Vietnam is cheap, friendly and one of the easiest places in Asia for Australians to explore, from the street food of Hanoi to the beaches of Da Nang and the Mekong Delta. But it’s also a destination where a single scooter accident can turn into a five-figure bill. Australia has no reciprocal healthcare agreement with Vietnam, so every cost of treatment and evacuation falls on you.
This guide compares the travel insurers we rate for Vietnam, explains the motorbike rules that catch out so many Australian travellers, and shows you what drives the price of a policy.
- Vietnam doesn’t require travel insurance for entry, but Smartraveller strongly recommends it for every trip.
- Choose unlimited overseas medical and evacuation cover. Serious injuries can mean a medical flight to another country for treatment.
- Riding a scooter or motorbike is the number one way Australians void their cover in Vietnam. You need the right licence, a helmet and a policy that covers it.
- A standard Australian International Driving Permit may not be recognised in Vietnam, which can make riding illegal and leave you uninsured.
- Buy your policy as soon as you book, so cancellation cover starts straight away.
Best travel insurance for Vietnam: our picks
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There’s no single best policy for everyone. A couple on a two-week food tour of Hanoi and Hoi An needs different cover from a backpacker riding the Ha Giang Loop. These are the insurers we’d shortlist, grouped by the type of traveller they suit best.
Quick comparison
| Insurer | Best for | Motorbike cover | Adventure activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover-More | All-rounder | Optional add-on | Optional add-on |
| SCTI | Families | Optional add-on | Optional add-on |
| Zoom | Budget | Yes, verify | Optional add-on |
| Tick | Basic cover | No | Check |
| Freely | Flexible cover | Add as a Trip Extra | Per-day boosts |
| World Nomads | Backpackers | Yes, treated as a level 1 activity | Broad list on higher plans |
Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before you buy. Licence conditions, engine size limits and excesses differ between insurers, and the PDS is the document that decides your claim.
Do you need travel insurance for Vietnam?
Vietnam doesn’t ask for proof of travel insurance at the border, so technically you can enter without it. In practice, going uninsured is a big gamble:
- No Medicare in Vietnam. Without a reciprocal agreement, every hospital visit, scan and medical flight is billed to you.
- Road accidents are common. Vietnam’s traffic is chaotic, and many travellers ride scooters for the first time there.
- Upset stomachs and mosquito-borne illness. Food poisoning and dengue fever regularly send travellers to clinics and hospitals.
- Weather disrupts trips. Typhoon season brings flooding to central Vietnam, which can close roads, cancel flights and wipe out prepaid bookings.
Motorbikes and scooters in Vietnam: read this before you ride
Hiring a scooter is one of the best ways to see Vietnam, and routes like the Ha Giang Loop and the Hai Van Pass are on many travellers’ bucket lists. It’s also where most Australian claims fall over. Insurers only cover you if you were riding legally, and in Vietnam that’s harder than most people expect.
The licence trap: Vietnam recognises International Driving Permits issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention. Australian IDPs are generally issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, which Vietnam doesn’t accept. That means many Australians who think they’re licensed are riding illegally, and their insurer can refuse the claim.
To give yourself the best chance of being covered:
- Hold a valid motorcycle licence at home. A car licence alone isn’t enough for most policies, even for a small scooter.
- Make sure you’re licensed for Vietnam too. If your IDP isn’t recognised, the only fully legal route is a Vietnamese licence. Check the current process with the Australian Embassy before you go.
- Always wear a helmet. No helmet usually means no cover, whether you’re riding or on the back.
- Check engine size limits. Many policies cap the engine size they’ll cover, regardless of what your licence allows.
- Riding pillion has rules too. If you’re the passenger, your rider usually needs to be appropriately licensed for your own cover to apply.
- Consider a guided tour. On a tour with a licensed local rider, you ride pillion and avoid the licence problem altogether.
Planning a Bali trip as well? See our Bali travel insurance guide, which covers the same scooter issues.
Medical care and evacuation in Vietnam
Big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have international hospitals with English-speaking staff, but they’re private and expensive, and they often want payment or an insurance guarantee before treatment. Care in rural areas and along the popular motorbike routes is far more basic.
For serious injuries or illness, travellers are often evacuated to Bangkok, Singapore or home to Australia. A medical flight like that can cost tens of thousands of dollars, which is why we recommend a policy with unlimited overseas medical and evacuation cover.
When comparing policies, check that:
- Overseas medical and hospital cover is unlimited (or very high).
- Emergency evacuation to another country, and repatriation to Australia, are included.
- The insurer has a 24/7 emergency line that can guarantee payment to the hospital, so you’re not paying upfront.
Adventure activities in Vietnam
Vietnam is packed with activities that standard policies may not cover automatically. Check your PDS, or add adventure cover, if you’re planning:
- Caving in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
- Trekking around Sapa and the northern mountains, especially at altitude
- Kayaking in Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay
- Canyoning and rock climbing around Da Lat
- Scuba diving off Nha Trang or Phu Quoc, which often has depth and certification limits
For more on high-risk activities, see our adventure sports travel insurance guide.
How much does travel insurance for Vietnam cost?
Your premium depends on your trip and the cover you choose. The biggest factors are:
| Factor | How it affects your price |
|---|---|
| Age | Premiums rise with age, especially from your 60s onwards. |
| Trip length | Longer trips cost more. Backpackers spending months in Southeast Asia should compare single trip and annual policies. |
| Level of cover | Medical-only policies are the cheapest. Comprehensive adds cancellation, luggage and delay cover. |
| Activities | Adding motorbike or adventure cover increases the premium. |
| Pre-existing conditions | Covering a declared condition usually adds an extra premium. |
| Excess | Choosing a higher excess lowers your premium, but you pay more if you claim. |
The quickest way to find your real price is to get quotes from two or three insurers with the same trip details and compare the cover side by side, not just the headline price.
Over 70 or travelling with a medical condition? See our guides to seniors travel insurance and pre-existing medical conditions.
Common exclusions to watch for
- Unlicensed riding. The biggest one in Vietnam. No valid licence for the bike you’re riding usually means no cover for medical bills or third-party damage.
- Alcohol and drugs. Injuries while intoxicated are generally excluded, and that includes riding after a few beers in the Old Quarter.
- Known events. Once a typhoon is named or flooding is in the news, it’s a known event. Buy early so you’re covered before it happens.
- Unattended belongings. Bag snatching from passing scooters happens in the big cities, and items left unattended usually aren’t covered.
- Travelling against advice. Ignoring Smartraveller advice or local warnings, such as during floods, can void your cover.
More Travel Insurance Guides
Every trip, traveller and risk changes what you need from a policy. These guides go deeper on each situation, and it’s worth comparing providers before you buy. Browse all travel insurance guides.
Vietnam travel insurance FAQs
Is travel insurance mandatory for Vietnam?
No. Vietnam doesn’t currently require proof of travel insurance to enter. The Australian government strongly recommends it, though, because you’ll pay the full cost of any medical treatment or evacuation yourself.
Does Medicare cover me in Vietnam?
No. Australia has no reciprocal healthcare agreement with Vietnam, so Medicare won’t cover any treatment you receive there.
Does travel insurance cover riding a scooter in Vietnam?
Only if you’re riding legally and your policy includes motorcycle cover. Most insurers require a valid motorcycle licence at home, a licence that’s recognised in Vietnam, and a helmet. Many Australian International Driving Permits aren’t recognised in Vietnam, so check before you ride.
Which travel insurance is best for Vietnam?
It depends on your trip. If you’ll ride a motorbike, look for a policy with clear motorcycle cover. For families, look for free cover for kids. For long backpacking trips, look for flexible policies you can extend while travelling. If you mainly want medical cover, a medical-only policy is the cheapest option. Can I buy travel insurance after I arrive in Vietnam?
Can I buy travel insurance after I arrive in Vietnam?
Some insurers let you buy cover once you’ve left Australia, usually with a waiting period before claims are accepted. It’s far better to buy before you leave, ideally as soon as you book.
Does travel insurance cover typhoons and floods in Vietnam?
Many comprehensive policies cover extra costs from natural disasters, such as cancelled flights or extra accommodation, as long as you bought the policy before the event became known. Check the PDS for the exact limits.
Will one policy cover Vietnam and Cambodia?
Yes. Choose a policy that covers all the countries on your itinerary, usually by selecting Asia or Southeast Asia as your destination region when you get a quote.
Michael has been publishing deals and travel content for Australians for more than 10 years and runs the deals section of The Champagne Mile. With a Bachelor of Commerce and a background in commercial law, he reads the fine print so you don’t have to, from insurance PDSs to promo code terms. Every deal on the site is checked before it goes live and updated when offers change. When he’s not testing codes, he’s planning his next overseas trip or out on his dirt bike.
Last Updated on 24 October 2026
