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The latest Future of Travel study from Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) shows 75% of New Zealanders aged 18-44 years would consider living and working overseas for three months or longer, with 29% definitely now thinking about this.

This finding also supports the latest Stats NZ data which shows 131,200 people left New Zealand as long-term departures in the year to June 2024, the highest number on record.

Meanwhile, across the ditch, our Australian survey has revealed that 65% of Aussies in the same age group are considering a similar move revealing New Zealanders are still more likely to live and work overseas.

The Future of Travel study surveyed 1,002 New Zealanders nationwide in November 2024.

“We’re always looking ahead to understand how we can best support travellers,” says SCTI Chief Executive Officer Jo McCauley.

"Living and working overseas is different from going on a holiday or visiting family and friends. The steady sales growth of our Working Overseas policy, which is perfect for New Zealanders wanting the assurance of support if things go wrong abroad, reflects that.”

“It’s incredibly important to understand that even in countries like Australia and the UK where New Zealanders enjoy reciprocal rights for some healthcare, depending on the length of their stay, they may not be covered for the same things they may access ‘at home’.”

McCauley says New Zealanders should especially prioritise travel insurance if they want to live and work in the USA or Canada.

"Healthcare costs are astronomical in North America. A recent case with one of our customers resulted in a claim in excess of $467,500.”

SCTI data shows 80% of Working Overseas policies are taken out by customers aged 18-40 with 11-12 months the most popular duration.

Customers can purchase an extension to a one-year policy to cover them for up to 24 months. This offers additional assurance when they are far away from whānau, the comforts of home and a familiar medical system.

The SCTI Working Overseas policy offers comprehensive cover for office-based, educational, healthcare, retail and hospitality and some manual work.

The policy includes benefits such as:

• Medical evacuation
• Emergency dental treatment
• Prescribed medication
• Funeral expenses and return of mortal remains
• Accompanying person (if in hospital for more than 10 days and travelling along)
• Extra travel and accommodation costs
• Repatriation
• 24-hour emergency assistance with the support of qualified medical advisers
• Guarantees for medical expenses.

Being able to also cancel or change a journey before departure due to illness, injury or natural disaster, plus cover when attending a special event including a wedding or sporting event can come in handy when travellers are making the most of their new environment.

McCauley says just under 60% of all claims made by Working Overseas customers in the last 24 months were for medical and evacuation needs. Claims for baggage and personal items and changes to journey came in second and third respectively.

One example of when SCTI has helped a Working Overseas customer is an incident in Canada where a traveller broke an ankle while skiing. The traveller had to return to New Zealand as they were unable to work – the claim was $5,000.

Another involved a customer who slammed their finger in a door in Switzerland resulting in a $2,020 claim.

SCTI often supports customers who urgently need to return to New Zealand when a close family member unexpectedly dies or falls ill.

“You just never know what’s going to happen, so it’s reassuring to know you are supported when someone you love is seriously unwell,” says McCauley.

Many travel advisories also state the need for travel insurance.

“We’ve had Working Overseas customers fall ill in countries like Vanuatu where the health system is less comprehensive, and locations like the USA and Canada, where medical care is simply beyond the reach of the average income earner.”

To make the move overseas a little more fuss-free for travellers and the people who care about them, SCTI has some useful tips and a timeline to help plan ahead. See here for details.

Research highlights

• Three in four (75%) New Zealanders aged 18-44 years said they would consider living and working overseas for three months or longer in the future. This includes three in 10 (29%) who said they definitely would consider this. In Australia, 65% of Aussies aged 18-44 were keen to live and work overseas, with 30% saying they would definitely consider this.
• Nearly nine in 10 (88%) New Zealanders aged 18-44 years who would consider working remotely overseas for three months or longer say they would think about taking out a special insurance policy to cover this period of working overseas. This includes nearly two in five (37%) who say they definitely would consider this.
• Whānau and friends are seen as the best source of information when making decisions about working overseas.