Policy Finder
Answer our simple questions to get started
students, workers & explorers going to New Zealand & travelling from New Zealand.
Answer our simple questions to get started
InsurancesafeNZ provides three different travel insurance policy categories: Studentsafe, Workersafe and Explorersafe. This means that if you’re travelling to New Zealand, travelling within New Zealand or temporarily leaving New Zealand, we have something to offer you. Use the Policy Finder to narrow your policy search and get a quote. Our website is also packed with great information on how to keep safe, how to make the most of your time abroad and how to understand your travel insurance policy better. If you need further assistance contact one of our friendly staff on our toll-free number 0800 486 004 (within NZ) or +64 9 488 1638 (outside of NZ).
A sudden medical emergency struck, a collapsed lung due to an undiagnosed cyst, Tasbiha's world was turned upside down. Tasbiha is an international PhD student studying Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Otago, she came to New Zealand to pursue her passion in science.
With her family thousands of kilometres away in Pakistan, Tasbiha faced one of the most challenging moments of her life. Thankfully, she had Studentsafe Medical and Travel Insurance when she needed it most, e
Studying in New Zealand is an adventure of a lifetime, which is why a range of unexpected bumps and accidents are covered under Studentsafe policies.
But when it comes to certain medical conditions, you may not be automatically covered. That’s why it’s important to disclose any medical conditions you want cover for.
The term “Pre-existing Medical Conditions” is commonly used when applying for insurance. This refers to your medical history and the full definition can be found on
Being in good health is key to embarking on an exciting study adventure in New Zealand.
Anyone planning to study in New Zealand for more than three months is required to apply for a student visa.
When applying for a new or to renew a visa, you may need to provide New Zealand Immigration with medical information to demonstrate an acceptable level of health.
Studentsafe policies do not cover medical costs for your visa application.
Studentsafe policies are desig
Your wellbeing is important which is why Studentsafe provides cover for medical and related expenses.
But before you make an appointment for check-ups related to your health, it’s important to understand what is and isn’t covered under your policy.
Studentsafe does not provide cover for certain medical tests listed as Exclusions under Section 1: Medical and Related Expenses as set out below:
9. Health screening, medical and dentals reviews or vaccinations.
&
Staying healthy plays a vital role in making the most of your study adventure. If you have been prescribed medication and are looking to make a claim, it’s important to understand what is and isn’t covered under your policy.
Just because a certain medication has been prescribed by your doctor, it does not mean that it is automatically covered.
Studentsafe does not provide cover for certain medical tests listed as Exclusions u
Starting a new school is a big change for anyone. It’s an extra big change if your new school is also in a new country! It’s natural to feel nervous and unsure about what school in New Zealand might be like, but the good news is that most schools here are friendly, supportive environments where students of all ages are encouraged to do their best and find subjects that they are interested in.
The most common way that schools
If you’re reading this article, you’ve already made a sensible choice. If you’re in a new relationship, or thinking about starting to date, it’s important to think about how you can ensure that you and your partner stay safe when you’re having a little extra ‘fun’.
So read on to learn more about what steps you should be taking to keep safe. The consequences can range from irritating to life-threatening – and that isn’t a gamble anyone should take.
Unless you’re really into skiing, winter in New Zealand isn’t really the most exciting time of year. It’s not cold enough for there to be pretty snow falling in the cities, but it’s still cold enough that you don’t want to spend time outside unless you have to. Instead of snow, we mostly get rain and wind. It’s certainly not terrible – but it does give you a good excuse to go somewhere sunny if you have the time and budge
Adjusting to a new workplace comes with challenges wherever you are in the world – and if you're in a new country as well as a new workplace, those changes can be even more extreme. New Zealand culture is quite friendly and informal, and this extends to many workplaces. But it can be difficult at times to understand where the limit is – how casual is too casual and what will make you look unprofessional? How formal is too formal and what will make you look too unapproachable?
Some of
A healthy worker is a more productive worker. It seems like an obvious statement to make, but in today’s working world, many workers feel that they have keep pushing and pushing to get results – even at the expense of their health and wellbeing. Workplaces need to be more supportive of their staff to make sure that they feel they are able to take time to get healthy if they are unwell, or to express their concerns if they are overburdened with stress.
In some ways many may find New Zealand airports easier to understand and less stressful than other airports. Our customs agents aren’t armed, and they tend to be friendly unless you give them reason not to be. The airports themselves aren’t huge multi-terminal places where you can get lost just trying to find the right place to check-in.
