HCF Travel Insurance Review (2024)

The Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia (HCF) was founded 90 years ago and has since become the country’s biggest not-for-profit private health insurer. The Sydney company not only provides health cover but extends its insurance products to pets, life and travel plans.

If you’re searching for the best travel insurance for your next holiday but want to know HCF stacks up against other providers, compare with Savvy. You’ll be able to compare policies side-by-side based on claim limits, inclusions and more to see which offer is best for your trip.

Find out more about HCF’s policies, compare them with Savvy and get a quote today.

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HCF offers several different travel insurance policies, including:

• International Comprehensive Plan: this policy covers you for a wide range of benefits on your international holiday, including overseas emergency assistance and hospital costs, your choice of cancellation cover, luggage and personal items and stolen cash. These policies are available to travellers of any age.
• International Essentials Plan: this streamlined travel insurance policy covers you for the bare necessities when you’re taking a holiday overseas. While you’re covered for unlimited medical expenses and emergency assistance, you won’t be covered for the loss of travel documents, stolen cash, accidental death or the cost of organising alternate travel arrangements. Seniors over the age of 75 won’t be able to take out this policy.
• Domestic Plan: holidaying a little closer to home? HCF offers a domestic travel insurance policy which covers you for accidental death, cancellation, emergency expenses and travel delays. You’re also covered if your bags are stolen or damaged, the excess on a rental vehicle and personal liability.
• Multi-Trip: planning a few holidays over the year? HCF’s multi-trip policy is designed with frequent flyers in mind, offering cover for multiple holidays across 12 months. You'll be able to travel for between 15 and 45 days per trip and must nominate the duration of your longest holiday.
• Non-Medical Plan: this type of policy covers you for most incidentals except for overseas emergency assistance and medical expenses. You’re still covered for cancellation, travel delays and additional expenses, however.

HCF provides optional coverage to cover travellers taking a range of different domestic and international holidays. Some of the options you get include:

1. Adventure pack: some of the covered activities include abseiling, battle re-enactment, flying foxing, motorcycle or moped riding, moving target shooting and tandem parachuting. You’re also covered if you travel to Asia to trek the Kokoda Track. HCF limits this policy to those under 75.
2. Cruise pack: this add-on offers medical cover, evacuation and a raft of other benefits if you’re taking a domestic or international cruise. Some of the other areas of cover include cabin confinement, pre-paid shore excursion, formal wear and marine rescue diversion. You won’t need to purchase a policy if you’re taking a river cruise or sailing on a vessel that doesn’t have onboard accommodation.
3. Snow pack: if you’re under the age of 75, you can purchase this snow pack which allows you to be covered if you’re taking part in a range of winter sports, including skiing, snowboarding, tubing or tobogganing. You’re only covered along groomed terrain and marked slopes and won’t be covered for racing, stunting or jumping.

HCF also gives you the option of paying a higher premium to increase the claimable limit on valuable goods, such as laptops, cameras or mobile phones. The top value you can insure your goods for is $7,000, or $14,000 if you’re taking out a family travel insurance policy.

Travel insurance doesn’t cover absolutely everything and policies usually feature some general exclusions. Some of HCF’s include:

1. Flying in a privately-charted aircraft
2. Taking part in activities outside of the Adventure Pack cover
3. Undisclosed pre-existing medical conditions
4. Intentionally acting recklessly or putting your safety at risk
5. Being admitted to a clinic for substance abuse issues
6. Ignoring Australian government ‘do not travel’ warnings
7. Elective surgery
8. Travelling against doctor’s advice
9. Accidents caused by alcohol or drug consumption

If you’ve found an international or domestic travel insurance policy that draws your eye, ensure you review HCF’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before you set your decision in stone.

What we like

Your choice of cancellation cover

HCF gives you the option of coverage between $2,000 and $20,000 for needing to unexpectedly cancel or reschedule your trip. You can also opt for unlimited coverage in this area.

Plenty of extras

As far as optional extras go, HFC allows you to take out a range of add-ons for cruises, adventure activities and snow sports.

Substantial base-level coverage

In most cases, travel insurers offering ‘the essentials’ scrimp on the benefits. However, HCF offers many of the same benefits as the comprehensive policy albeit with lesser claim limits.

What we don't like

Limited pregnancy cover

Pregnant travellers are only covered up to their 24th week of gestation, whereas many other providers will cover you up to your 26th or even 30th week.

Caps on age

If you’re over 75, you can purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy with HCF, but you won’t be able to purchase a lower level of cover or the adventure or snow add-ons.

Short cooling-off period

Many travel insurance companies on the market will allow you a cooling-off period of up to three weeks. However, HCF only provides you two weeks to cancel your policy at no cost.