We take our editorial standards seriously. This page explains how TravelDoctor.co.nz creates, reviews, and maintains content so readers can trust what they’re seeing — including how we evaluate and rank the services, clinics, insurers, and providers featured across the site.
Our Standards
TravelDoctor.co.nz is a travel health information and comparison site built for New Zealand travellers.
Our goal is straightforward: we check the details, assess services using consistent criteria, and share what we actually find.
Every guide, recommendation, and comparison follows the same internal standards. Accuracy, user safety, and real-world usefulness come first — not marketing hype or big promises. If something sounds too good to be true, we treat it as a signal to verify it properly.
We don’t publish paid reviews.
We don’t sell rankings.
And we don’t disguise ads as editorial content.
How We Evaluate Travel Health Services
Most providers make similar claims: best cover, fastest claims, cheapest premiums, most trusted clinicians, “same-day appointments,” or “comprehensive protection”.
On paper, everything looks great.
In reality, the experience can vary massively between providers — especially when you’re travelling and need things to work quickly and clearly.
That’s why we don’t rely solely on marketing pages. Our conclusions are based on a mix of direct review, documentation checks, user-impact analysis, and ongoing monitoring.
We evaluate services across several key areas, not just one headline feature.
Core Review Criteria
Below is a summary of the criteria we use to review and rank the brands and services displayed on TravelDoctor.co.nz.
Information Quality and Transparency
Clarity matters.
We look for straightforward, complete information that makes it easy to understand what you’re getting, what it costs, what’s excluded, and what you need to do next.
If key terms are buried, vague, or hard to find, that’s a major red flag.
Coverage, Scope, and Real-World Relevance
A service can look impressive until you read the fine print.
Where relevant, we assess what’s actually included (and excluded), what limits apply, and whether the service is a good match for common traveller needs — for example:
- pre-existing conditions rules
- emergency assistance access
- destination suitability
- vaccination / clinic service scope
- timelines and eligibility requirements
Practical usefulness beats flashy claims.
Pricing and Value
We consider cost, but we don’t treat “cheapest” as “best”.
We look at whether pricing makes sense relative to what you get, whether fees are transparent, and whether add-ons or extras are clearly explained.
If the value only looks good because the exclusions are aggressive, that’s marked down.
Booking, Claims, and Process Friction
For many travellers, this is what really matters.
We assess how easy it is to take action — book an appointment, access documents, get support, or (where applicable) make a claim. We look at steps, timelines, verification requirements, and how clearly the process is explained.
Smooth, predictable processes score well.
Delays and vague rules don’t.
Support Quality
When something goes wrong, support matters fast.
We look for clear contact options and responsive help, especially for time-sensitive scenarios. We also evaluate whether support is actually useful — not just scripted.
Good support should be the baseline, not a bonus feature.
Safety, Legitimacy, and Compliance
Trust starts with legitimacy.
Where applicable, we look for indicators of responsible operation — including clear company details, appropriate registrations, professional standards, and privacy/security basics (like secure browsing and sensible data handling).
If anything feels questionable, we don’t recommend it.
How Rankings Are Decided
Our rankings are not based on a single selling point.
A low price alone won’t push a provider to the top. Neither will a big headline claim, slick branding, or aggressive marketing. Consistency across the criteria is what counts.
The highest-ranked services are typically those that combine:
- clear information
- predictable processes
- strong real-world usefulness
- fair value
- reliable support
- trustworthy operating standards
Independence and Editorial Integrity
Our editorial decisions are made independently, period.
TravelDoctor.co.nz may earn commissions through affiliate partnerships, but those relationships never affect scores or conclusions. No provider can control what we publish, how we rank them, or whether we highlight issues.
Keeping readers’ trust is worth more than keeping advertisers happy.
Ongoing Monitoring and Updates
Travel requirements change. Policies change. Pricing changes. Availability changes.
Because of that, our pages aren’t written once and forgotten. We revisit content regularly to confirm details, refresh guidance, and adjust rankings when services improve or decline.
Accuracy takes ongoing work — and we treat it that way.