FAQs
Booking With Us
At Supported Travel eXperiences, we work with you and your support team (if applicable) to understand what travel experience you would like to undertake. This includes understanding where and when you want to go, what things you like doing on your holiday and what support you need. We then design the experience and talk to you about what we recommend. We can tailor and redesign that experience based on your preferences, budget and support.
When you are happy with the planned holiday or travel experience we work with you and your support team to book everything on your behalf and help you understand what may be funded through NDIS (if applicable). We pay all the suppliers before you leave and take care of and book all support arrangements for you. You can then relax and start dreaming of your holiday!
To ensure we book a holiday or travel experience tailored to you we need to know
- your travel preferences – this can include your preferred destinations and the things you like to do, as well as your budget and whether you have an NDIS plan.
- the level of support you need when you travel – information about your disability and support needs including any support workers, medical equipment or accessibility needs.
We have a form you can use to provide us with this information here and we will also talk to you and/or your support team as we start to plan your trip.
STX can book all parts of your holiday or trip to ensure you have a seamless and enjoyable experience. This can include flights, accommodation, ground transport, restaurant bookings, tours and attractions. It also includes all support you may need on your trip such as arranging support workers, meal delivery, hiring or transfer of medical equipment as examples.
We can work with your existing support team but also have other support partners we work with to ensure you receive continuous support wherever and whenever you travel.
We take great pride and care in understanding and arranging all of your travel requirements, working with both you and your support team as well as the suppliers we use when booking your travel. We will spend a lot of time planning your trip to ensure what we book for you and the suppliers we use are trusted and fully understand your travel and support needs.
No, Supported Travel eXperiences will take care of all supplier payments on your behalf. You or your plan manager (if applicable) will need to pay Supported Travel eXperiences so we can pay all the suppliers. The amount and timing will vary for each trip and our team can advise you of this at the time of booking.
No, we specialise in arranging all types of disability travel. This can include holidays, but can also be corporate travel and travel for other reasons such as attending or competing in sporting events and competitions.
Absolutely. We can arrange travel for you and your friends, family and any support workers you need. We can also book group holidays and accessible tours if that is something you would like to do.
Sometimes things happen that are unexpected, unavoidable or require last minute changes. For non life threatening emergencies or changes needed prior to or during your trip we are your first point of contact and you can call us on 1300 200 789 or email us at info@supportedtravelx.com.au
Yes, STX has over 40 years of travel experience and is a fully accredited travel agency with the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA member 12771) and ATAS (accreditation number A12473).
Supported Travel eXperiences charge no cancellation or amendment fees if you need to change a booking in the event of a Covid-19 related lockdown. The suppliers we book on your behalf each have their own cancellation policy. In general terms, if payment has already been made to suppliers before a lockdown happens, most will hold the money in credit to be used towards a future holiday or trip, however each supplier is different. We can advise you of each of the supplier’s terms and conditions when planning your trip. If we arrange support for you such as a support worker for example, they may also have their own policy in relation to Covid-19 lockdowns and we can advise you of this in advance.
You can read here all about our Terms and Conditions.
This is dependent on where you are travelling and how you are getting there (for example what airline you may fly with). Some suppliers and destinations will require proof of a Covid-19 vaccination unless you have a medical exemption. Some may also require a negative test prior to departure and/or on arrival at your destination. The regulations around travelling during Covid are constantly changing so we can help advise you of the necessary requirements depending on when and where you would like to travel to.
Yes, STX arranges trips for people with all disabilities and all age groups, including children. Booking a trip for children will require them to travel with a trusted family member, friend or carer.
NDIS
Yes, STX is a NDIS travel agent and registered service provider in all states in Australia.
Supported holiday is a term used to define any holiday for people that need access to additional support during their holiday.
What and how much you may claim for a holiday or trip depends on your individual circumstances and goals outlined in your NDIS plan, and the funding available in various categories. Supported Travel eXperiences can work with you, or your Support Coordinator or Plan Manager to determine what you may be able to claim through NDIS funding aligned with your goals.
STX aims to design travel experiences that aligns with participants’ NDIS goals and can personalise experiences accordingly.
If you manage your NDIS funding yourself, you pay Supported Travel eXperiences for the cost of your trip and we pay all suppliers on your behalf so you don’t need to. If applicable, you can then claim back the eligible portion of funds through NDIS like you would with any other supplier.
If you have a plan manager who helps you manage your NDIS funding, then your plan manager will pay us and we pay suppliers. You may need to pay us directly for parts of the holiday not covered by your NDIS plan.
If you manage your NDIS funding yourself, you pay Supported Travel eXperiences for the cost of your trip and we pay all suppliers on your behalf so you don’t need to. If applicable, you can then claim back the eligible portion of funds through NDIS like you would with any other supplier.
If you have a plan manager who helps you manage your NDIS funding, then your plan manager will pay us and we pay suppliers. You may need to pay us directly for parts of the holiday not covered by your NDIS plan.
Yes, we arrange holidays and travel for all people with disabilities, regardless of whether you are on NDIS or not.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is vital for anyone, travelling to anywhere, but when you have additional medical issues, or expensive equipment, we need to ensure you have the best cover. Accidents, medical intervention, lost or stolen items are a fact of travelling life.
Insurance can mean the difference between getting the assistance you need or ruining your entire holiday. You can read more about why you need insurance and what it can cover here.
- Automatically covered pre-existing conditions
Most insurance companies will cover a large range of medical conditions automatically, with no additional surcharge and no medical assessment. There is generally a range of minor pre-existing medical conditions that wouldn’t be considered to be an insurance risk, and we can check for you if you are covered. Usually, it is also dependent on the severity of the condition and if you have received treatment in the last year for it. Apart from these, if your condition does not appear on the list, you will need to have a medical assessment. This can be done online, or we can assist you through the process. Each one is done on a case-by-case basis, and any additional information from your doctor may assist you. - Pre-existing medical conditions that require a surcharge to cover you
The relevant insurance companies medical assessment team will require you to answer a series of questions, but usually if your disability is under control, you have had no recent issues, and the team considers you able to travel, you may be able to be covered but at a surcharge. This cost will depend on a variety of factors, such the current prognosis, current medication and/or treatment etc. If the surcharge is too high, you still have the option to be covered for everything excluding the conditions. However, should you require medical assistance while on holiday and it is deemed to be involving the excluded conditions, you could find yourself in a difficult position! - Conditions that are excluded
There are some pre-existing conditions that cannot be insured under any circumstances – even with a surcharge, such as terminal illness or any illness which shortens your life expectancy, organ transplants, psychological & psychiatric disorders. It is important to note, that this information is general in nature and may vary from insurer to insurer. Ultimately, it is the decision of the medical assessment team. Should you be travelling with a full-time carer, then the medical assessment is compulsory regardless of your condition.
If you’re travelling with any expensive medical equipment, you will need to have it protected when you travel. Most insurers will have a level of cover for certain items and do not exclude medical equipment as such, however most will have single item limits that apply per item.
You can specify it and add a surcharge to cover more but there is usually an upper limit that they will pay out for any single item.
This is a challenge for those with expensive equipment. If travel insurance doesn’t provide enough cover, you could potentially insure your equipment under your home and contents policy. Before doing so, check that you are able to travel with the insured items and that they would be covered when you’re away from hom
Medical: Apart from any potential issues arising from your disability, you could face any number of other medical problems, such as food poisoning, car accidents or similar! Your policy should cover these expenses.
Cancellation fees and lost deposits: We have learned in the last year or so that cancellations are a part of life these days. Your travel insurance will cover cancellations for events such as natural disasters, accidents, severe sickness or injury.
Luggage and personal effects: Theft, loss and damage to your belongings is common on trips. Your travel insurance can cover all eventualities.
Personal liability: If you injure someone or are held accountable for damaged property the consequences could be disastrous. In such an event, your policy will cover your liability costs, to a degree.
Almost all credit cards nowadays will offer you a level of free travel insurance. Be very aware before using this as your main form of cover. It will depend entirely on your card issuer and the level of cover they provide. It is very important to make sure the travel insurance cover is right for your trip and we recommend you do a comparison with separate travel insurance policies and cover available.
Your medical conditions will need to be assessed the same way and you will almost certainly have to pay a surcharge for specific medical conditions. Often, credit card insurance is based on a blanket policy, so you may not get an individual personal agreement. This can be problematic if you are somewhere that needs proof of insurance before medical intervention can take place.
