Travel Insurance for Backpackers. Backpacking is a wonderful and adventurous experience that can be fun when done right.
Whether you are going on a tour, volunteering, or exploring different countries, you must have a backpacker travel insurance.
You can’t possibly predict every scenario that will unfold while you are on your trip, so you need to be prepared for anything.
This is why it is important to be insured, as backpacker insurance protects you from sudden expenses that might arise as a result of emergency medical expenses, loss, theft or damage of belongings, liabilities, trip cancellations, and so on.
Let’s get a move thing and discuss Travel Insurance for Backpackers: What You Need to Know.
What is Travel Insurance for Backpackers?
Just as the name implies, this is a type of insurance policy meant to cover the needs of backpackers who travel for long periods or visit many countries.
It covers different situations that could come up during their trips, including medical emergencies, property loss or theft, trip cancellations, and so on. It usually costs between 4% to 10% of your trip’s total price.
As an adventurer or thrill seeker, backpacker insurance ensures you are covered for dangerous activities such as horse riding, skydiving, scuba diving, bungee jumping, rock climbing, mountain biking, white water rafting, and so on.
If you go on numerous backpacker trips every year, it would be smart for you to invest in a multi-trip policy, as it covers you for an entire year, as long as you include the locations you would probably visit and set the maximum duration for your trips beforehand.
Read the terms of whichever policy you get carefully to ensure that you are covered for any situation you might have in mind and that you can afford the premium.
Situations Covered by Travel Insurance When Backpacking
Travel insurance usually covers different situations to safeguard you financially while backpacking.
1. Medical Emergencies:
This is usually included in almost every backpacker’s insurance. It helps to cover the cost of medical treatment, including hospital bills and medication, if you fall sick or get injured while travelling.
It can also cover the cost of being transported home for treatment. Pay-out limits for medical emergencies are quite high.
2. Loss of Belongings:
A backpacker’s insurance covers all the luggage and items you bring with you on your trip. It covers your belongings in case they get lost, stolen, or damaged.
3. Trip Cancellation:
If you have to cancel your trip due to unexpected events, backpacker insurance can reimburse you for money that you’ve already spent on things like accommodation, flights, and so on.
Acceptable unexpected situations can include sickness or injury (whether you or a family member), natural disasters, and so on.
4. Personal Liability:
Regardless of how careful you are, bad stuffs happen sometimes. In a situation where your actions cause an injury to someone or damage to their property, this insurance can help you cover compensation costs and legal expenses.
5. Trip Interruption and Resumption:
If, while on a backpacking trip, you need to take a break to visit a sick loved one probably, many policies help to cover travel costs.
Situations Not Covered by Travel Insurance When Backpacking
1. Preexisting Medical Conditions:
Only if it is indicated in your policy, backpacker insurance does not cover preexisting medical conditions.
2. Incidents Due to Drug or Alcohol:
While backpacking, if you get injured or damage someone’s property as a result of being drunk or under the influence of alcohol, you will not be covered by backpacker insurance.
3. Carelessness:
If you lose your belongings as a result of your indifference or carelessness, this will not be covered.
4. Visit countries you know are dangerous:
If you decide to visit a country that has a travel advisory in place, any harm that comes your way will be yours to deal with.
5. Breaking Laws:
While backpacking, if you decide to break the laws of the country or state where you are a visitor, you will need more than backpacker insurance to help you.
Important Elements to Consider When Choosing a Travel Insurance Policy for Backpacking
Choosing backpacker insurance is a decision that is just as important as every other preparation made for your backpacking trip.
Below are some key elements to consider before picking an option:
1. Activities it Covers:
One of the most important things to consider when selecting backpacker insurance is the kinds of activities that would be covered.
Risky activities, such as hiking, sky diving, mountain biking, and so on, are only sometimes covered under some policies.
It is, therefore, up to you to ensure that whichever policy you choose covers any activity that you will be engaged in while backpacking.
2. Coverage for Valuable Items:
There are certain valuable items that you would want to bring with you on your trip. Items so beneficial to you that losing them can interrupt your trip.
Ensure that your policy allows you to add such items so your travels can go on without interruption. These items include gadgets like laptops, iPods and cameras.
3. Flexibility of Coverage:
Pick a travel insurance policy that allows you to extend your coverage if the need arises.
Your chosen policy must allow you the option to extend your coverage online; this way, you will be able to make changes while already travelling.
4. Trip Cancellation:
When selecting backpacker insurance, pick one that covers the cost of cancellation if you are not able to go on your trip due to one emergency or the other.
This is necessary as it saves you from loss that can result from cancellation of flight bookings, accommodation, and so on.
5. The Option of Choosing Your Desired destinations:
Choose a policy that allows you to pick specific destinations that would normally not be covered by a travel insurance policy.
Our Final Thoughts:
Preparations for your backpacking trip are only complete if you have travel insurance that can protect you from the financial consequences of unforeseen situations.
travelindexer.com
travelindexer.com
