Wildest NZ travel insurance claims: $14,000 bat bite, $7000 shark bite, $700 rabies shot

One person was bitten by a bat in the US and received a $14,200 insurance payout from Southern Cross Travel Insurance.

Monkey bites, collisions with kangaroos and shark bites are among the wildest travel insurance claims made by New Zealanders.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has released a list of the strangest claims it has received from across the world during the past 12 months.

Chief customer officer Jess Strange told the Herald random things happen to travellers daily.

“The amount of people who hit a kangaroo with a rental car is phenomenal.”

In Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, SCTI received 37 claims for incidents with monkeys, 26 reef accidents, 38 for dog bites, scratches, falls, and two spider bites.

“The average claim paid for these works out at a pricey $2211 with the dog incidents on their own coming in at around $1438 each,” Strange said.

“Dogs and other animals can carry rabies, with the cost of a rabies shot – if available – coming in on average at $700 per shot.”

In the US, a customer was bitten by a bat at an Airbnb.

Strange said, like dogs in some countries, bats could carry rabies and other bugs.

“The claim for this event came in at $14,200.”

Southern Cross Travel Insurance received 37 claims for incidents with monkeys. Photo / Yemassee Police Department

In the US, Britain and New Zealand, SCTI received four claims for deer-related incidents.

Strange said three were for a rental car excess, meaning a collision was likely.

“The fourth was a customer who was unable to travel to Bali and we refunded their trip,” she said.

In Australia, $95 was paid out for a spider bite, and a $2500 rental car excess claim was paid out after an accident involving a wallaby.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance chief customer officer Jess Strange says the number of travellers who make claims for hitting a kangaroo with a rental car is "phenomenal". Photo / Supplied

Customers made two claims for flights affected by bird strikes, and two claims were made for reef cuts from surfing injuries.

Five claims were made for rental car collisions with kangaroos, with the average claim being $3558.

One customer with a domestic travel insurance policy was bitten on their leg minutes into their first dive in Southland.

Strange said the victim had to be flown to Invercargill Hospital.

“We were able to help them recover most of the costs for their abandoned journey, which came in just short of $7000.”

Strange said many insurance claim stories were also heartbreaking.

“I deal with at least one case a year that hurts my heart,” she said.

“We have a customer who is visiting New Zealand under our visiting New Zealand policy who is seriously unwell, and we have already paid out $500,000 for treatment.”

Strange said Kiwis were a nation of underinsured when it came to travel.

“People are spending tens of thousands on a trip and they think travel insurance is just an added cost,” she said.

“But you need it for peace of mind when you’re away.

“If you need to make a claim, keep all your receipts and track all your communications to make it easy to claim.”

David Williams is an Auckland-based Multimedia Journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics.