SCTI refreshes Working Overseas policy for New Zealanders

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has launched an updated ‘Working Overseas’ policy, acknowledging the needs that travellers working abroad have, whether as digital nomads or as part of their Overseas Experience (OE).

The insurance policy automatically covers office-based work and some types of manual work, with enhanced benefits tailored towards longer experiences of living and working overseas such as optical treatment, emergency dental treatment, mental health care, rehabilitation and occupational therapy, and maternity care.

Other benefits include cover for holidays away from travellers’ main destination (depending on the holiday destination, customers may incur an additional premium) and automatic cover for skiing and snowboarding, travelling by cruise or riding mopeds.

Each SCTI Working Overseas policy can be purchased for a duration of up to 12 months and, if required, travellers can buy a subsequent 12-month policy, as long as total cover is no longer than 60 months in total.

SCTI CEO, Jo McCauley, said: “There is most certainly demand which is evidenced by our Future of Travel 2023 research. This showed nearly half (46 per cent) of New Zealand workers would consider living and working remotely overseas to extend a trip/holiday, with one in eight (12 per cent) who have plans to do so over the next 12 months and a quarter (25 per cent) who would consider it but have not made any plans yet. The cohorts most likely to head away are Gen Z (63 per cent), Millennials (59 per cent) and Gen X (38 per cent).

“OE is a rite of passage but it’s important Kiwis heading overseas to work consider protecting themselves with travel insurance. When you’re living somewhere for a long period of time, the likelihood of needing medical assistance is increased and it’s important not to assume you can access the local health system for free - this isn’t always the case and can lead to expensive medical bills.”