Future of Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is only truly understood when something goes wrong, often overseas, under pressure, and at a traveller’s most vulnerable. This project reimagined the end-to-end experience across a complex, multi-partner ecosystem. The challenge was to uncover unmet needs, cut through confusion, and reduce friction across the journey, while improving clarity, flexibility, and support in critical moments, ultimately shaping a more distinctive, scalable value proposition for automobile clubs nationwide.

The RAC CoLAB led a six-month service design project grounded in collaboration and rich data. Research included 166 complaints, 3,800+ survey responses, interviews with members and staff, and 132 call reviews. An end-to-end service blueprint revealed key pain points and opportunities, informing co-design with 34 members and testing with 200 people across four demographics. The result was a suite of integrated solutions, including a personalised app with seamless quoting and claims, flexible policy add-ons, and the Digital Wallet, providing instant access to critical information in emergencies, now implemented and delivering real-world impact.

The project has already delivered tangible outcomes, including the Digital Travel Wallet, improving access to critical information in emergencies while reducing reliance on printed documents and environmental impact. Grounded in rigorous research and tested concepts, the work aligned RAC and partner clubs around a shared, member-centred vision. Clear, evidence-based insights enabled confident decision-making, reduced fragmentation, and supported implementation. For members, the redesigned experience addresses key stress points, helping them feel more prepared and supported while travelling. Originally designed in WA, the solution has now rolled out Australia-wide, improving travel experiences for members nationally.

This project demonstrates best-practice service design through a highly collaborative, system-level approach: - End-to-end service blueprinting across quote, purchase, pre-travel, during travel and claims revealed key pain points and opportunities across RAC and partner services. - An integrated research approach - combining complaints analysis, behavioural surveys, interviews, workshops and call listening to generate rich, actionable insights. - Co-design with members included 34 participants in workshops and testing with 200 people across four groups: new travellers, new parents, new retirees and experienced travellers. - Outputs included recommendations for flexible, modular policy add-ons, enabling members to tailor cover to their needs, and the Digital Wallet, providing instant access to critical information, such as access to their Digital Certificate of Insurance for quick, on-the-go access to policy details in high-stress moments. Originally designed in WA, now rolled out Australia-wide, improving travel experiences for members nationally. - The post-purchase and claims experience was also redesigned, with clearer communications, transparent claim tracking and proactive education around common policy surprises. Together, this work demonstrates how rigorous research and collaboration can create more cohesive, human-centred services.