Why Corporate Travel Insurance in Australia Looks Different Heading Into 2026

Corporate travel insurance in Australia is often treated as a standard inclusion in a broader insurance program. It’s arranged, renewed, and rarely revisited unless something goes wrong.

That approach is becoming harder to justify.

As global travel becomes more unpredictable — politically, socially and digitally — Australian businesses are finding that the risks faced by travelling employees no longer sit neatly within traditional assumptions about “business as usual”.

Recent travel security commentary from S-RM reflects what many organisations are already experiencing: disruption is no longer limited to traditionally high-risk destinations. It is appearing in routine trips, major transit hubs and previously stable regions.

For businesses, this shifts the role of corporate travel insurance in Australia. It is no longer just about medical emergencies or lost luggage. It is about duty of care, preparedness and whether insurance arrangements genuinely reflect how work is conducted today.

How Business Travel Risk Has Evolved

A decade ago, business travel risk planning was often reserved for overseas assignments or specialist roles. Today, exposure is far more common.

Australian employees regularly travel for:

• Conferences and industry events

• Client meetings

• Site inspections and project oversight

• Supply chain and operational travel

These trips can now be affected by sudden protests, transport shutdowns, cyber incidents, health system strain, or rapid changes to government travel advice.

Travel advice issued by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can change quickly — and many corporate travel insurance policies contain exclusions or limitations tied directly to official advisories.

That means policy response can depend not only on what happens, but when and where it happens.

This is where corporate travel insurance in Australia often comes under pressure. Many policies were designed for a simpler risk environment and may not respond as broadly as businesses expect.

Corporate Travel Insurance and Employer Duty of Care

Australian employers have a clear duty of care to employees travelling for work. In practical terms, this duty is assessed based on what risks were foreseeable and what steps were taken to manage them.

Insurance is one component — but it is not the entire framework.

When incidents occur, questions often arise such as:

• Were travel risks assessed prior to departure?

• Were employees informed about potential disruptions or limitations?

• Did the organisation understand how its corporate travel insurance would respond?

Where businesses come unstuck is rarely through a complete lack of cover. More commonly, it is through assumptions about how their corporate travel insurance in Australia actually operates.

Common Gaps in Corporate Travel Insurance Policies

In practice, several recurring issues tend to surface when travel incidents occur:

• Ambiguous wording around civil unrest, strikes or political instability

• Restrictions triggered by government travel warnings

• Sub-limits on evacuation, crisis response or repatriation

• Limited coverage for cyber exposures while travelling or working remotely

Travel incidents may also trigger claims under:

• Management Liability

• Cyber insurance

• Workers compensation

If these policies are not aligned, coverage gaps can emerge at exactly the wrong moment.

This is why corporate travel insurance in Australia works best when reviewed as part of a coordinated insurance program — not as a standalone product renewed annually without scrutiny.

Why Boards Are Reviewing Travel Risk in 2026

For many organisations, business travel risk has shifted from an operational issue to a governance issue.

Boards and executive teams are increasingly expected to demonstrate oversight of employee safety beyond the workplace — particularly as global disruptions become more visible and frequent.

The questions being asked are practical:

• Would our corporate travel insurance respond to evacuation or political disruption?

• Do our travel policies reflect current global conditions?

• Are we confident explaining our duty of care approach if something goes wrong?

Corporate travel insurance in Australia is now part of broader enterprise risk discussions — particularly for organisations with interstate or international travel exposure.

What a Practical Review of Corporate Travel Insurance Looks Like

Reviewing corporate travel insurance does not mean assuming the worst. It means pressure-testing assumptions.

For Australian businesses, this often involves:

• Testing policy wording against realistic travel scenarios

• Understanding how travel cover interacts with other insurance policies

• Reviewing internal travel approval and escalation processes

• Ensuring employees know what support is available if circumstances change

Small clarifications today can prevent significant disputes tomorrow.

Reassessing Corporate Travel Insurance in Australia

As global travel continues in an unsettled environment, corporate travel insurance in Australia should be approached as part of a broader risk management strategy — not simply as a renewal line item.

Organisations that understand how their cover operates in real-world scenarios are better placed to meet duty of care obligations and support their employees when plans do not go to script.

Barrack works with Australian organisations to review business travel risk within the context of their wider insurance programs — ensuring cover aligns with how businesses actually operate.

If your team travels for work, now is a timely opportunity to reassess whether your corporate travel insurance reflects today’s realities. Speak with Barrack to review your position.