But in other ways, they can seem very strict for people not familiar with New Zealand and our unique place in the world. Our biosecurity rules in par
Every city has its secrets. When you live somewhere it can be very easy to get caught up in your day-to-day activities and forget about the beauty that surrounds you. However, while travelling it is a completely different story; you’re there to create memories and explore every corner
Flatting doesn’t have to be expensive. There are a number of ways you can set up a flat on a budget without losing out on quality and the occasional treat. To make sure that you get the best experience possible no matter what your income may be, we’ve brought together a few of our favourite tips and t
When you’re planning adventures overseas, there’s so much excitement that it can be easy to forget about the parts of travel that are a little less glamorous. Organising travel insurance may not be as thrilling as planning your routes and researching the major attraction
You’ve booked your flights and accommodation, bought your travel insurance, taken time off work and are just about ready to take off on your holiday!
Regardless of whether you’re a frequent flier or
For many people, the shift from university study to the working world is one of the biggest changes they will ever experience. Life until that point is focused on formal education – sitting in class, doing homework, taking notes… and then all of a sudden, it’s time to step out into
Graduating is an exciting process – it’s time to celebrate the years you’ve spent working hard towards getting your degree! But then it’s time to become a fully-fledged grown-up contributing your part to society.
Everyone has something to offer
Whe
Relocating to a new country for work is hugely exciting. Getting a new job and home and navigating new cultures, practices and languages is an immersive experience and can be incredibly consuming.
An “out with the old, in with the new” approach can be tempting – after all, you’re making a
Your Duty of Disclosure
When you apply for insurance cover, you are required by law to provide complete and up-to-date risk-relevant information – this is sometimes called disclosure of material facts. You must also disc
In general, the younger your children are the easier it will be for them to pick u
For many of us, our pets are part of the family. For expats intending to move overseas with their pet, planning and research before the move is essential. It is crucial to ensure the welfare of your beloved pet during and after transit, and that regulation surrounding the importation and exportation of pets is complied with.
Research animal import regulations for your new country of residence, to determine what conditions must be met for your pet to be allowed en
Reverse culture shock refers to the difficulty sometimes experienced when returning to your home country after studying abroad, and it is a common phenomenon among many international students today. It can result in unexpected difficulty in readjusting to the culture and values of your home country, now that the previou
There is a wide variety of scams that, unfortunately, are specifically targeted at international students preying on the vulnerability of living independently in a foreign country. International students are unaware of the normal local protocols and processes in place, making it hard to spot and identify any scam. Whether you are just starting university or wrapping up a master's, it is more important than ever for you to be cyber conscious.
Scammers are never going to go away, so i
Everyone experiences periods of stress in certain situations – perhaps exams are coming up, or you’ve spent a little more than you intended to at dinner and pay day is still a couple of days away. That’s a normal part of life, and most of the time, it goes away fairly quickly when the source of the stress comes and goes. You pass your exam, you check your bank account and there it is – your pay cheque came through right on time!
But for some of us, that stress is something more – something frequent, something deep, something very hard to acknowledge. Anxiety is a real issue for many, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And it’s also not something that you have to live with forever, making life more and more difficult – there are different ways to deal with that anxiety to help lift your mood and lift your mental burden at the same time.
This is a selection of different coping ideas – but please remember that if you are really struggling and these techniques aren’t helping, there is help available to you. If you are in a real crisis, please call a helpline like Youthline (0800 376 633), Healthline (0800 611 116), Lifeline (0800 LIFELINE) or the Anxiety Phone Line (0800 ANXIETY). The people who answer the phone will be able to support you and help you to find help to manage your situation. You are not alone.
People with anxiety will tend to feel nervous, restless and tense, even if there isn’t a rational reason to feel that way at the time. There will often be a panicked feeling, and worry that there is danger around, even if that isn't the case. People may find it hard to focus or think about a task they are working on because the source of anxiety is overwhelming their mind.
There can also be symptoms throughout the rest of the body. A fast heart rate and rapid breathing are common, and people may experience more sweating as well as trembling or twitching muscles. All of this can result in feeling very tired and weak – after all, your body isn’t behaving the way that it usually should.
Some people with anxiety will experience panic attacks, or severe fear or distress – these can include everything noted above plus heart palpitations, a feeling that you can’t breathe, chest pains and dizziness, alongside many other highly unpleasant symptoms.
All of this should make it clear that it definitely is not a simple case of stress about workload or study!
If you think that you want to try to manage your anxiety yourself, there are many different ways that you can make small changes or add little activities to your life to work towards improving it. You may not be able to cure anxiety this way, but it may give you tools to handle it when things feel tough.
