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You need travel insurance for Bali. Indonesia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, hospitals generally want a deposit and proof of insurance before treating you, and serious cases can mean an expensive evacuation. The policy to buy is comprehensive cover with a high overseas medical limit, plus the motorcycle option if there is any chance you will ride a scooter, which only helps if you hold the right licence.
Most Bali claims that go wrong do so on the same few points: riding without the correct licence or a helmet, drinking, and events that were already known when the policy was bought. This page goes through each, using the Australian Government's current advice for Indonesia.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team ยท Last reviewed
As at 28 September 2026, Smartraveller's advice for Indonesia (page updated 11 September 2026) is to exercise a high degree of caution overall because of security risks. Bali has no separate level, so the overall level applies there. Smartraveller advises reconsidering your need to travel to the provinces of Papua Pegunungan (Highland Papua) and Papua Tengah (Central Papua).
Level 2 does not stop you getting cover, but it is a reason to read the policy's terrorism, civil unrest and known-event exclusions. If you are combining Bali with travel elsewhere in Indonesia, check the level for each region you will visit, as a policy may exclude a region rated higher than the rest of the country.
There is no free health care agreement between Australia and Indonesia, so tourists pay for all medical care, including hospital stays and evacuation. Smartraveller says hospitals expect next of kin to guarantee payment before treatment, and generally need confirmation of insurance and a deposit. Facilities, including critical care, are generally below Australian standards, including in Bali.
That is why the insurer's 24-hour emergency assistance line matters as much as the medical limit. It is the team that confirms cover to the hospital, arranges payment guarantees and decides whether you need to be moved to another hospital or home. Save the number in your phone before you fly.
Riding a scooter is the most common way Australians void their Bali cover. Smartraveller is direct: you need an Indonesian licence, or an International Driving Permit (IDP) together with your Australian licence, and the licence must suit the vehicle type, including motorbikes and mopeds. If you are unlicensed or hold the wrong type of licence, your travel insurer will deny any claims.
In practice that means an Australian car licence plus an IDP does not cover you on a scooter. You need a motorcycle licence at home and an IDP that shows the motorcycle class. On top of the licence, most policies require you to wear a helmet, may limit engine size, and only cover motorcycling if you added the policy's motorcycle or moped option. Smartraveller also notes that after an accident you will often be assumed to be at fault and may have to compensate everyone involved.
| Your situation | Likely outcome | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Car licence only, no IDP | Unlicensed to ride; claims arising from riding will be denied | Do not ride. Use a driver or ride-share |
| Car licence plus IDP | Still the wrong licence class for a motorbike | Do not ride unless you hold a motorcycle licence |
| Australian motorcycle licence plus IDP (motorcycle class) | Licensed, but only covered if the policy's conditions are met | Add the motorcycle option, wear a helmet, stay within any engine-size limit |
| Riding after drinking | Commonly excluded, whatever licence you hold | Do not ride after drinking |
Smartraveller warns about methanol poisoning in Indonesia, including in Bali and Lombok, from contaminated drinks that have included arak, cocktails and brand-name spirits. Separately, almost every policy excludes claims arising while you are affected by alcohol or drugs, and Smartraveller's general advice is that even a low blood alcohol level can see a claim denied. The combination is what catches people: an injury after a big night can be excluded before anyone asks what happened.
Gastro illness is common among visitors, and Smartraveller lists waterborne and foodborne diseases including typhoid, hepatitis and cholera, and advises seeking medical care for fever or diarrhoea. An illness that needs a doctor or a hospital is a medical claim like any other; a trip to the pharmacy may cost less than your excess.
Dengue and Japanese encephalitis have been reported in people returning from Indonesia, including Bali. Rabies is present, and Smartraveller notes that treatment may be limited and you may need to return to Australia for it, which is where the evacuation and additional expenses benefits come in.
Indonesia has 76 active volcanoes, including Mount Agung and Mount Batur in Bali, and eruptions can delay or cancel flights and close the airport. Smartraveller also flags earthquakes, tsunamis and wet-season flooding from October to April, including in Bali.
Cover for disruption depends on timing. If an eruption or ash cloud is already public knowledge when you buy the policy, losses it causes are generally excluded. Buy the policy when you book, and check the travel delay and additional expenses benefits, which are what pay for extra nights if flights stop.
None of these is an insurance requirement, but each one can end a trip early if you get it wrong.
| Requirement | What it involves |
|---|---|
| All Indonesia Arrival Card | Complete online within 72 hours before travel, only on websites ending in go.id |
| Visa | Apply for an e-Visa on Arrival (e-VOA) at least 48 hours before travel, or get a visa on arrival at designated ports. It costs IDR 500,000, allows a 30-day stay and can be extended once for 30 days |
| Bali tourist levy | IDR 150,000 per person, paid once per visit through the official Love Bali system, separate from the visa. In place since 14 February 2024 |
| Passport | At least 6 months' validity on entry, and ideally on exit; emergency passports need 12 months |
Smartraveller lists diving, snorkelling, surfing, boat rides and adventure activities such as rafting and paragliding among the risks, and advises checking your insurance covers them. Decompression chambers exist in Bali and other dive areas, but diving cover often depends on your qualification and the depth you dive to. Boats and ferries can be dangerous; Smartraveller's page records fatal incidents, including a capsizing in Sanur Harbour in August 2025. Check the policy's activities list before you book the day trip, not after.
It is not an entry requirement, but you should have it. Indonesia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, tourists pay for all medical care and evacuation, and hospitals generally want insurance confirmation and a deposit before treatment.
Gastro illness is generally covered as a sudden illness if you need a doctor or hospital, subject to the excess and the policy's exclusions. Minor pharmacy costs may be less than the excess. Illness connected to excessive alcohol or drug use can be excluded.
Only if you hold the right licence and meet the policy's conditions. Smartraveller says you need an Indonesian licence, or an IDP plus your Australian licence for that vehicle type, and your insurer will deny claims if you are unlicensed or hold the wrong type. Most policies also require a helmet and the motorcycle option.
A comprehensive policy with a high overseas medical limit, a 24-hour emergency assistance service, the motorcycle option if you might ride, and cancellation cover that matches what you have prepaid. The cheapest policy that meets those terms is the one to buy.
It can cover delays, extra accommodation and cancellation caused by an eruption, but only if you bought the policy before the eruption or ash cloud became a known event. Policies bought afterwards generally exclude it.
IDR 150,000 per person, paid once per visit through the official Love Bali system, separate from the visa on arrival. It has applied since 14 February 2024.
