The United States is a popular destination for Australians. From the forests of California to the moonscape deserts of Utah, and the buzz of New York City to the alpine tundra of Alaska, the United States is a wild destination with plenty on offer. Though, they do have one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world should something go wrong – 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.
When things go wrong overseas, travel insurance can be the unexpected hero of your trip. Freely's Overseas Explorer Plan offers coverage for medical and dental, emergency evacuation and repatriation, trip cancellation and amendment, and lost and delayed luggage.
If you suffer an injury caused solely and directly by violent, accidental, visible and external means (as opposed to being caused by sickness or disease) that results in your death, we will pay your estate the amount (provided your death occurs within one year of the accident).
If you suffer an injury caused solely and directly by violent, accidental, visible and external means (as opposed to being caused by sickness or disease) that results in your permanent total loss of sight in one or both eyes or the loss of use of one or more limbs, we will pay you the amount shown in the Plan purchased (provided the loss occurs within one year of the accident).
If you become sick or injured while on your trip, we may provide cover for unexpected medical and hospital expenses.
If you need to pay for unexpected dental treatment during your trip, we may provide cover for emergency overseas dental expenses.
If you become sick or injured while on your trip and need emergency repatriation, we may provide cover for that.
Some existing medical conditions are automatically covered by our Explorer Plan (subject to the criteria outlined in the PDS). If your existing medical condition falls outside the criteria or isn’t on the list, we may still be able to provide cover for your condition subject to the outcome of a short medical assessment, an additional premium may apply.
If you become sick or injured while on your trip and need emergency evacuation, we may provide cover for that.
If you suffer an injury caused solely and directly by violent, accidental, visible and external means (as opposed to being caused by sickness or disease) that results in your death, if approved, we will pay your estate the amount (provided your death occurs within one year of the accident).
If you suffer an injury caused solely and directly by violent, accidental, visible and external means (as opposed to being caused by sickness or disease) that results in your permanent total loss of sight in one or both eyes or the loss of use of one or more limbs, if approved, we will pay you the amount shown in the Plan purchased (provided the loss occurs within one year of the accident).
If you need to unexpectedly amend or cancel your trip for a covered reason, we can reimburse you for the costs of your prepaid, non-refundable travel arrangements.
If you encounter unexpected accommodation and/or transport costs during your travels because of a covered event, we may provide cover for the additional expenses you incur.
If your pre-booked, prepaid transport is temporarily delayed during the journey for at least 6 hours due to an unforeseeable circumstance outside your control (including a cyber incident), we may provide cover for the related expenses you incur up to $2,000.
If you need to return to Australia while you're on your trip because of the sudden serious injury, sickness, disease, or death of your relative or business partner, we may provide cover for the cost of resuming the journey up to $2,000.
If, due to an unforeseeable circumstance outside your control, your journey would otherwise be delayed – resulting in you being unable to arrive in time to attend a wedding, funeral, 25th or 50th wedding anniversary, or a prepaid conference, music festival or sporting event that cannot be delayed due to your late arrival – we may pay for the reasonable additional cost of using alternative public transport to arrive at your destination on time.
If you become unintentionally legally liable to pay compensation for damage caused to someone, we may provide coverage of up to $3,000,000. Limits, sub-limits, conditions and exclusions apply.
If your luggage or travel documents are lost, stolen, or damaged on your trip, we can reimburse you for your items or for repairing your items. The limit per item is $750.
If your luggage is delayed by a transport provider for more than 12 hours during your trip, we can reimburse you for the costs of several personal items purchased.
We may pay you for the cost of replacing travel documents and credit cards lost or stolen on the journey. We may also pay for your legal liability arising from their illegal use. You must, however, comply with all the conditions of the issue of the document prior to and after the loss or theft.
If your cash, bank or currency notes, postal or money orders are accidentally lost or stolen on your trip, we can reimburse you for the cost of the loss.
It's easy to assume that travel insurance is only necessary for overseas holidays – but travelling domestically within Australia's borders carries many of the same risks! Freely offers coverage for all domestic travel: from the bustling hubs of Sydney and Melbourne to more regional, nature-based destinations such as Tasmania and the Gold Coast.
If you suffer an injury caused solely and directly by violent, accidental, visible and external means (as opposed to being caused by sickness or disease) that results in your death, we will pay your estate the amount (provided your death occurs within one year of the accident).
If you suffer an injury caused solely and directly by violent, accidental, visible and external means (as opposed to being caused by sickness or disease) that results in your permanent total loss of sight in one or both eyes or the loss of use of one or more limbs, we will pay you the amount shown in the Plan purchased (provided the loss occurs within one year of the accident).
If you need to unexpectedly amend or cancel your trip for a covered reason, we can reimburse you for the costs of your prepaid, non-refundable travel arrangements.
