Travel insurance for New Zealand: what ACC covers, what it doesn't and what to buy

New Zealand has something most countries do not: a government accident scheme that covers visitors. It is called ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation), and it leads a lot of travellers to ask whether they need travel insurance at all.

The short answer is yes. ACC is generous for accidents, but it leaves big, expensive gaps. This guide explains exactly what ACC and the public health system cover for visitors, what they do not, and what to look for in a policy. Everything is checked against ACC, Health New Zealand and NZ Police as at November 2026.

Quick answer

• ACC covers accidental injuries that happen in New Zealand, for visitors as well as residents.
• ACC does not cover illness, cancelled or disrupted plans, emergency travel home, injuries while travelling to or from New Zealand, or treatment once you are home.
• Australians and UK citizens get some public health care, but not everything.
• Everyone else should assume they will pay for medical care that is not an accident.
• Drivers face large rental excesses, which a good policy can cover.

What ACC covers for visitors

ACC runs a no-fault scheme. In its own words, it “covers everyone, including visitors, who are injured in an accident in New Zealand”. No-fault means it does not matter who caused the accident.

If you slip on a track, break a wrist mountain biking or are hurt in a car crash, ACC can help pay for treatment and rehabilitation while you are in the country. In practice, the doctor or hospital that treats you lodges the claim on your behalf.

That is a genuinely useful safety net. It is also where many visitors stop reading, which is a mistake.

What ACC does not cover

ACC lists five things it does not cover and tells visitors to buy travel insurance before they arrive:

1. Illness. A chest infection, appendicitis, a heart problem or food poisoning is not an accident.
2. Disrupted travel plans or emergency travel home. If you need a medical escort or a flight home, ACC will not pay.
3. Injuries in transit to or from New Zealand, including getting on or off a boat or plane.
4. Travel around New Zealand in the craft you arrived in, for example a cruise ship.
5. Treatment and rehabilitation once you get home.

Add the things no accident scheme covers, such as lost luggage, stolen cameras and cancelled flights, and the case for insurance is clear.

The reciprocal health agreements

Health New Zealand has reciprocal agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom, and with no other countries. It is blunt about the limits: “Neither agreement covers everything. Travellers should have comprehensive travel insurance that includes health care.”

The ambulance point surprises Australians. Health New Zealand says Australian visitors are not entitled to publicly funded emergency ambulance transport, so an ambulance ride can mean a bill.

Insider tip: if you are an Australian or UK citizen, carry your passport and proof of residence (an Australian Medicare card, for example) so the hospital can check your eligibility. And still buy insurance: the agreements do not cover flights home, GP visits for Australians, or anything outside the hospital system.

Rental vehicle excess cover

If you hire a car or campervan, you are responsible for an excess (deductible) if it is damaged, and Apex notes you pay it whether the accident is your fault or not. The included excess can be large:

The rental company will sell you a daily fee to reduce the excess, from about $30 to $93 a day at the campervan brands we checked. Many travel policies offer rental vehicle excess cover as well, sometimes at a lower price over a long trip.

Check three things in your policy: the maximum it pays, whether it covers campervans and motorhomes (some cover cars only), and whether it pays out when you have broken the rental contract, for example by driving on a banned unsealed road. Our car rental guide covers the rental side, including excess options.

Adventure activity cover

New Zealand sells adventure: skydiving, bungy, heli-hikes, jet boats, white-water rafting and glacier walks. ACC covers accidental injury from these activities while you are here, but your insurer covers everything else (illness, evacuation home, cancellations). Many policies exclude some activities or need an add-on.

Before you book, check your policy wording for:

• Skydiving, bungy and paragliding. Often excluded or an extra. Planning a jump? Read our skydiving in NZ guide.
• Heli-hikes and glacier walks. Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ Heli Hike is a helicopter flight plus up to 2.5 hours on the ice, so check both the flight and the activity are covered.
• Mountain biking, skiing and snowboarding, especially off-piste.
• Altitude limits on hiking cover.

Hiking and rescue

Good news first. NZ Police says rescued people are not expected to pay for search and rescue. It wants people to call for help early rather than hide to avoid a bill. The exception: if there is evidence of recklessness, Police may lay charges and seek costs.

That does not make insurance optional for hikers. After a rescue, an illness or anything outside ACC’s scope still costs money, and so does changing your flights if you are hurt.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a good example of why preparation matters. DOC describes it as a 19.4 km alpine crossing where cold, strong wind, heavy rain and poor visibility are common even in summer, and snow can fall at any time of year. Our Tongariro Alpine Crossing guide covers how to plan it.

If you get hurt or sick in New Zealand

Knowing the process in advance makes a bad day a little easier:

1. In an emergency, call 111. Make sure your phone works on 4G: New Zealand’s 3G networks closed in early 2026, and the Telecommunications Forum warns that phones relying on 3G cannot call 111. Our eSIM guide explains how to check.
2. For an accident, tell the doctor, clinic or hospital it was an accident. ACC says your health provider makes the claim on your behalf.
3. For an illness, contact your insurer’s emergency assistance line as soon as you can, especially before any large hospital bill or a change of flights. Your policy wording will say when you must call before spending money.
4. Keep every receipt and report: medical notes, pharmacy receipts, police reports for theft, and the airline’s written confirmation of any delay or cancellation.

How to compare policies

When you shop around, line up the same features side by side:

1. Medical and evacuation cover with a high limit, and pre-existing conditions declared.
2. Cancellation and disruption cover for the full cost of flights, ferries and prepaid tours.
3. Rental vehicle excess cover, if you are driving, that matches your vehicle type.
4. Activities you actually plan to do, by name.
5. Gear limits for phones, cameras and laptops, and the single-item limit.
6. Excess on the policy itself, and how claims work from overseas.
7. Start date: buy it when you book, so cancellation cover starts straight away.

Do not pick a policy on price alone. A cheap policy that excludes the campervan or the skydive you booked is not cheap.