The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has welcomed the Government’s decision to extend the exemption that allows travel businesses to sell travel insurance at the time of booking.
The exemption, first secured by ATIA in 2021, was due to expire on October 5.
Following a sustained advocacy campaign by ATIA, the Government has extended it to October 5, 2031, delivering a decade of continuous certainty for the industry.
ATIA has argued consistently, including in a comprehensive submission in February this year, that travel insurance belongs at the time of booking.
“This is what advocacy looks like. We have put forward a strong, evidence-based case to Government and Government has acted with a commonsense response,” said Dean Long, ATIA CEO.
“Booking is when travellers understand their destination, their itinerary and their risk. That is when the insurance conversation should happen and this extension keeps it there.
“This decision brings important certainty for our members, particularly for the small and medium operators who carry the most risk when settings like this are left unclear.”
“ATIA-accredited businesses do not just sell a policy. They match cover to the trip to support travellers and that is worth protecting.”
About 85 per cent of Australians say they are more likely to book with an ATIA-accredited business, a reflection of the trust that expertise builds.
Without the extension, ATIA claims the consequences would be significant:
# More Australians exposed to major medical and cancellation costs
# Increased pressure on consular services, which handled more than 26,000 cases involving Australians overseas in 2024 to 25
# Reduced certainty for small and medium travel businesses
Every policy already carries a 14-day cooling-off period and strict Design and Distribution Obligations, protections that address the very risks a deferral period is meant to guard against.
Meanwhile ATIA has announced the renewal of its Strategic Partnership with Gow-Gates Insurance Brokers.
Gow-Gates has more than 60 years’ experience advising Australian organisations and more than 40 years’ experience in the travel insurance industry, developing specialist expertise in the unique risks faced by travel agents, tour operators and other travel businesses.
The business has worked with and supported both ATIA and the Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) over many years.
With CATO now part of ATIA, the renewed partnership continues that relationship across an even broader cross-section of Australia’s travel sector.
The renewed Strategic Partnership will see Gow-Gates continue to engage with ATIA members and the wider travel industry, sharing its specialist knowledge and contributing to conversations around risk, resilience and the issues affecting travel businesses.
