Travel insurance to support New Zealanders working overseas
Here to support you while you live and work overseas
Heading overseas for an OE or a temporary job is something many New Zealanders plan at least once. Whether you’re moving to the UK for a working holiday, spending time in Canada, or living offshore short‑term to gain experience, it’s an exciting step. But once you leave New Zealand, plans don’t always go exactly as expected.
Our Working Overseas travel insurance is designed specifically for New Zealanders who are temporarily living and working overseas. It offers the comprehensive benefits of travel insurance, with cover that’s better suited to longer stays abroad.
Unlike a standard travel insurance policy, this cover is built around day‑to‑day life overseas, not just sightseeing.
With Southern Cross Travel Insurance, you’re backed by a provider that understands what it really means to live and work overseas. Our Working Overseas cover is designed to support New Zealanders through everyday life abroad, with flexible benefits, clear policy wording, and compassionate support when you need it. From longer stays to the realities of day‑to‑day living, we make travel insurance feel simpler, more relevant, and easier to rely on – so you can focus on making the most of your time overseas with confidence and peace of mind.
What is travel insurance for working holidays?
If you’re leaving New Zealand on a working holiday or temporary overseas job, a Working Overseas travel insurance policy can be a practical option.
It provides cover for a range of travel‑related issues, including:
- overseas medical and hospital expenses
- emergency medical evacuation
- trip cancellation or interruption
- lost or stolen baggage and personal items
- other unexpected events that can disrupt longer stays
When you’re living and working overseas, having appropriate cover is important. You may not be eligible for healthcare in your destination country, and medical costs offshore can add up quickly.
Common Kiwi working‑overseas scenarios
This policy is often chosen by New Zealanders who are doing things like:
- doing an OE and travelling around other countries in the region between work commitments
- based overseas short‑term, combining work with extended travel across the region
- living offshore short‑term while working in office‑based, education or healthcare roles
- planning to return to New Zealand at the end of your working holiday
Cover designed for New Zealanders working abroad
Living overseas is very different from heading away on a short holiday, and your insurance needs to reflect that. Our Working Overseas policy is designed with New Zealanders in mind, offering support that aligns with how long‑stay travel actually works.
What your Working Overseas cover includes:
Subject to the policy’s terms, conditions, limits and exclusions, the policy may include
- Cover for office‑based work, educational work, healthcare and some manual work, including retail and hospitality
- Comprehensive cover with three excess options: $0, $100 or $200, allowing you to balance premium and out‑of‑pocket costs
- Medical expenses and Evacuation- cover if you’re diagnosed while on your journey (subject to policy wording), as well as for a range of services you may require overseas, including dental and optical treatment, maternity care, ancillary services such as chiropractor and physiotherapist, rehabilitation, occupational therapy and mental health support
- Changes to Your Journey - once you have left New Zealand, cover for resuming your trip so you can get back on track if you need to return to New Zealand due to an unexpected event
- Emergency assistance, with access to emergency medical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Our aim is to help you focus on your experience overseas, not what could go wrong.
When you’re heading offshore, it helps to know you’re backed by an insurer with real experience. Southern Cross Travel Insurance has supported over 6 million travellers worldwide*, helping people navigate the unexpected while travelling, living and working overseas.
Each journey matters, whether you’re away for a few months or a longer OE, and that experience helps us support New Zealanders to travel with confidence.
Options to increase up to Unlimited
Options to increase up to Unlimited
Options to increase up to Unlimited
Cover towards legal liability for damages, compensation and legal expenses.
No excess applies.
Payment towards any excess you must pay if the rental vehicle you hired is stolen or damaged.
No excess applies.
This table is a summary of the Working Overseas policy benefits and shows the maximum cover under each benefit for each person (unless otherwise stated). The excess you select applies per unexpected event (unless otherwise stated).
Work and situations that aren’t included under a Working Overseas policy
There are limits on the type of work we can cover. We do not cover professional sports or hazardous work.
Hazardous work includes any occupation (paid, unpaid or voluntary) where you’re exposed to increased physical danger, harm or adverse health effects because of your duties or the location of your work.
Examples of work classed as hazardous:
- aircraft crew member
- armed forces
- cement and concrete manufacturing
- coastguard
- commercial fishing
- construction work
- deep sea drilling
- fire fighting, emergency services
- logging
- power line repair
- search and rescue
- slaughterhouse work
- structural and steel work
- stunt work
- tornado chasing
- work with wild animals
- working in any type of mine or oil or gas field
This list is not exhaustive. Please refer to the Policy wording for full details.
Personal liability relating to work, occupations, businesses or professions is excluded under Section D.6 (Personal Liability) of the policy wording.
If you’re unsure whether your role would be considered ‘Hazardous work’, our team can help. Call 0800 800 571 or email [email protected].
Is the Working Overseas policy right for me?
This policy is designed for people who are:
- temporarily living overseas
- travelling on a working holiday
- working for part or all of their time offshore
You don’t need to be working every day while overseas to take out this policy. It’s designed to support flexible plans that combine work and travel.
If you’re only travelling to attend meetings, conferences or short business trips, our International Comprehensive travel insurance policy may be more suitable.
If you’re not sure which policy best fits your plans, we’re happy to help.
Adding countries to your policy
When you’re living and working overseas, you may want to travel to other countries as well. There is cover under the Working Overseas policy for leisure trips to additional destinations, as well as the country where you’re spending most of your time.
It’s important that all destinations you plan to visit are listed on your policy.
For example, if you’re working in France but plan to visit Spain, you’ll need to make sure Spain is included as a destination. Depending on where you’re travelling, an additional premium may apply.
When choosing destinations, New Zealanders should check the travel advisory risk rating on the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (MFAT) SafeTravel website. Cover may not apply for events linked to destinations rated “Do not travel” or “Avoid non‑essential travel”.
If your situation changes while you’re overseas
Life overseas can change quickly. If your situation changes and you need to update your Working Overseas policy, get in touch with us so we can help keep your cover up to date. Keeping your policy current helps ensure you remain covered while living and working abroad.
You can contact us:
- [email protected]
- 0800 800 571 (within New Zealand)
- +64 9 979 6593 (from overseas)
We’re available via email and phone Monday to Sunday, 8.30am to 9pm, excluding public holidays.
Our Emergency Assistance team is available 24/7 if you need urgent medical support while overseas.
Get your Working Overseas cover organised
If you’re a Kiwi planning to live and work overseas, make sure your travel insurance is organised before you go.
When you’re heading overseas to live and work, experience and support matter. With decades of experience and millions of travellers covered worldwide, SCTI is trusted by Kiwis to provide dependable travel insurance for life overseas.
Get a Working Overseas travel insurance quote for New Zealanders today
Frequently asked questions
We're here to help
We know how important it is to be able to talk to someone when you need help, that’s why we are available via email, phone and live chat Monday to Sunday, 8.30am to 9pm, seven days a week, excluding public holidays. And if you find yourself in a medical emergency our Emergency Assistance team is available 24/7 to help, wherever you are in the world.
