Travel Insurance

Why Travel Insurance Is Essential when going to Africa

Traveling to sub-Saharan Africa offers incredible experiences — breath taking safaris, luxurious lodges, and world-class vineyards. But it also comes with unique risks: lost baggage, emergencies while in remote locations, wildlife encounters, malaria and severe weather events. Travel insurance isn't just a formality—it’s vital to mitigate any eventuality and safeguard your health, wellbeing, and financial security.

Key Considerations For Travel Insurance Cover

• Medical Emergencies: Access to quality healthcare can be limited in remote safari areas. Air evacuation alone can cost thousands of dollars.

• Interruptions & Cancellations: Safari tours and lodge stays often require non-refundable deposits. Insurance can help recover those costs if plans change.

• Delayed or Lost Baggage: Insurance can reimburse essentials if your bags are delayed, damaged or lost.

• Adventure Activity Coverage: Some insurers exclude coverage for certain activities, choose an insurer with comprehensive policy plans so that you enjoy appropriate cover for bushwalks, game drives etc.

How to Choose the Right Travel Insurance

Not all travel insurance is created equal. While cost is a factor, it should not be the only one, as the saying goes, "cheap things are expensive", often people go cheap to save on upfront costs only to eventually find out later why it was cheap, when they make a claim and face difficult, contentious and costly delays. If you find yourself in a situation where a claim is necessary you want a reliable insurer that is easy to deal with and pays out your claim without hassle.

Ideally you want the following;

• Comprehensive Coverage: Ensure your policy covers medical emergencies, evacuations, cancellations, and specific activities you'll be doing.

• 24/7 Global Assistance: Being able to speak to someone any time, anywhere in the world, is crucial—especially in emergencies.

• Reputation and Claims Process: You want an insurer known for fair and fast processing of claims. This is where real value becomes clear.

• Customizable Plans: Flexibility to add coverage for valuable equipment, adventure activities, rental vehicles, trip duration extensions.

• Pre-existing Conditions: If you or your travel companions have an illness or injury prior to the trip you want it covered.

• Excess: An insurer with flexible premium and excess options, avoid insurers luring you in with low upfront premiums only to hit you with a large out of pocket excess when you make a claim.

• Buy in Bulk: Often when you are travelling with others it is more cost effective to buy insurance in bulk as you may get a discount, if you don't get one automatically ask for one, if you never ask, you'll never get.

• The Extras: Depending on the insurer you choose, some offer useful additional benefits at no cost, including a 24/7 emergency call assistance team for help, tips, recommendations e.g. need a doctor, a translator or lost your passport.

Why We Recommend Allianz Travel Insurance

We’re proud to partner with Allianz Insurance—as long time customers we know them well enough. Here’s why Allianz stands out:

• Global insurer with presence in virtually any country you visit, Allianz has a vast network of local support infrastructure, assets and people to look after you and your family.

• Benefits and Coverage include epidemics, emergency medical care, emergency transportation, reimbursements for non refundable deposits for trip cancellation, interruption, reimbursements that cover expenses for trip changes, baggage delay, damage or total loss.

• 24/7 Hotline for Assistance with lost documents, travel tickets, sending messages home, finding local help, medical or any other professionals.

• A Concierge service capable of providing personalised information about your trip destination, even obtaining restaurant reservations and tickets to events.

• Rental Car Cover

• Pre-existing Conditions medical cover for you, your family and travel companions. It is an often obscure but critical consideration, while many profit first insurers avoid cover for people with pre-existing conditions, Allianz is one of the few good ones that provide cover. It's the right thing to do.

• Efficient, hassle-free claims process.

When planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa, peace of mind is priceless. Don’t leave home without it.

Visit Allianz and find the right insurance policy plan for you.