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⭐ In-Depth Review | Updated September 2026

TINZ Travel Insurance Reviews

TINZ (Travel Insurance NZ) is an online travel insurance brand run by The Insurance Geeks Limited, the same company behind Zoom, and underwritten by HDI Global Specialty SE. It rates well for service and value but poorly for claims. Here is what the reviews and the policy wording show.

Visit TINZ Alternatives
Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 • Sources: Compare Travel Insurance, Canstar, TINZ policy wording, Geekzone
4.4/5
Poor Average Excellent
380+
total reviews
"A serious medical emergency stopped our trip before we left. TINZ settled the whole claim within 23 days."
Compare Travel Insurance, 2024 ★★★★★
"The claims team was helpful and cleared up my questions about medication cover after an initial mix-up by email."
Compare Travel Insurance, 2025 ★★★★★
"The exclusions are too broad. Flight cancellations, civil unrest and airline collapses are all carved out."
Compare Travel Insurance, 2024 ★☆☆☆☆
"Submitting a claim online for a dental emergency was easy."
Compare Travel Insurance, 2023 ★★★★★
"Comprehensive cover still left gaps. Technical flight cancellations and short connecting flights were not covered."
Compare Travel Insurance, 2023 ★★☆☆☆
"Paid out quickly once I sent through detailed supporting documents."
Compare Travel Insurance, 2024 ★★★★★
80%
Positive
0%
Mixed
20%
Negative

In This Review

Company Overview Ratings Breakdown Customer Review Highlights Products Offered Pricing Deep-Dive Pros & Cons How TINZ Compares Alternatives to TINZ Who Is TINZ Best For? Our Verdict Frequently Asked Questions Our Methodology

Company Overview

What is TINZ and who is behind it?

TINZ (Travel Insurance NZ) is a registered business name of The Insurance Geeks Limited (NZ company number 5904999, FSP505566), a company registered in April 2016 with an Auckland address. The old tinz.co.nz address now redirects to travelinsurance.co.nz. TINZ's earliest product disclosure statement is dated June 2016, and the company says its founders have been selling insurance for more than 20 years.

The insurer is HDI Global Specialty SE - New Zealand (FSP 774050), part of the Talanx Group and rated A+ (Strong) by S&P. Coffre-Fort Pty Ltd acts as the underwriting agent and handles and settles claims on the insurer's behalf, while First Assistance provides 24/7 emergency assistance, according to the TINZ policy wording dated 12 October 2023.

The Insurance Geeks Limited also trades as Zoom Travel Insurance, so TINZ and Zoom are sister brands. 1Cover is a separate company with the same insurer and underwriting agent. The link between the brands has been discussed by NZ travellers for years.

In 2018 Canstar gave TINZ a five-star Outstanding Value rating for international travel, but TINZ was not among the Canstar 2025 award winners. TINZ offers:

TINZ policies come with a 14-day money back guarantee if you have not started your trip or made a claim. Optional extras include High Value Items, Sports and Activities, and Snow Ski cover. Unlike Zoom, the TINZ policy wording lists pre-existing conditions that are covered automatically, as long as you have not been in hospital for them in the past 12 months.

Ratings Breakdown

How customers rate TINZ across review platforms

Compare Travel Insurance
4.4
★★★★☆
380 reviews
CTI claims experience
1.9
★★☆☆☆
Sub-score of the 380 reviews
Weakest category
TINZ website
4.3
★★★★☆
355 reviews
Platform not named
Trustpilot
N/A
☆☆☆☆☆
No NZ profile found

Note on rating differences: TINZ's overall score on Compare Travel Insurance is a strong 4.4/5 from 380 reviews, with customer service and value for money both at 4.4. Its claims experience sub-score, however, is just 1.9/5, and the most recent reviews shown there date from early 2025. We could not find a Trustpilot profile for TINZ. The 4.3/5 figure on the TINZ website does not name its source, so we have not counted it separately. We weight ratings by review volume and consider all available data sources. We do our best to keep all data up to date and accurate. If you've noticed something incorrect, please let us know.

What Customers Are Saying

Common themes from 380 reviews on Compare Travel Insurance

Had to claim for a serious medical emergency before departure. The whole process was finished within 23 days.

Compare Travel Insurance, 2024 ★★★★★

Staff were understanding and patient all the way through my claim.

Compare Travel Insurance, 2024 ★★★★★

Responsive staff, a straightforward claim and policy wording that was clear to read.

Compare Travel Insurance, 2024 ★★★★★

Professional service and the claim was settled promptly.

