TOUR OPERATOR INSURANCE
An indicative guide to what a small tour operator might pay for public liability and professional indemnity, what moves the number, and what the invoice is made of.
Premiums and outcomes described are specific to this client and indicative only. Your own terms will depend on your circumstances and the insurer.
THE SHORT ANSWER
How much does tour operator insurance cost in Australia?
Indicatively, combined professional indemnity and public liability for a small tour operator costs approximately $1,200 to $1,800 a year including fees, as at October 2026. It is an indicative range, not a quote, and a price can fall outside it. In one past placement, a new cultural tour operator running programs in Australia and Asia paid approximately $1,850 including fees in 2026. The activities you run, where your tours go, your revenue, the limits you need and your claims history all move the price.
Vehicles, staff, cyber and equipment are generally not part of the tour operator policies we arrange and are priced separately. General information only. It doesn't take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs, and it isn't legal advice.
Guided walking, tastings, cultural programs and sightseeing are what the tour operator policies we arrange are written for. Activities at the edge, such as cycling legs, water stops or animal encounters, need to be disclosed and can change the price or the answer. Tour operator policies we arrange generally exclude adventure activities, and wordings differ on where they draw the line.
Domestic tours, inbound programs and outbound tours can all be covered where the policy carries a worldwide territory. Overseas tours bring conditions. On at least one specialist tour operator wording we place, you must take reasonable steps so guests hold their own travel insurance and contractors overseas hold their own liability cover, and Do Not Travel destinations are excluded.
Revenue is one of the things that moves the price. Published proposal forms also ask how many guests you take out and how many guides go with each group.
$20 million public liability is the limit on the schedule we hold; yours may differ. It is also a limit some parks and councils ask for. A higher PI limit can cost more. Match the limits to what your permits and contracts require.
Coach companies, ground handlers, venues and guides. Tour operator policies we arrange can require you to take reasonable steps to check that your contractors hold their own liability cover, for example by collecting their certificate at the start and each year.
Past claims or incidents, years operating, and your risk controls: safety and emergency procedures, briefings, participant declarations, supplier checks and incident reporting.
| Line | What it is | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Base premium | The insurer's price for the risk | Driven by the factors above. |
| Underwriter or policy fee | The insurer's or underwriting agency's fee for issuing the policy | Set by the insurer or underwriting agency. Mid-year changes that add premium can attract an extra fee. |
| Stamp duty | State or territory government duty on the premium | Varies by state. As at October 2026, some small businesses can claim an exemption on some classes of insurance, for example in NSW. |
| GST | Goods and services tax | Charged on the premium and fees. |
| Broker fee | Our fee for arranging and looking after the policy | Shown separately on your quote so you can see it. |
The insurer may also pay us a commission. Your quote shows what applies.
A new NSW-based cultural tour operator designs immersive programs for groups visiting Australia and for Australian groups visiting Asia, with local tour companies running the coaches and accommodation. It needed a certificate of currency urgently. The underwriter asked for the operator's risk controls before confirming cover: safety and emergency procedures, participant declarations where appropriate, pre-program briefings, checks on guides, suppliers and service providers, incident, accident and complaint reporting.
| Risk | Cover | Why it's separate |
|---|---|---|
| Your own vehicles | CTP and commercial motor | Tour operator policies we arrange generally exclude registered vehicles, including hired vehicles and chartered coaches. |
| Your staff | Workers compensation | Staff injuries are excluded from public liability. |
| Online bookings and data | Cyber insurance | Tour operator policies we arrange generally exclude booking system outages, hacks and data breaches. |
| Equipment and stock | Business pack or equipment cover | Cameras, headsets, bikes and vehicles you own need property cover. |
| Adventure activities | An adventure or sports market | Generally excluded on the tour operator policies we arrange. |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
RELATED GUIDES
QUOTE REQUEST
Tell us the tours you run, where they go, group sizes, who supplies transport and venues, your annual revenue, and the limits you need.
Send us your tour descriptions and destinations. We will take them to the specialist insurers and underwriting agencies that write tour operators and, where an insurer offers terms, come back to you with the full cost, every line shown.
Last updated: 01/10/2026
