive experience for us. SCTI will be out travel insurance of choice for rest of our life and we highly recommend SCTI to everyone.
Positive reviews
Southern Cross insurance were amazing. Very easy to set up. This is the first time I have used them. And it definitely won't be the last. I thoroughly recommend this company. Thank you Show details · 1
Second time I have used Southern Cross. The car hire excess on minor damage to offside rear mudguard was paid promptly on provision of details from the hire company with proof of payment. Show details · 1
We didn't have to use the insurance thank goodness, that means everything went well. I do believe their policy. I think it is very good value.This is the first time I have used this product and would use it again. Show details · 1
Negative reviews
I have been waiting since the 7th April for a refund as my credit card had expired Southern Cross couldn't refund to that which I find amazing as other companies can , so I had to give my bank details instead and was told 5-7 days for the refund but NO it was 1-10 business days when the finance mob got my details which I emailed on the 7th April .… Read more
Southern Cross my of just said you will get back your money in 10 business from the 13th April because that is how long they made me wait. No very good customer service .
Hi Kit. Thanks for your review.… Read more
It was nice to know if I had any problems health wise you were just at the end of the phone, thank goodness I didn’t need to ring you. This is the 2nd year I have your insurance & im very happy to use you again at anytime. Show details
Will never use this company again after being told I had no claim on having to cancel my holiday to attend my father's death in the UK. The reason is because my father was over the age of 85 when he passed away. Who puts an age limit on death....low, very low. They even charged an additional $30 to change my cover to the UK for the funeral. Show details
Find out how Southern Cross International Comprehensive (Single Trip) compares to other Travel Insurance
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Recent reviews
I used SCTI for the first time for a 6-week trip to Peru with my husband. It was easy to apply on-line, add in our medical history, and for two people in their 70's, the premium was quite reasonable! I had to visit a doctor while in Peru and email contact with SCTI was excellent, and when I returned to Australia and made the actual claim on the… Read more · 1
insurance - also surprisingly easy!! - the claim was settled very quickly. SCTI is DEFINITELY worth considering if travelling internationally - especially to the "expensive" areas of the Americas.
Super easy to arrange online and always fantastic value for money. I’ve only had to make one claim (in the past), but they were fair, reasonable, and sorted everything out efficiently. Yes, the paperwork is a bit of a chore, but it’s a small price to pay. Wouldn’t travel without them! Show details · 1
I am very happy to have my international travel insurance with Southern cross insurance. They took great care of me with what I needed during the tour in Europe. I highly recommend. Show details · 1
User friendly website makes it easy to purchase a policy online and to register an account with the policy number provided. Competitive price for short single trip. Fortunately, everything went to plan and so can't comment on anything with respect to claim process with SCTI. Show details · 1
I began using SCTI 8 years ago on the recommendation of an experienced friend. This last trip I was hospitalised in Mexico with a concussion and micro-bleed (CAT scans etc). The SCTI emergency team were very supportive and easy to deal with - absolutely seamless. Once home I lodged my claim which, after a few missing details were added, got… Read more · 1
reimbursed in full without delay. This is in direct contrast to what friends had advised would happen as they are both still waiting for their claims (with another very well know company) to be settled. One of them has been fighting for 14 months as the insurer keeps rewriting the rule book! SCTI seem to have no qualm in honouring a legitimate claim and do so with both compassion and exceptional professionalism. If you’re looking for peace of mind at a reasonable price (60% cheaper than Flight Centre quoted for the same trip!) go with SCTI every time.
Whilst overseas in 2024, I dropped my phone & cracked the screen. Got back & made a claim for the repair of the screen & SCTI were courteous and very helpful in processing & approving my claim. I've used them last year and will do so in the future. It's not an insurance policy until the claims been processed and paid - good to see others with similar positive claim experiences with SCTI. Show details · 1
First time using SCT for our Singapore trip, fortunately all went well and there was no need to claim but signing up and their follow up contacts were very helpful and I would sign up with them again if I were to travel. Show details · 1
Easy to do online. the medical History was straight forward to complete, luckily we didn't have cause to use it so I can not vouch for its resolution procedure. A good realistically priced travel insurance Show details · 1
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Hi Astrid. We are sorry to hear… Read more