Adventurous? Get Long Stay Travel Insurance to Stay Covered

Some people are lucky enough to travel frequently or be in a position to take a long break (perhaps for a gap year) and really immerse themselves in their destination and culture of choice. You might be making numerous preparations before your extended vacation, but before you leave, make sure you buy long stay travel insurance (also known as backpacker’s and holiday insurance).

This insurance provides cover generally for up to 18 months and includes travel to multiple countries, as well as visits home in-between. Considering every long stay is unique, it’s possible to tailor your policy to suit your specific requirements. For example, you can include sports and adventure activities and travelling with children as well.

Long stay travel insurance resembles typical travel insurance in that it provides medical cover, cancellation cover and theft or loss of baggage cover. Broader plans include specific activities such as bungee jumping, scuba diving or skiing. Before you select a plan, however, check whether it’s possible to extend the policy; particularly if you’ve chosen to work or study in your destination of choice.

This kind of insurance will appeal to gap year travellers, students doing volunteering, exchange programs and work experience, backpackers, sportspeople and thrill seekers of all kinds. Remember to shop around for a good deal, particularly if you’ve compared prices for the best flights and accommodation. Travellers insurance is not an inevitable expense but a cost that can be tailored to your needs.

When providing long stay travel insurance, insurers will consider the length of the holiday, the applicant’s age and activities he or she might be planning to do. Although it’s not possible to know all the activities you might choose to do during your time away, the more information you provide, the better the cover you will receive. As a general rule of thumb, travellers should look for insurance that covers minimum medical expenses, personal liability, cancellation cover, baggage cover and holiday money.

Also take care to check insurers’ exclusions. Some cover will not apply to certain countries (generally those that are not recommended for travel by the Foreign Office). It’s also unlikely that medical travel insurance will apply for pre-existing medical conditions, and it may be cost effective to get an insurance quote that includes cover for a pre-existing medical condition.

Begin by comparing travel insurance policies from a wide range of insurance companies and have a safe and adventure-filled holiday.