Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has implemented operational changes, including expanded staffing and service availability. The insurer began operating across extended hours on Nov. 17, responding to demand for additional support channels during travel seasons. The insurer now maintains seven-day service from 8:30am to 9pm for local customers and 8:30am to 7pm Australian Eastern Standard Time, excluding public holidays.
The operational restructuring involves recruiting 11 additional customer service representatives and upgrading backend systems to accommodate increased call volumes. The moves reflect industry trends toward extended availability in the competitive travel insurance sector.
Drazenka Dordevich (pictured), the insurer’s chief operating officer, attributed the changes to shifting customer preferences. “Increasingly, customers must navigate overseas call centres and automated helplines that may not fully understand local needs or the complexities of travel situations. We continue to champion human-centred support by providing direct access to local experts who understand individual requirements and can offer personalised, compassionate assistance,” Dordevich said.
A distinct 24/7 emergency claims team operates separately from general customer service functions, handling time-sensitive medical and evacuation matters.
The expansion coincides with technology infrastructure upgrades and policy modifications. Technological modifications enable policy issuance without standard waiting periods for customers purchasing coverage after departure. The feature represents a departure from conventional underwriting timelines in the sector. Dordevich explained the rationale. “This innovative benefit is designed to deliver greater flexibility and peace of mind for customers, reflecting SCTI’s ongoing commitment to meeting the evolving needs of modern travellers,” she said.
Claims patterns throughout 2025 underscore the operational pressures affecting the travel insurance sector. Gastrointestinal illness emerged as the leading category of claims processed by SCTI through October 2025, with the insurer recording approximately $1.24 million in gastroenteritis payouts. Claims occurred across all age groups and geographic markets, concentrating in Southeast Asian destinations such as Indonesia and Thailand.
Secondary illness categories included otitis media, which generated $330,000 in claim payouts, and various respiratory conditions. From May through July, fever-related claims exceeded 130 cases, accompanied by 37 pneumonia diagnoses, 35 influenza cases, and four RSV presentations. Dengue fever claims numbered 20, with individual treatment costs reaching $6,000-plus. Respiratory infections disproportionately affected older populations and young children, typically contracted in high-density environments such as cruise vessels, resort properties, and shared transportation networks.
Medical and evacuation claims totalled approximately $7 million across more than 3,000 individual claims, generating an average payout of $2,333 per claim. High-value claims included $220,000 for post-COVID complications in Singapore, $642,000 for acute illness management in Italy, and $95,000 for orthopaedic injury in India.
Beyond direct medical expenses, rental vehicle excess insurance generated approximately $250,000 in claim settlements through October, with individual claims averaging $1,500. Trip modifications and cancellations – encompassing circumstances beyond customer control – reached $3.8 million in total payouts, subdivided between $2.5 million for pre-departure cancellations and $1.2 million for disruptions during travel.
