If you’re planning to take a gap year, you might have a variety of different things planned. If you want to go travelling, you’ll need to ensure you have the right travel insurance policy and this will vary based on what you have planned for your trip. The places you visit, the length of time you’ll be away for and the activities you’ll be doing will all influence your travel insurance policy.
If you are planning to travel to countries within the EU, you may find that you can purchase a different travel insurance policy to if you are going further afield. British citizens pretty much have a free rein when travelling to most countries within Europe, so there isn’t really an issue with getting visas or special access beforehand.
Travelling to the rest of the world will often involve taking out a separate or extended policy and you are also likely to need visas to get into any other country. Make yourself aware of the entry requirements beforehand and ensure you fulfil them all. If you do have to claim on your insurance for any reason, you know that you will have already met all the criteria.
The amount of time you plan to spend away can also affect your travel insurance. Some people go on holiday for a couple of weeks, while others travel around or stay away for a couple of months instead. Of course, some people will take a full year or more and travel to different destinations all over the world, spending varying amounts of time in each country.
If you are going to be away for a long amount of time, you are probably going to need a different type of travel insurance, particularly if you plan on working abroad as well. If you haven’t made any solid plans about how long you’re going to be away for, try to make an educated guess and then ensure you can extend the policy if necessary. Ensure that your policy will cover you for as long as you need, otherwise you might be hit with an unexpected bill if it runs out.
If you do decide to work abroad, you may find that you need to apply for a different type of visa as well as insurance that covers you for work and not just tourism. Many people make their minds up before they leave as to whether they want to work or not so try to decide beforehand; it will make your life much easier in the long run.
Some insurance policies only cover you for basic activities and do not include more unusual plans, so think about what you are going to be getting up to when you are away. You might think that you have no intention of going bungee jumping when you’re away but you might change your mind when you get there. It’s better to be over-covered than not have the right sort of policy.
There are things like riding a motorcycle that you might not think anything of when you’re in the UK but the rules are different abroad. Although there may be no legal requirement for you to wear safety clothing in your destination, your insurance may have rules in place to ensure you are being safe, or they may not cover this activity at all. It might seem like an ordinary, low-risk activity to you but double check that your insurer feels the same way about it.
You may be able to add things onto your insurance policy when you are away but this isn’t always possible so make sure you read through all the terms and conditions first to ensure that you can do this if necessary. If not, you might be better off going for a package that includes as many things as possible so that you are covered in advance.
Nobody wants to have to claim on their insurance when they’re travelling but sadly, not everyone is that lucky. Some claims come up frequently, particularly for backpackers, so what are the ones to be aware of?
The majority of travel insurance claims for backpackers are for medical expenses. It makes sense that if you do have to claim, it’s going to be for medical expenses because these can reach sky high prices. While we have the NHS here in the UK, the same systems are not in place abroad, with many countries only offering private healthcare.
If you do have some sort of injury or need any kind of medical attention, you can quickly find that the bills spiral out of control. Your travel insurance will cover the cost of medication, a stay in hospital and various other expenses. Bear in mind that when you go travelling, you are more likely to take risks and do more adventurous activities, so it’s essential that your insurance covers all the things you’ll be doing when you’re away.
When you go travelling, you won’t be taking your huge backpack with you wherever you go. If you’re staying in a hostel for a few days, you’ll leave your big pack in a locker of some sort and take a smaller bag out with you for the day. There is a risk of having your belongings stolen when you leave them at the hostel, or even of you losing them when you are out and about.
Some things are easy to get by without; if you lose your towel, you can get another one relatively easily. However, if you lose your money or an electrical device like your tablet or mobile phone, it’s not only more of a financial hit, but can also make your trip much harder. Knowing that, you would be foolish not to get full cover for your belongings before you travel.
Some countries are deemed to be more dangerous than others, particularly for tourists who are just visiting. With a number of uprisings having taken place in various countries in recent years, the number of potentially dangerous places is on the rise. While you may have planned to go to one particular country, you may find that there has been some sort of unrest there, causing you to avoid travelling. Most travel insurance policies will not cover you if you are travelling against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), so always check their website for up to date travel information about your destination before booking your trip to avoid voiding your insurance.
There are plenty of tales of people who have been waiting for a bus to the airport and it just simply hasn’t shown up. This could result in you missing your flight, potentially costing you a lot of money. You’ll have to re-book or be on standby for the next one, which won’t be fun and wastes time.
There may also be other incidents that cause you to change your travel plans; perhaps you may be injured and have to rest up for a few days. If you do have to cancel or seek alternative travel arrangements, you can reclaim the cost on your travel insurance, taking some of the worry and extra expense out of the trip.
There are a number of different travel insurance policies available, depending on what your needs are. Make a list of everything you intend to do on your trip before you leave and take the time to be sure you’ve included everything. You will do better to get a policy that covers you than one that excludes some things, just in case your plans change while you are travelling. That way you can enjoy your trip to the fullest and put all your worries to one side.
When planning a backpacking adventure, the budget is extremely important. Travel Insurance may seem like an unnecessary precaution which you can live without, however without insurance you leave yourself vulnerable to potentially colossal bills if something goes wrong.
To make sure you get a good deal and the correct cover, here are our top tips for buying Backpacker’s Travel Insurance;
When you buy any travel insurance policy you should check that;
For more information, watch our Backpacker Travel Insurance video;
Travel insurance is an essential when you go travelling on your gap year. The prices can vary depending on where you’re going and how long you plan to be away for, as well as what activities you’ll be doing when you’re away. However, there are things you can do to keep the costs down.
Holidaysafe is a trading name of Travel Insurance Facilities Plc, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN 306537. Registered Office: 1 Tower View, Kings Hill, West Malling, ME19 4UY. Travel Insurance Facilities Plc registered in England No. 3220410. All rights reserved. All policies offered are on a non-advised basis.
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