Compare Travel Insurance, 2023 ★★★★★

Too many exclusions. If an airline cancels or collapses, or there is civil unrest, you are likely not covered.

Compare Travel Insurance, 2024 ★☆☆☆☆

Found gaps in comprehensive cover, including technical flight cancellations and missed short connections.

Compare Travel Insurance, 2023 ★★☆☆☆
80%
Of sampled reviews rate 4 or 5 stars
20%
Of sampled reviews rate 1 or 2 stars
4.4/5
Customer service score on Compare Travel Insurance
1.9/5
Claims experience score on Compare Travel Insurance

Reviews are paraphrased summaries of real customer feedback, not direct quotes. Compare Travel Insurance does not publish a star distribution for TINZ, so the positive and negative percentages come from the 15 most recent reviews it displays (February 2023 to January 2025). Category scores are as viewed in September 2026.

Products Offered

TINZ sells travel insurance only, across four plans and three overseas cover levels

✈️ TINZ Overseas - Comprehensive

Available

The middle overseas level. Available to travellers of any age, for trips of up to 18 months (6 months for those 70 and over). Limits are from the October 2023 policy wording.

Unlimited overseas medical
$25,000 cancellation
$15,000 luggage & personal effects
$6,000 rental vehicle excess
$5M personal liability
$10M terrorism medical cover
Quote-based pricing
Visit Website Compare Travel Insurance

⭐ TINZ Overseas - Comprehensive Plus

Available

The top overseas level, adding higher limits and terrorism, hijack and kidnap cover that Comprehensive leaves out.

Unlimited overseas medical
Unlimited cancellation
$25,000 luggage
$50,000 additional accommodation & travel
$2,500 dental
Terrorism cancellation & evacuation cover
Quote-based pricing
Visit Website Compare Travel Insurance

🧳 TINZ Overseas - Essentials

Available

The entry-level overseas cover, keeping medical, cancellation, luggage and liability cover but dropping many trip disruption benefits.

Unlimited overseas medical
$10,000 cancellation
$5,000 luggage
$5M personal liability
No rental vehicle excess cover
Quote-based pricing
Visit Website Compare Travel Insurance

🔁 TINZ Frequent Traveller & Already Overseas

Available

Frequent Traveller covers unlimited trips for 12 months, with each trip capped at 15, 30 or 90 days. Already Overseas covers NZ residents who left without insurance, with a 72-hour waiting period. Both are for travellers aged 64 or under.

Unlimited overseas medical
$25,000 cancellation
$15,000 luggage
Worldwide, Limited World or AsiaPac regions
Quote-based pricing
Visit Website Compare Travel Insurance

❤️ TINZ Health Insurance

Not Offered

TINZ sells travel insurance only. For private health cover, compare providers such as Southern Cross and nib.

Not available from TINZ
N/A
Visit Website Compare Health Insurance

🏠 TINZ Car, House & Contents Insurance

Not Offered

TINZ does not sell car, house or contents insurance. For those, consider AA Insurance, Tower, or the insurance brand Cove for car cover.

Not available from TINZ
N/A
Visit Website Compare Car Insurance

Pros & Cons

The good and the not-so-good based on customer reviews and our analysis

👍 Pros

  • Unlimited overseas medical expenses on every overseas plan, with $10M terrorism medical cover
  • Overseas plans are available to travellers of any age, with trips of up to 18 months for those 69 and under
  • The policy wording lists pre-existing conditions that are covered automatically
  • Three overseas cover levels, including Comprehensive Plus with unlimited cancellation
  • Strong service and value scores (4.4/5 each) on Compare Travel Insurance
  • Underwritten by HDI Global Specialty SE, rated A+ by S&P

👎 Cons

  • Claims experience scores only 1.9/5 on Compare Travel Insurance
  • Negative reviews focus on broad exclusions for flight cancellations and travel disruption
  • No Trustpilot profile and few recent public reviews, so current service is harder to judge
  • Frequent Traveller and Already Overseas plans stop at age 64
  • Not among Canstar's 2025 Outstanding Value winners
  • Claims are handled by an Australian underwriting agent rather than a NZ-based insurer

Pricing Deep-Dive

How much does TINZ cost? Indicative market ranges

TINZ does not publish example premiums, so the figures below are the indicative market ranges from our travel insurance cost guide, not TINZ quotes. The premium is based on your destinations, trip length, plan, excess, number of travellers, age and any options you add, plus GST.

