Backpacker Travel Insurance
for the UK and from the UK
Get the coverage you need – without wasting money.
Travel insurance can be confusing, costly or worse – you don’t get paid when something happens.
Help is here.
Here’s the main problem: Most travel insurance (some even called “backpacker insurance”) is aimed at tourists – not longer-term travellers with very different needs and budgets.
The key is to know
1) What good backpacker travel insurance looks like
2) How to get the insurance you need at the right price
3) Free healthcare you might get
4) Finally some good old FAQs
7 Things Backpacker Insurance Needs
In some cases, like if you’re on a work visa, you might be covered for healthcare in public systems (such as doctor visits and hospitals) But this only covers a few things! Your needs are different because you’re a foreigner in a new country.
There are quite a few things you are not covered for which insurance covers you:
- Weekend Trips. A big part of living overseas for a year or two is the bounty of awesome countries you can visit at the drop of a hat. A day trip to Paris or a weekend in Prague? No problem! After just a short time, “going overseas” at the drop of a hat will be as easy as a day at the beach or a trip to the mountains. Unfortunately, the risk of something happening to you is also greatly increased and it becomes way too easy to forget you have no coverage.
- We like to think we are invincible, but if the worst happens and your remains need to be repatriated this can be a very expensive process. More likely though, is the next scenario:
- If you get really sick or injured – you will want to be with your friends and family at home. Even though your temporary home has changed – if things get rough suddenly being surrounded by family and friends in familiar surroundings is super important on your road back to health. Getting you home will be very costly if you’re unwell. And although it’s not as serious, emergency dental work can also be expensive—and it’s not covered by the NHS in the UK.
- Sports. Many travel insurance policies fall way short of offering adequate coverage when it comes to doing anything remotely adventurous. The fine print of many policies will often reveal you are not covered for things like hiking or mountain biking much less things that you may actually need for your trip.
- Flexibility. (This is a big one often overlooked) The ability to stay somewhere for an extra week or perhaps a few months is one of the true joys of travelling. Unfortunately, travel insurance companies make big money by limiting your ability to extend coverage – forcing you to pay another 6 or 12 months or worse “risk it”.
- Destinations. Being able to get coverage for the countries you are travelling to without paying for the ones you don’t is a huge limitation with most insurance policies. Generally speaking, if you’re not going to Asia or North America, your policy should be much more affordable.
- Important Stuff. Many policies include baggage insurance, but the fine print reveals you are covered for delays and getting the $2 shirt you got in Bali but not covered for the Laptop or iPhone that will cost you £500 or $1000 to replace.
Below is an affiliate link from an insurer that pays us a commission if you end up using their service. This comes at no extra cost to you, and we believe they offer very flexible, backpacker-focused insurance that could benefit you in a big way. We recommend comparing their options and making sure you get insurance one way or another.
Check out the Provider we Use:
<insert worldnomad price calculator>
Getting Insurance that Works!
When you are living in the UK or travelling anywhere else, the primary consideration should always be your health.
Overseas medical and emergency transport are the two parts of an insurance policy that are usually standard. Coverage north of $2 million or £1 million is usually easy and pretty standard. Most policies will cover you for more, and you will likely not need it. That said, it generally does not cost much more anyway.
The most important is to get coverage for the things you do need!
6 Things you should look for:
Flexibility of coverage
Ability to select just the countries you need (not regions)
Trip cancellation - like sudden illness, or sudden need to return home
Work cover for working overseas
Activities it Covers
The kinds of activities your policy covers might be the most important factor in getting yourself a policy.
In addition to a range of activities from the usual hiking and skiing to the more adventurous like skydiving, it’s important to make sure you’re covered for everything you plan to do. Also, keep in mind that some activities, like work or volunteering, are often not included in regular insurance policies. This is one of the key differences between holiday insurance and backpacker insurance.
When figuring out the best fit, it is worth getting into the nitty gritty of your policy.
Flexibility to Extend Coverage
A good backpacker travel insurance policy is designed to be flexible and offer you the ability to extend your coverage for a longer period with ease and convenience.
It would be worth looking at policies that allow you to do this online, considering that you might need to extend your policy while already travelling.
Some only offer an overseas phone number which can be challenging overseas, so it is best to look for a policy that allows for extensions online.
The Flexibility to Choose Your Countries and Travel Zones
Most travel insurance unfortunately only covers travel zones and not specific countries. What this means is that you may pay a heavier sum to travel to places that you wish are covered by your policy, but you may also end up paying an extra fee to simply have the option to visit obscure places that are absolutely not a part of your itinerary.
Sounds frustrating?
It doesn't have to be.
Simply look for a travel policy that covers a specific list of countries that you wish to visit rather than zones.
The ability to customize your policy, with slight tweaks, of course, can be a huge advantage. However, policies are usually more strict in these terms, so you may be better off just opting for policies that allow you to narrow down and selectively opt for countries that you wish are covered by your policy.
Coverage for Items You Usually Carry
If you think of tourists and travellers, there might be one thing more in common between the two than anything else - both carry gadgets and accessories such as cameras, tripods, ebook readers, tablets, laptops, and a whole entourage of accessories to go with the electronics.
However, there is one big difference. Some backpackers will prefer to "risk it" and put their funds towards something else and others will be keen to get coverage for some expensive items.
