What's covered?
We've simplified travel insurance with our bundled Explorer Plan that you can build upon with extra coverage. This way, you only pay for the coverage you need on the days you actually need it.
Japan is a popular destination for Australians for so many reasons. From its quirky capital’s food scene to the first-class mountain terrain come winter – not to mention the cherry blossoms! Although Japan is a safe country, the unexpected can still occur – which is why it’s a good idea to consider getting travel insurance. We can help with that.
We've made buying travel insurance easier by bundling medical, trip and belongings cover in our single Explorer Plan. Get a quote and buy your policy in minutes.
If you need additional coverage for your trip or favourite gadgets, you can build upon the Explorer Plan by adding any of our Trip Extras.
Last-minute ski trip? Need a rental vehicle or motorcycle for the day? Embrace spontaneity and toggle on additional activity coverage for the days you need it.
We've simplified travel insurance with our bundled Explorer Plan that you can build upon with extra coverage. This way, you only pay for the coverage you need on the days you actually need it.
We provide coverage for overseas medical expenses, including hospital expenses for approvable claims. If things go really wrong, we can help with emergency repatriation or evacuation to bring you home.
Only applies to Overseas Explorer Plan
If you need to amend, delay or cancel your trip, we can help smooth out bumps in your travel plans. You can even increase your cancellation coverage in increments of $1,000 by paying additional premiums.
Build on your Explorer Plan by adding Trip Extras to get greater protection for your personal belongings, and enhanced delay and cancellation coverage. You can also toggle on Daily Boosts to get coverage for certain activities, from motorbike riding to adventure sports – and toggle them off when your plans change!
With its mouth-watering food scene, rich history and scenic landscapes, Japan is an incredible place to visit.
In the warmer months, cherry blossoms explode across the country, parks fill with delighted picnickers and alpine towns bloom with wildflowers. In winter, thick blankets of snow fall across the alps, making for incredible skiing and snowboarding opportunities.
From the vibrant cities of Tokyo and Osaka to the quaintness of places like Kyoto and Takayama, Japan is a worthy bucket list addition regardless of the season you visit.
Japan takes 7 to 10 hours to get to from Australia – depending on which city you depart from – and budget airlines fly into Tokyo and Osaka regularly. You may fly into Japan via either one of Tokyo’s two international airports: Haneda and Narita.
Australian passport holders are eligible for Japan’s visa exemption scheme, which grants 90 days of travel for short-stay tourism and business. Be ready to potentially show a copy of your flight out of the country when you land as proof that you do not plan to overstay.
For the latest travel and visa requirements, always be sure to check the Australian Government website Smartraveller and organise the right travel documents before travelling.
If you’re looking into travel insurance for a ski trip to Japan, you may find it difficult to find a travel insurance provider that automatically covers snow sports in the base policy. That’s because there are elevated risks associated with snow activities, so you usually need to pay a higher premium.
Freely offers coverage for skiing, snowboarding and snow activities with our Snow Sports Boost, which you can add to your Explorer Plan before leaving – or even when you’re in Japan already, using the Freely app. This extra layer of protection will extend to costs associated with downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling while overseas (including Japan).
Be sure to give our PDS (product disclosure statement) a thorough read before you purchase a policy with Freely to make sure you’re fully aware of what is and isn’t covered.
Due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan is seismically active – meaning the country frequently has earthquakes (some of which can trigger tsunami) and volcanic activity. Japan is also particularly susceptible to typhoons. Though the country has developed advanced technology to detect natural disasters in advance, it’s not always possible to know when one is going to occur.
Freely’s travel insurance for Japan can provide some protection if you are directly affected by circumstances outside of your control – including unforeseen natural disasters. Have a look at the PDS (product disclosure statement) to wrap your head around what is and isn’t covered when a natural disaster occurs.
It’s important that you stay informed about any forecasts for natural disasters in Japan ahead of your trip. For the latest travel advice, be sure to refer to, and keep up-to-date with, the Australian Government website Smartraveller before travelling.
Please note that we don’t offer coverage for claims directly arising from you not following an advice or warning of “Do not travel” on the advice issued by the Australian Government on the smartraveller.gov.au website.
To keep up-to-date on natural disasters in Japan, you can also refer to the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System and the Japan Meteorological Agency, or download the Japanese public broadcaster NHK’s free smartphone app, which can be set to receive emergency notifications about natural disasters in English.
Yes, but only when you add our Snow Sports Boost to your base policy for all of the days that you intend to participate in snow sports. Our Snow Sports Boost provides cover for downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding – as well as snowmobiling. If you’re planning on going off-piste, we’ll still offer coverage, but only if you're not going against any warnings or local advice. Also be aware that our Snow Sports Boost is not for those who are participating in a professional capacity or racing.
It’s easy to add our Snow Sports Boost in real-time using the Freely app – as soon as your payment has been processed, you’re covered.
Japan is a very safe country to travel to, but sickness can strike anywhere. Plus, accidents happen – from the many-stairwelled train stations to the bustling streets. It can also be challenging and expensive to find an English-speaking doctor. On these counts, having Freely travel insurance can help you out.
Our Explorer Plan offers unlimited medical coverage (conditions apply) while you are overseas, which enables you to get treatment recommended by a medical practitioner following sickness, illness or accident. Note that if you plan on doing snow sports, you’ll need to add our Snow Sports Boost to your Explorer Plan in order to be covered – which can be toggled on and paid for using the Freely app.
Be aware that there are terms, conditions and exclusions that apply to all Freely policies, so we recommend reading our PDS.
Alcohol across Japan is cheap and readily available and public drinking is allowed – so you need to be ultra careful with responsible consumption.
We will not pay for claims involving, arising from or related to your impairment due to you drinking too much alcohol which is evidenced by the results of ablood test which show that your blood alcohol concentration level is 0.19 or above (which puts you at nearly four times the legal driving limit in Australia of 0.05). Keep in mind that a blood test is not always available, so we may be required to look at the report of a medical practitioner or forensic expert, the witness report of a third party, your own admission, your description of the event or the advice of a treating medical professional.
Similarly, Freely will not cover any claims that relate to substance or drug abuse (regardless of whether it’s over-the-counter, prescription or otherwise), including the use of non-prescription drugs or illicit substances.
If your luggage gets lost by or is stuck with a transport provider (like an airline or shuttle bus company) for more than 12 hours while you’re on your trip, Freely will reimburse you for certain things – such as underwear, non-prescription medicine and shoes. We’ll cover you for up to $300 for each item, with a maximum of $900. Hold onto your receipts and get some proof from the travel provider showing what happened to your luggage, as you’ll need these documents to support your claim.
If you're adding a Daily Boost before you leave, you will see an option to purchase this when you're buying your Freely policy.
If you're adding a Daily Boosts while you're away, you'll need follow these steps using the Freely app:
If the change was made successfully, you will receive an updated Certificate of Insurance via email to your nominated email address.
To extend the duration of your policy, you will need to use the Freely app. The steps to extend duration of your trip:
If the change was successful, you will receive an updated Certificate of Insurance via email to your nominated email address.