🏖️

Short Trip - Essentials

One adult, 35
One week in Australia or the Pacific
Essentials level cover
$30-50
/trip (market range)
Comprehensive from ~$60-120/trip for the same week
Market range, not a TINZ quote
🌍

Frequent Traveller

One adult, under 65
Several trips in 12 months
Worldwide or Limited World region
$200-500
/year (market range)
Choose 15, 30 or 90 days per trip
Market range, not a TINZ quote
🎒

Long Trip

One adult, 28
Nine months overseas
Comprehensive level cover
Quote only
Trips up to 18 months for ages 69 and under
Longer trips cost more, so get a quote

Disclaimer: These are indicative market ranges from our cost guide, not official TINZ quotes. Your actual premium will vary with destination, age, trip length, excess and medical conditions. Get an accurate quote at travelinsurance.co.nz. We do our best to keep all data up to date and accurate. If you've noticed something incorrect, please let us know.

What Affects Your TINZ Premium?

🗺️

Destination

The premium depends on the countries you tell TINZ you will visit. Stopovers in the USA and Canada are only covered if you list them as destinations.

🎂

Age

Overseas plans have no upper age limit, but trips are capped at 6 months for travellers 70 and over. Frequent Traveller and Already Overseas are for ages 64 or under.

📋

Cover Level

Essentials, Comprehensive and Comprehensive Plus carry very different limits, from $10,000 to unlimited cancellation cover.

💵

Excess

You can lower the premium by doubling the standard excess. The excess cannot be removed on every plan.

🩺

Medical Conditions

Listed conditions are covered automatically if you have not been in hospital for them in the past 12 months. Others must be declared and may attract an extra premium or excess.

🏂

Optional Extras

High Value Items, Sports and Activities, and Snow Ski cover add to the price. Activity cover must be bought at least 24 hours before the activity.

How TINZ Compares

TINZ vs. other NZ travel insurance options

Feature TINZ Zoom 1Cover Southern Cross
Overall Rating 4.4/5 380+ reviews 4.1/5 4.4/5 3.9/5
Insurer HDI Global Specialty SE HDI Global Specialty SE HDI Global Specialty SE Southern Cross Benefits Ltd
Operator The Insurance Geeks Ltd The Insurance Geeks Ltd 1Cover NZ Ltd Southern Cross group
Overseas Medical Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited (Comprehensive)
Automatic Pre-existing Cover Listed conditions None Declare & assess See policy wording
Canstar 2025 Not awarded Intl, Cruise, Seniors Intl, Seniors All 4 categories
Claims Score (CTI) 1.9/5 2.8/5 2.3/5 Not compared

Disclaimer: Ratings are taken from Compare Travel Insurance, Trustpilot, Canstar and each brand's policy wording as viewed in September 2026. Features may change, so verify directly with the insurer. We do our best to keep all data up to date and accurate. If you've noticed something incorrect, please let us know.

Alternatives to TINZ Travel Insurance

Other NZ travel insurance options worth considering, depending on your priorities

Zoom Travel Insurance
★★★★★

Sister brand of TINZ, also run by The Insurance Geeks Limited and underwritten by HDI Global Specialty SE. Won three Canstar Outstanding Value awards for 2025 (International, Cruise and Seniors).

Unlimited overseas medical
Comprehensive up to age 85
Canstar 2025 x3
Rental vehicle excess add-on
Get Quote Read Full Review
1Cover
★★★★★

Travel-only brand founded in 2003, issued in NZ by 1Cover NZ Limited and underwritten by HDI Global Specialty SE. Won Canstar Outstanding Value for International and Seniors travel insurance in 2025.

Unlimited overseas medical
$15,000 luggage (Comprehensive)
Canstar 2025 x2
1,400+ reviews averaging 4.4/5
Get Quote Read Full Review
Southern Cross logoSouthern Cross
★★★★★

Southern Cross Travel Insurance is issued by Southern Cross Benefits Limited, part of the not-for-profit Southern Cross group. It won all four Canstar Outstanding Value travel categories for 2025 and may suit travellers who want a large NZ-based insurer.

Canstar 2025 clean sweep
Unlimited overseas medical (Comprehensive)
NZ-owned insurer
Annual multi-trip option
Get Quote Read Full Review
AA Insurance logoAA Insurance
★★★★★

AA sells travel insurance in three levels (Essential, Comprehensive and Frequent Traveller) alongside car and home cover, so it may suit people who want several policies with one familiar NZ brand.

Essential & Comprehensive levels
Frequent Traveller option
Also sells car & home cover
Well-known NZ brand
Get Quote Read Full Review
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Who Is TINZ Travel Insurance Best For?

