Australians in trouble abroad
Never has travel insurance been more required, is the main message from a recent report from the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
Never has travel insurance been more required, is the main message from a recent report from the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
The DFAT report focuses on the most common difficulties Australians find themselves in overseas that require consular assistance – many of which could be covered by insurance.
The report, collated by comparison website Comparethemarket.com, reveals that Australian Consulates helped nearly 16,000 citizens in trouble abroad in 2015. The most common situations that required aid included:
- Missing persons (5,697 recorded consulate cases). These are also known as ‘whereabouts enquiries’ when family or friends at home have not heard from the traveller and are concerned they are missing.
- Hospitalisation (1,453 cases). Consulates reiterate that while they can provide details of local doctors and hospitals and help with welfare concerns, the embassy does not pay for medical expenses of uninsured Australians and travel insurance is needed.
- Arrests (1,256 cases) and imprisonments (371 cases). The most common cause for imprisonment in 2014/2015 was drug offences (153 cases). No legal advice is given by the Consulate. Commonwealth financial assistance may be available for legal costs, but this is usually only if the person is at risk of being imprisoned for 20 years or more, or facing the death penalty.
- Theft (1,066 cases) and lost passports (8,171 cases). Lost or stolen passports should be reported to the relevant embassy where there will be a charge for a replacement.
- Citizens stuck overseas (61 cases). Repatriation of citizens can be considered by the Consulate. However, they must demonstrate evidence of attempts to organise funds through family or friends, and agree that the repatriation costs are a loan which must be paid back.
In the past nine years, the number of Australians heading abroad has almost doubled – 8.2 million people travelled from Australia to various overseas destinations in 2015, compared with 4.3 million in 2006.