Flexibility to insure valuables like electronics is the key.
Losing a camera or a tripod is bad - but having a policy can ensure the travels go on. Valuable items are usually covered by a broad coverage of travel insurance, but you could always opt for smaller policies and add-on specific coverage for valuable items to your policy.
Covering Trip Cancellations Due to Emergencies
Sometimes even the most well-planned trip can fail to execute - simply because an emergency might stop you in your tracks.
In such a circumstance, where you have made prior bookings - such as flights, hostel and even tours these cannot be refunded by the service providers.
To avoid running into trouble, it is always advisable to opt for an insurance service that covers the cost of cancellation in case you are unable to undertake your trip due to grave emergencies - such as a sudden illness.
While a lot of policies do usually cover major expenses, trip cancellations are slightly tougher to have covered but can be a good idea.
Work Cover for Travelling and Working Overseas
If you plan to work or volunteer abroad, it's a good idea to find travel insurance that specifically covers work activities. Many standard policies don’t include this, so make sure to check if your insurance covers working overseas.
Flexible Insurance
World Nomads
Until recently, great insurance did not exist but World Nomads actually insure you for the things that you want without paying for the things you don’t.
They serve more than 100 countries really well by keeping costs low and focusing on the backpacker’s needs like:
- Instant online quotes, flexible extension options and modifications online 24/7.
- Multiple “high-risk” activity levels are covered in four levels so you only choose the coverage you need without the coverage you do not.
- Flexible plan each with different benefits and limits of coverage.
- Only pay for the countries you need.
- Coverage while working.
Here is more detailed information about backpacker travel insurance.
Free Healthcare?
Do you need travel insurance (especially medical) at all?
In 2015 the British government changed the regulations related to the NHS (National Health Service) and overseas visitors.
These regulations cover backpackers working temporarily in the UK on a Youth Mobility Scheme (Tier 5) Visa, Ancestry Visas and International Students coming to the UK.
Temporary migrants (including students) who are subject to immigration controls (requiring visas of between 6 months and 5 years) – will be subject to the health charge when applying to come to the UK, however once in the UK will be exempt from additional charges under the Regulations.
Source: Equality Analysis – The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015
This means, if you have a work visa you are covered at a basic level while in the UK – however, there are other things you are not covered for.
For example, if you get sick or injured and you want to get better at home you are not covered for transport home.
Side trips to Europe and basics like emergency dental are also not covered by the NHS.
You might also want to insure lost or damaged baggage, personal items and trip cancellations.
For the majority of people who enter the UK on a work visa or student visa, you will pay a healthcare surcharge but this also means that you are covered for visits to a GP or emergencies to the hospital but not prescriptions, dental treatment or eye tests. (Perscriptions, dental treatment and eye tests are NOT covered by travel insurance policies either for countries – if want these you need separate medical insurance based around being a resident)
However, if you want additional coverage while in the UK or plan to travel to countries outside of the UK (like Europe for example), the NHS will not cover you. Therefore, it is wise to get appropriate coverage for those times when you travel outside of the UK or to the UK.
See below – How to purchase the right insurance at the right price.
For more information about how to access and use the NHS healthcare system while you are in the UK, we cover that here
Table of Contents
FAQs
Answers to some questions you might have
Will the traveller's health insurance cover me if I'm injured while doing activities like playing the air guitar?
You will be amazed at how many traveller’s insurance policies do not cover activities that may seem fairly standard. Ask yourself what activities you will be doing whilst travelling: climbing in Nepal, trekking in Thailand, scuba diving in Fiji, river kayaking in Eastern Europe (Note: no insurance company we know of covers Pamplona bull runs or base jumping) – be absolutely sure the activities you plan to do are covered.
Often, a premium is charged to cover you for such ‘high-risk’ (as calculated by insurance company quantifiers) activities. ‘High-risk’ does not necessarily mean ‘highly likely to happen’; insurance companies simply need to have adequate ‘money in the bank’ based on the relative cost to them if injury should occur.
I have a pre-existing condition. Will travel health insurance cover me?
“health insurance” and “travel medical insurance” internationally should not be confused. Generally, a traveller’s medical insurance will not require a medical examination. Basically, you fill out a simple form online and you are accepted or not, usually on the spot. The policy will spell out what you are covered and NOT covered for. Because of the lack of a medical exam, there will be restrictions based on any “pre-existing conditions”. If you were to make a claim, any pre-existing medical conditions you have that may have contributed will be scrutinized and your insurance may become worthless; if in doubt – ask and have a note attached to your policy to prove you have informed the insurance company of the condition.
I'm working or studying in the UK. Do I need travel insurance?
Backpackers on a work visa or students considered temporary migrants are covered by the NHS. However, as discussed in detail above you might want additional coverage even while you are in the UK (like emergency dental) and especially if you plan to do any trips outside of the UK which pretty much everyone does.
Do I have to be a UK citizen to be covered by the NHS?
No. Temporary migrants like those on a work visa or students who have student visas are covered by the NHS for doctor visits and emergency healthcare.
Will my insurance cover me while I take up residence in the UK?
The answer depends on how your insurance company defines residency. Note: Residency is defined differently by the UK government. For the purposes of getting NHS benefits, you would be a resident of the UK. It is a very good idea to read the fine print on this point for any policy you are considering and this will change from one country to the next.
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