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Australians are keen travellers and each year make more than four million trips to international destinations. Travelling or living overseas can be exciting and rewarding, but it also carries potential risks. Each year, approximately 20,000 Australians approach the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in Canberra and at our overseas missions for consular assistance. Be a smart traveller - before heading overseas: Why you should organise comprehensive travel insurance. |
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Please note: The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) strongly encourage all Australians travelling to register your travel and contact details, and organise comprehensive travel insurance. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs. Travel advice notices raised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are designed to keep travellers advised of current or developing situations which may affect their travel plans. Travellers need to contact their travel insurance provider directly to determine the extent of cover available in the event of an incident occurring which may affect their travel arrangements. Travellers need to be aware that in circumstances where a travel advice notice is raised, there is no automatic refund available under their travel insurance policy. Any refund will depend on individual circumstances and the terms and conditions of the travel insurance policy held. |
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Travel Advice from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)- Due to the constant changes of circumstances in various countries of the world, DFAT highly recommend that, before you consider travelling, check out the free information on the Australian Government's Smartraveller.gov.au site. Always pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the local media for information about possible new safety or security risks. In planning your activities, consider the level of security provided by places frequented by foreigners such as embassies, shopping malls, markets, banks, clubs, hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, schools, places of worship, outdoor recreation events, beach resorts and tourist areas. Credit card and ATM fraud can occur. You should monitor transaction statements and only use ATMs in secure locations such as banks, shops or malls. Natural Disasters, Severe Weather and Climate - Cyclone Season in the South Pacfic - is from November to April. However, tropical storms and cyclones may occur in other months. |
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Swine Influenza: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 has spread throughout the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) provides useful information for individuals and travellers on its website. For further information and advice to Australians, including on possible quarantine measures overseas, see our travel bulletin on Pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Unfortunately the swine flu virus is causing many interruptions to travel world wide. Australian travellers should note that their travel plans may be severely disrupted due to H1N1 Influenza quarantine measures overseas. Some countries have in place compulsory quarantine measures for travellers exhibiting swine flu-like symptoms, for those travelling with or in close proximity to other travellers suspected of having the swine flu virus, or for travellers who have recently visited a country with confirmed cases of the swine flu virus. For more information see their Quarantine Section. The Australian Government can provide consular support to Australians in quarantine overseas for swine flu virus, but it cannot influence the length of time for which individual Australians may be quarantined or the selection of quarantine facilities. Some countries are introducing public health measures at the point of arrival, such as handing out face masks to travellers who have arrived from countries with confirmed cases of H1N1 Influenza 09, including Australia. You may be asked to wear a face mask for a number of days after arriving. This Travel Bulletin should be read in conjunction with the Travel Advisory for your destination. |
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SUMMARY Health Issues: DFAT strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs. Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations, including booster shots of childhood vaccinations you may require, and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas. Medical facilities are generally below western standards and in many regions hospitals provide only basic facilities. Hospitals often require confirmation of medical insurance cover or up-front payment prior to providing any services, including emergency care. In the event of a serious illness or accident, medical evacuation to Australia, costs can be between $A15,000 to $A90,000+ depending on circumstances and location. Australians travelling should monitor the travel advice for updated information and advice and ensure that their travel documents, including passports and visas for any non-Australian family members, are up-to-date in case they need to depart at short notice. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. |
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Money and Valuables: Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards, Australian currency and travellers' cheques are not accepted in many countries. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work overseas. Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home. You should carry a copy of your passport with you for identification purposes. While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves. You should only use licensed money changers and count the cash given to you. As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible. You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports. |
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Airline Safety: Passengers on international flights to and from Australia are only allowed to carry a small amount of liquids (including aerosols and gels) in their carry-on baggage. You can find out more information at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website. Similar restrictions apply to flights in an increasing number of countries. Contact your airline for further information. If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, DFAT recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as Australia 's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country's ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO. The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. CASA assesses the safety of all aircraft flying within, to and from Australia. CASA has certified Garuda International to operate flights between Australia and Indonesia. |
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Entry and Exit Requirements: Make sure your passport has at least six months validity and carry additional copies of your passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas. Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate for the most up-to-date information. You should ensure you have the correct, current visa at all times, otherwise you may be fined, jailed, deported or banned from re-entering for a period of time. Your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from your date of arrival. The period of stay for visas is calculated from the day of arrival. For example, if a tourist with a seven day visa arrived on a Sunday, they must depart the following Saturday. If the tourist departed on the following Sunday, they would be considered to have overstayed their visa. This principle also applies to 30 day visas. Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity and carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas. |
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For Parents: For general information and tips on travelling with children see the Travelling Parents brochure. If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas, DFAT encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia. Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council . |