TINZ may suit some travellers more than others

🩺

Travellers With Stable Conditions

People whose conditions appear on the automatically covered list in the TINZ policy wording and who have not been in hospital for them in the past year.

🎒

Long-Stay Travellers

Travellers aged 69 or under planning trips of up to 18 months, and older travellers who need overseas cover with no upper age limit.

💼

Those Wanting Higher Limits

Travellers who want unlimited cancellation cover and terrorism, hijack and kidnap benefits, which come with Comprehensive Plus.

⚠️

Not Best For

Travellers who rank a smooth claim above all else. TINZ's claims score is low and reviews flag broad disruption exclusions, so compare Southern Cross and 1Cover too.

Our Verdict

Compare.org.nz's editorial assessment of TINZ

6.8
out of 10
Good
Our editorial score for cover, price and claims. It is separate from the customer rating.

TINZ offers generous policy limits and wide age access, but its claims reputation holds it back.

The TINZ product is strong on paper. Every overseas plan includes unlimited medical cover, overseas plans have no upper age limit, trips can run for up to 18 months, and the policy wording lists conditions that are covered automatically. Comprehensive Plus adds unlimited cancellation cover and terrorism benefits that many rivals charge extra for or leave out.

Reviews tell a split story. Compare Travel Insurance gives TINZ 4.4/5 overall from 380 reviews, with high marks for service and value, but only 1.9/5 for claims experience. Negative reviews centre on exclusions for flight cancellations and other disruption. With no Trustpilot profile and few public reviews since early 2025, current service is also harder to judge.

TINZ may suit travellers with stable conditions or long trips planned. If a smooth claim matters most, it is worth comparing Southern Cross, and checking the disruption exclusions carefully before you buy.

Brand Trust
6.5
Product Range
8.0
Claims Process
4.5
Pricing
7.5
Customer Service
8.0
Digital Experience
7.0

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about TINZ Travel Insurance

TINZ policies are insured by HDI Global Specialty SE - New Zealand (FSP 774050), part of the Talanx Group. Coffre-Fort Pty Ltd is the underwriting agent and handles and settles claims for the insurer. TINZ is a business name of The Insurance Geeks Limited. See the TINZ policy documents.
Yes. TINZ and Zoom are both registered business names of The Insurance Geeks Limited, and both are underwritten by HDI Global Specialty SE. Their plans differ. For example, TINZ covers a list of pre-existing conditions automatically, while Zoom covers none automatically.
Some. The policy wording lists conditions that are covered automatically, provided you have not been in hospital (including day surgery or an emergency department visit) for that condition in the past 12 months. Other conditions must be declared, and TINZ may charge an extra premium or excess.
Overseas plans (Essentials, Comprehensive and Comprehensive Plus) have no upper age limit, but trips are limited to 6 months for travellers aged 70 and over. Frequent Traveller and Already Overseas plans are for travellers aged 64 or under. Domestic cover is available at any age.
TINZ does not publish example prices. Across the market, a week of basic cover is typically $30-$50 and comprehensive cover $60-$120, according to our travel insurance cost guide. Get an exact quote at travelinsurance.co.nz.
Opinions differ. Several reviewers describe fast claims, including one settled within 23 days. However, TINZ's claims experience score on Compare Travel Insurance is 1.9/5, and negative reviews cite exclusions for flight cancellations and disruption. Disputes can go to the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman.

Our Review Methodology

How we research and rate insurance companies

Data Sources

This review is based on data collected from the following sources, last verified in September 2026:

How We Calculate Scores

Our editorial scores (out of 10) are calculated using a weighted methodology that considers:

  • Customer ratings (40%): aggregated scores from review platforms, weighted by review volume. Platforms with fewer than 50 reviews are given reduced weighting.
  • Product features (25%): benefit limits, plan range, age limits, pre-existing condition handling and optional extras, taken from the current policy wording.
  • Pricing competitiveness (20%): award results from Canstar and how the brand sits against the indicative ranges in our travel insurance cost guide.
  • Claims experience (15%): claims-specific review scores, the themes in negative reviews, and IFSO dispute information where available.

Disclaimer: Nothing on this page constitutes financial advice. Scores are editorial opinion based on publicly available data. Always verify details directly with TINZ and read the policy wording before you buy. We do our best to keep all data up to date and accurate. If you've noticed something incorrect, please let us know.

Get a Quote from TINZ

Go straight to TINZ to get a travel insurance quote, or compare them against other NZ providers first.

Get a Quote from TINZ