Southern Cross Travel Insurance review
Updated September 28, 2026 · AssureCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Southern Cross Travel Insurance is a long standing insurer for older travellers, with cover you underwrite yourself and an excess that starts at AUD 0. It suits seniors who want unlimited overseas medical and evacuation cover and would rather deal with their own insurer than a broker.
Key facts
- Best for
- Older Australian travellers who value unlimited medical cover and a nil starting excess.
- Insurance types
- Travel (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Provider type
- Insurer (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Excess from
- A$0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Cover limit
- Unlimited overseas medical and evacuation cover per person (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Claims channels
- Phone, Online (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Age range
- up to 118 years (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Southern Cross Benefits Limited ABN 99 133 401 939 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Australia (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1995 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Phone, Email, Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Audience
- Seniors
- Official website
- scti.com.au
Apps and profiles
- Elsewhere
- Trustpilotproductreview.com.au
Pros and cons
Pros
- Comprehensive policies carry Unlimited overseas medical and evacuation cover per person.
- The excess starts at AUD 0, so nothing is deducted before a claim is made.
- An insurer rather than an intermediary, so you deal with the underwriter on travel cover directly.
- Support runs on phone, email and chat for policy questions and phone and online for claims.
Cons
- Cover is written for seniors only, so the products are narrower than general market travel policies.
- Travel is the only line of business, so a second policy means coming back to this insurer.
- You are the underwriter, which leaves more of the claims process in your hands than with a broker.
Who it suits
- Older Australian travellers who want unlimited overseas medical and evacuation cover.
- Seniors planning a trip on a policy that starts with a nil excess.
- People who prefer an insurer to a broker or comparison site for travel cover.
Who should look elsewhere
- Travellers outside AU who need cover issued locally rather than from Australia.
- Anyone wanting a bundle, since travel is the only line offered here.
- Younger households shopping for a family policy, because the policies target seniors.
How your money is protected
Southern Cross Travel Insurance underwrites its own policies, trading as Southern Cross Benefits Limited ABN 99 133 401 939, and has done since 1995. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission grants it an Australian financial services licence, listed here as 331058. Because you buy from the insurer rather than an intermediary, the contract, the claims handling and the payout all sit with the same company.
How Southern Cross Travel Insurance compares
9.3 vs 8.6
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.7
9.3 vs 9.0
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.3
9.3 vs 8.9
9.3 vs 8.9
9.3 vs 8.9
9.3 vs 9.3- 9.3 vs 9.3
9.3 vs 9.3Max Life Insurance
9.3 vs 9.3
9.3 vs 9.3
9.3 vs 9.3
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 9.2- 9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 8.9
9.3 vs 8.9
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.6- 9.3 vs 8.4
- 9.3 vs 8.2
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Where Southern Cross Travel Insurance is available
- Available
- Australia
- Licence in Australia
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission (AFSL) (331058), checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much is the excess on a Southern Cross Travel Insurance policy?+
The excess starts at AUD 0 on comprehensive cover, so the payout is not cut by a fixed amount before you receive it. That suits travellers who would rather not hold money back for a claim. The figure applies to the comprehensive policy, not every product the insurer writes.
Who am I actually buying travel cover from?+
You are buying from an insurer, not a broker or a comparison site. The policy is issued by Southern Cross Benefits Limited ABN 99 133 401 939, which has written cover since 1995. That means the same company handles the policy, the claim and the payment, rather than passing the claim along a chain.
Is Southern Cross Travel Insurance regulated?+
Yes. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission holds its Australian financial services licence, 331058. The company is based in Australia, so the business is regulated and based in Australia. Policies are written for seniors in particular.
What does the comprehensive policy cover overseas?+
The main draw is Unlimited overseas medical and evacuation cover per person, so the medical and evacuation figure is not capped per person. Travellers heading somewhere with expensive hospital care, or who want evacuation cover, get the most from that. The policy is sold as travel cover only, with no other lines in the range.
How do I make a claim with Southern Cross Travel Insurance?+
Claims run on phone and online, so you can start with a phone call or online. Broader help is available on phone, email and chat, which adds email, chat and a help centre for policy questions rather than claims. Keep the documentation you need to hand before you travel, since the claim itself starts on those two channels.
Which travellers is this insurer aimed at?+
The policies are aimed at seniors, and eligibility runs to up to 118 years. That is the clearest signal of who they are designed for: older Australian travellers heading overseas. If your trip is a whole family one, the age focus may not match your needs and a general travel policy could suit better.
Does Southern Cross Travel Insurance cover anything other than travel?+
No. The only line of business is travel, so car, home, life, health, pet and gadget cover have to come from another provider. If you want every policy in one place, an insurer with a wider range of lines is the better fit. A broker or comparison site can also point you to those lines.
Sources
- scti.com.au checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Claims channels, Provider type, Founded, Legal entity, Support channels, Licences
“we provide 24/7 emergency assistance and a simple process to make a claim on our website”
- scti.com.au/our-policies/comprehensive checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Cover limit, Excess from, Insurance types
“Medical and evacuation cover is Unlimited under this policy, subject to the Product Disclosure Statement.”
- scti.com.au/our-policies/comprehensive/eligibility-criteria checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters
“Our International Comprehensive policy is available to customers living in Australia permanently”
- scti.com.au/travel-insurance/seniors-travel-insurance checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Age range, Audience
“which is why our age limit is 118!”
Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Premium from, Monthly payments.
Southern Cross Travel Insurance
Older Australian travellers who value unlimited medical cover and a nil starting excess.