It may be easier said than done, but getting exercise is one thing that many people find helps their anxiety and stress levels. Find something that you enjoy, and commit to it – whether it’s just going for a run, or lifting weights at the gym, or taking a fun aerobics or dance class. Just going for a walk around your neighbourhood can sometimes be just as helpful as something more high impact!
Working with mindfulness techniques and other relaxation and stress management techniques can be very helpful. Meditation is excellent, as is yoga. It sounds silly, perhaps, but even just doing some deep, slow breathing can work – inhale through your nose slowly, hold for a few seconds, and then release through your mouth. It’s not a perfect cure, but it can help you come down from a moment of fear.
A healthy, well-balanced diet helps keep your body in check – and be sensible about your consumption of things that aren’t good for you. Avoiding alcohol is sensible for many reasons, and it certainly is better to keep away from it if you have issues with anxiety. Likewise, stopping smoking and limiting how much caffeine you drink are both very wise. And make sure that you stay hydrated with lots of water!
It might be hard to make happen at times, but trying to get enough sleep is really important when it comes to managing anxiety. If you’re really struggling, do talk to a doctor about how they can help, even if you aren’t yet discussing your anxiety with them. If it’s just something that presents a problem every now and then, try taking a soothing bath before bedtime – if you don’t have a bath, try a lavender-based lotion in the shower.
There are plenty of other little things that you can do too. If one of your sources of anxiety is stress that you’ll forget something important, focus on good ways to get organised. Use a digital tool like Asana or Trello to help you get organised online; browser versions and phone apps mean your to-do list can be with you wherever you are. Bullet journals are a fun and creative way to create to-do lists that make every item on your list just one little thing to tick off – or easily move to the next day.
On the topic of journals, journaling more broadly can be a useful coping tool for many people. Set yourself some time each day to sit down and write about how you’ve been feeling. Try to identify the challenges you’ve been facing while also celebrating the good things that have happened, even if they are just small victories like I used a nice new face mask today after my shower.
There’s also a lovely concept invented by one web writer called a ‘heartsong’ journal, where you fill the pages with things that are important to you. It’s something that you can fill out when you’re feeling up to it – and then read back through when you’re struggling.
Or just have a cup of tea and a chat with a friend. You don’t need to focus on your anxiety – instead, just talk. Sometimes helping someone else talk through their problems can be helpful in allowing you to better face your own.
Anxiety is a mental illness – but the important thing to think about is the illness aspect, not the mental aspect. There is a stigma attached to mental illness that is not fair. Would you judge your friend for having the flu, or for getting strep throat? Or for a better comparison, would you judge a person for having a health condition that is ongoing, who have doctors helping them through? Someone who has a serious gastrointestinal issue, or a heart problem?
Chances are no, you wouldn’t! You would offer support. If they have a bad cold, perhaps you would offer to bring them some vitamin C or some nice hot soup. If they have a serious chronic condition that you can see causes them difficulty, you might ask them to tell you how you can support them – whether that’s by not cooking food with dairy in it, or not planning extremely energetic activities, or simply by spending time with them at home.
Mental illness is no different. So if you’re experiencing anxiety or a friend has told you that they are, treat it just as you would any other health issue. If you are experiencing problems yourself, try to remember that there are many people who feel the way that you do, and that there are many different ways to manage this difficult situation. But it’s also true that anxiety can make it hard to believe these things, or make it seem too difficult to reach out for help. Just one conversation with a person you trust – a friend, a kind tutor or lecturer, a medical professional – might help you start changing things.
Likewise, if a friend has come to you and told you that they are not coping, be as supportive as you can be. Tell them that you are proud of them for sharing this with you, and that you are here to support them. You can offer to make the phone call or send the email to a doctor to book an appointment to discuss the problem – something that a person with anxiety can understand is important to do but is too afraid to do themselves. You can even offer to go with them to speak to a professional, if they don’t think they can manage it by themselves. Whether you go into the appointment with them, or just take them to the door and wait for them outside, knowing that someone is there for you can make a great deal of difference .
InsurancesafeNZ Medical and Travel Insurance is issued and managed by AWP Services New Zealand Limited trading as Allianz Partners (NZBN 9429035270157) under binder with and on behalf of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited (NZBN 9429039809810, FSP Number 20661) (Incorporated in Japan) as the underwriter.
You should read the Policy Wording and consider obtaining independent legal or financial advice before making any decisions about this insurance. Terms, conditions, limits, sub-limits and exclusions apply.
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited - Financial Strength Rating.
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited has a financial strength rating of A+ (Stable) given by S&P Global Ratings. The S&P Global rating scale* in summary form is:
The rating may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
Further information on the S&P Global ratings is available here: https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/products-benefits/products/financial-strength-rating.
