Backpacking, by its very definition, is a budget form of travel. You’re more than likely to be doing things on the cheap, staying in hostels and travelling on public transport. You might also be indulging in a few dangers along the way: there aren’t a whole lot of backpackers out there who don’t like a good night out, a few extreme sports, an off-the-beaten-track trek or something else that might give your insurance company pause. Because, well, they’re a paranoid bunch, insurance assessors. What this all means, though, is that if you’re going to splash out, insurance might be the best place to do it; this is one of those cases where cheap and cheerful might well be something you live to regret. Here are a few things to bear in mind:
Can you get bargain travel insurance indirectly? Quite a few bank accounts, for example, offer free travel insurance as a perk. You can even open an account with, say, MasterCard of Visa that includes free or reduced price insurance, and find you get a very good deal in exchange for spending a few bucks on the card every month. Of course, all of the more general tips still apply, but if you can get it free, why not? We’ve found some amazing bargains this way in the past.
What does it cover, in terms of possessions, documentation, etc.? Don’t only consider you laptop and camera … it might be still more important to know what the insurance company are prepared to do if you lose your passport, for example, or your driving license gets stolen. In some cases it might not be worth covering a laptop , but it’s certainly worth covering the substantial expenses that could come from losing a passport just before your flight leaves, and having to re-book at the last minute.
Consider multi-trip insurance. Unless you’re absolutely certain you won’t be off wondering the globe again within twelve months, the difference between single and multi-trip insurance costs are usually relatively minimal. It’s worth checking the fine print on multi-trip insurance carefully, too, though, as it’s often aimed at more standard holiday makers, and can be quite restricted when it comes to the number of days you can spend abroad inside the year.
Check what you need to claim. In most cases this will be a police report on any incident, a doctor’s note, receipts etc., but it varies from country to country and company to company. If your information comes from a country that speaks another language to your own, you’ll usually also need translations of any paperwork to make a claim .
Check how quickly you’ll be supported when it comes to medical expenses or item replacement. It’s all very well being insured for several million dollars for medical expenses, but if the company’s going to take months to pay out, you might struggle to pay for the help you need in some locations. The same goes for the replacement of items: if you’ll need a replacement immediately, you might find in a lot of cases that you’ll be paying for it yourself, and claiming back later. Payments will almost never be immediate, but they can be quick. If you’re on a tight budget the time scale could be a problem, though if you’re on a longer trip, you might be able to send things home and get your finances sorted before it’s all over. Check exactly where you stand before you start out to be safe.
Check what you’re required to do in advance. Heading for a malaria infected zone? You might well find you’re not covered if you don’t take your medication, even if – like many expats – you decide that the damage the medication does to your body is a worse option than simply having the disease. There are numerous clauses that insurance companies insert to protect themselves, and a lot of them surround you taking reasonable precautions yourself. Make sure you know what those reasonable precautions are, otherwise – especially if you need a big pay out – you almost certainly will find the insurance company will try to contest your claim.
Where are you covered? Stupid question? Not always… worldwide travel insurance doesn’t often include Iraq or Afghanistan. European travel insurance companies offer much cheaper policies when North America isn’t included, due to the high general medical cost. Check carefully where you can and can’t go!
Do you have cancellation coverage? To take or not take insurance that covers the cancelation of flights if a personal call. As a backpacker, we’d suggest it’s not always necessary – you should have enough time to simply wait until the flight providers offer you another flight . If you’re on a tight time limit and problems could ruin your trip in a big way, though, you might want to consider it.
Maximum medical pay-outs? Up a mountain somewhere, or sailing in the heart of the Pacific? If you’re anywhere that might require a helicopter rescue or something similar, those $1,000,000 limits suddenly stop seeming so substantial, especially when they have to cover treatment, too. Consider what you’re doing, and compare the ‘worst case scenario’ and its potential cost to the maximum pay-out. It’s cautious, yes, but it’ll give you a nice safety net.
Check what you can and can’t do. Perhaps the most important of all. If you’re going hiking in the Himalayas, heading surfing or planning on doing a lot of adventurous and potentially dangerous things, you will have to pay more to be covered. If you don’t pay, and you get hurt, you’re not going to get any help. Simple as that. In some cases you can pay on the spot for temporary coverage for these kind of activities , but if you’ll be doing a lot, you’re probably better off just paying up. Let’s face it, if something’s going to go wrong, it’ll probably be at 5000 metres up a mountain range. If you’re doing it, make sure you’ve taken that into account.
Do you have any other essential travel insurance considerations? Happy traveling, and may you never need your insurance at all…
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