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Local Laws: Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter When you arrive be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but they can't get you out of trouble or out of jail. Penalties for drug offences are severe and include the death penalty. Penalties for possession of even small amounts of recreational drugs include heavy fines and imprisonment. Police target illegal drug use and possession, in particular popular places and venues in Bali and Jakarta. Serious crimes, such as murder and piracy, may attract the death penalty. Tourists have fallen victim to organised gambling gangs, particularly in Bali, resulting in the loss of large sums of money and threats of violence if travellers are unable to pay the debt. You should obey signs that prohibit photography. If in doubt, seek advice from local officials. To drive overseas you will require an international driver's licence appropriate to the type of vehicle. An Australian licence is not sufficient. Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia. Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia. Local Customs: There are conservative standards of dress and behaviour in many parts of the world. You should find out what customs are observed in your destination and take care not to offend. If in doubt, seek local advice. |
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Crime: Credit card and ATM fraud is increasing. You should monitor transactions statements and only use ATMs in secure locations such as banks, shops or malls. Petty crime is common and the frequency of robberies is increasing. Violence is sometimes used. Thieves on motorcycles commit 'snatch theft' of handbags from pedestrians. Bag snatching in upmarket shopping malls has occurred. Thefts from cars stopped at traffic lights have been reported and tourists have been robbed while repairing car tyres punctured by criminals. There have been reports of tourists being robbed after bringing back visitors to their hotel rooms. In some cases, the victims' drinks were spiked. Foreigners have died after consuming brand name alcohol or local spirits adulterated with harmful substances. Crowded public transport infrastructure is sometimes used by thieves to mask their activities. Cases of robbery and temporary confinement involving taxis have been reported in urban areas. Victims have been forced to withdraw funds from credit or debit cards at ATMs to obtain their release. Lone female travellers appear most vulnerable. You should only use official taxi companies that can be booked by phone or from stands at major hotels and from inside the airport. You should check taxis carefully as unscrupulous operators have taxis that look similar to those run by reputable companies. |
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Safety and Security: Terrorism: Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in the General Advice to Australian Travellers. DFAT advise you to be alert to your own security and exercise common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia. In planning your activities, consider the kind of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security provided at venues. Tourist areas and attractions throughout the world and tourists travelling to or from these places, including those in tour groups or tour buses, could be targeted. Other possible targets include international hotels, clubs, sporting clubs and venues, restaurants, international fast food outlets, bars nightclubs, cinemas, theatres, embassy district and diplomatic missions elsewhere, international schools, expatriate housing compounds and Western interests and businesses. Places frequented by foreigners, central business areas, office buildings, churches and other places of worship, airlines, airports, public transport and transport hubs, shopping centres, premises and symbols associated with the Government, and outdoor recreation events are also potential targets. Ask yourself whether, given your own personal circumstances, you're comfortable travelling knowing there is a very high threat from terrorism and you may be caught up in a terrorist attack. If, having considered these issues, you do decide to travel, you should exercise extreme caution. Due to security concerns, security at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta and the Consulate-General in Bali is at a high level. We cannot rule out the possibility of another attack targeting Westerners, including Australians. |
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| Dual Nationals: The Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals. |
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| Wildlife: Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Natural Disasters, Severe Weather and Climate Earthquakes: Indonesia is in an active earthquake region with a continuing high level earthquake activity, sometimes triggering tsunamis Many earthquakes have caused deaths, injuries or significant damage. Tsunamis: All oceanic regions of the world can experience tsunamis, but in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, there is a more frequent occurrence of large, destructive tsunamis because of the many large earthquakes along major tectonic plate boundaries and ocean trenches. See the Tsunami Awareness brochure Floods: Floods and mudslides occur regularly during the wet season. Flooding has caused deaths and the displacement of people. Key services, such as transport, telecommunications, emergency and medical care, and the supply of food and water can be disrupted. The high risk of contracting a water-borne disease may persist after the water recedes. Volcanoes: There are many active volcanoes throughout the world. Alert levels can be raised and evacuations ordered at short notice. If you plan to travel to an area near an active volcano, you should check the Indonesian Directorate of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation's daily updates (in Indonesian) on the status and alert level and the Smithsonian Institution's weekly updates In the event of a natural disaster, you should follow the advice of local authorities. |
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If you are travelling, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, DFAT strongly recommend you register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help them to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster civil disturbance or a family issue. In a consular emergency if you are unable to contact the Embassy, Consulate General or the Consulate, you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia. In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305. |
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| Please note : Travel advice notices raised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (see Smartraveller.gov.au ) are designed to keep travellers advised of current or developing situations which may affect their travel plans. Travellers need to contact their travel insurance provider directly to determine the extent of cover available in the event of an incident occurring which may affect their travel arrangements. Travellers need to be aware that in circumstances where a travel advice notice is raised, there is no automatic refund available under their travel insurance policy. Any refund will depend on individual circumstances and the terms and conditions of the travel insurance policy held........ |
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| QBE MATTERS YOU SHOULD KNOW | |||||
General Advice Warning [GAW] ...
The QBE PDS is designed to assist you in your decision to purchase QBE Travel Insurance. It contains information about key benefits and significant features.
Any advice in this document is of a general nature only and has not considered your objectives, financial situation or needs. The booklet contains the following sections which provide- Information about the QBE Travel Insurance product (PDS) and the detailed terms and conditions (Policy wording) |
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QBE Cooling off Period ... If, having purchased the policy, you want to cancel it, you can do so within 14 days of receiving the Certificate of Insurance and obtain a full refund, provided no right or power has been exercised under it by you (eg no claim has been made) and your trip has not commenced. QBE's The Cooling Off Period does not apply to policy or trip extensions. |
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Global Travel Group 4220 is a trading name of Global Surf Travel Pty Ltd (ABN 79 083 338 649) P.O. Box 97 Burleigh Heads QLD 4220. An Authorised Distributor of QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited (ABN 78 003 191 035) AFSL 239545.
Global Travel Group 4220 can only give factual information as prepared by QBE Travel Insurance. |
