Backpacker/gap year travel insurance
Gap Year travel is increasing in popularity. Travelling the world, seeing new places and meeting new people is seen as an alternative to going straight into higher education. The experience can also prove to be worthwhile when starting your career. Wherever you are travelling to and no matter how long you are going away for, it is important to think seriously about travel insurance. You are probably travelling on a tight budget but the initial outlay for insurance is never wasted. Hopefully, you will not need to claim but if something does happen, it could prove to be disastrous without the cover your travel insurance gives.
Anyone up to the age of 45 years can take out Backpacker policy, as long as they are a UK resident and the trips will start and end in the UK. When getting a quote you will need to give us the start date and the date that you plan to return home. You must be sure that you allow enough time for your trip as a Backpacker policy cannot be extended once you are out of the country. Also, once you return to the UK, your policy cover ceases.
No matter where you are in the world, if you are taken ill the medical costs could soon mount up. That is without the cost of you getting back home. All our policies have a 24 hour emergency services number who can be contacted from anywhere in the world. Whether you have an accident or get toothache, you will be covered under your policy.
It’s not only medical problems that can spoil your trip. Your baggage and personal effects would also be covered for loss or theft. Even so, it is still worthwhile taking a few precautions before you travel. Keep copies of important documents such as your passport and visas and always be aware that the attractions favoured by travellers are also the ones mostly targeted by thieves and pickpockets.
You can make your journey easier and more rewarding by taking the time before your trip to research the countries that you are visiting. It is also advisable to use the Foreign Office website, making yourself aware of the political climate and any potential health risks. There is also a travel advice section on their website which will let you know if there are any areas that are not safe to travel to. You are advised to take notice of this advice as you would not be covered to travel anywhere that the Foreign Office has deemed is unsafe.
Many use their gap year travels to try out new sporting activities, but you must be aware that not all adventure sports are covered. Should you want to ski during your travels, you would need to add the Winter Sports option which gives you 31 days ski cover during your trip. You would need to check on the website for which activities are covered. For example, if you wanted to go Bungee Jumping or Trekking up to 4000metres, you would need to take Grade 2 Hazardous Activities.