If you encounter unexpected accommodation and/or transport costs during your travels because of a covered event, we can provide cover for the additional expenses you incur.
If your pre-booked, prepaid transport is temporarily delayed during the journey for at least 6 hours due to an unforeseeable circumstance outside your control (including a cyber incident), we can provide cover for the related expenses you incur up to $2,000.
If you need to return to Australia while you're on your trip because of the sudden serious injury, sickness, disease, or death of your relative or business partner, we can provide cover for the cost of resuming the journey up to $2,000.
If, due to an unforseeable circumstance outside your control, your journey would otherwise be delayed – resulting in you being unable to arrive in time to attend a wedding, funeral, 25th or 50th wedding anniversary, or a prepaid conference, music festival or sporting event that cannot be delayed due to your late arrival – we will pay for the reasonable additional cost of using alternative public transport to arrive at your destination on time.
If you become unintentionally legally liable to pay compensation for damage caused to someone else's property or for the injury or death of someone, we may provide coverage of up to $200,000.
If your luggage or travel documents are lost, stolen, or damaged on your trip, we can reimburse you for the cost of replacing or repairing your items. The limit per item is $750.
If your luggage is delayed by a transport provider for more than 12 hours during your trip, we can reimburse you for the costs of several personal items purchased.
If your cash, bank or currency notes, postal or money orders are accidentally lost or stolen on your trip, we can reimburse you for the cost of the loss.
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!
The United States of America is a vast country that offers travellers an array of experiences.
From the bustling metropolises of New York City and Los Angeles to the serene beauty of places like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park, the landscapes of the US are as diverse as the hundreds of millions of people who call it home.
Visitors come to attend festivals such as Coachella in California, surf sublime coastlines in Hawai’i, roadtrip through the Mojave Desert, check out Brooklyn’s hip-hop scene, ski and snowboard* the alps in Colorado, groove to jazz in New Orleans, experience Native American culture and more.
Freely’s Overseas Explorer Plan offers travellers $Unlimited~ medical and emergency dental (~medical and dental cover will not exceed 12 months from onset of the illness or injury), evacuation and repatriation, lost and stolen luggage and trip cancellation and amendment cover.
For more detail, be sure to read our PDS. *Snow sports covered when Snow Sports Boost added at an additional cost to the base policy.
From Australia, you can fly direct to several cities in the United States, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Honolulu. Flight times vary between 9 and 16 hours, though in 2025, Qantas plans on launching a 19-hour direct flight from Sydney to New York City!
As well as Qantas, carriers such as Hawaiian Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air New Zealand, United Airlines and Virgin Australia serve several routes between Australia and the United States. Depending on your departure city, you could have a stopover in Korea, Auckland, Hong Kong or somewhere else.
Entry requirements in the United States are strict, but Australian passport holders visiting for 90 days or less may be eligible for what’s known as an ESTA: an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). If successfully obtained, this allows you to enter the US under the Visa Waiver Program.
It's essential to check the latest entry requirements and visa regulations before you go, as they can change quickly and vary based on factors such as your purpose of visit and previous travel history.
To do so, visit the Australian Government's Smartraveller website, contact your nearest United States embassy or consulate in Australia, or visit the official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.
The United States is a fascinating place to visit, but the cost of healthcare is incredibly high – making travel insurance an important consideration if you plan on heading over.
In fact, the Australian Government website Smartraveller recommends that travellers to the US purchase travel insurance and warns that sometimes medical bills are expected to be paid upfront.
Travel insurance for the United States can also cover things like lost, damaged or stolen belongings, trip cancellation and amendment and resumption of journey – in case something unexpectedly interrupts your holiday – and additional expenses arising from travel and luggage delays.
With Freely’s Overseas Explorer Plan, travellers can enjoy cover for mishaps like these, as well as $Unlimited~ medical and emergency dental (~medical and dental cover will not exceed 12 months from onset of the illness or injury).
Plus, when travelling with Freely, travellers get 24-hour access to our medical and emergency team, telehealth access and safety alerts targeted to your location, all designed to help you travel safely and freely.
For more detail, be sure to read our PDS.
Here are some helpful tips to consider ...
Tipping is customary in the United States and is actually a very important safety net for workers, with many people in hospitality living off the money they earn in tips. Factor this into your budget for eating and drinking out. A standard tip is 15–20% of the bill.
The United States is a mosaic of hundreds of different cultures, so take the opportunity to explore and experience it – especially through cuisine. In New York City for example, around 800 different languages are spoken! Try catfish and grits for breakfast, tacos and empanadas for lunch, and a stew like sancocho for dinner (if you can).
Popular tourist attractions in the United States can get super crowded, especially during peak seasons. Consider booking tickets in advance for things like national parks, museums, tours and even mountain passes to avoid long lines and potential disappointment.
