Backpacker Insurance

You're a backpacker - or soon will be - and given the unpredictable nature of backpacking travel, it is safe to say that you want good insurance cover at an affordable price. We support people facing the frustration of navigating the insurance market so we have created this group to help you find exactly that (see How it Works and About Us for more).

Joining this group will give you access to a 10% discount we have negotiated with a selected insurer, which is not available anywhere else. You will also get access to our best buy tables, allowing you to compare backpacker insurance policies.

Here's how to take advantage of the offer

1. Click on 'Join the Group' in the top right of this page - its free to join
2. Invite any other would-be-adventurers you know to add to the group's negotiating power
3. See our Offer Page, giving you details on the offer we have negotiated for the group
4. From that page, click 'Get a Quote' which takes you to the insurer's website
5. Complete the quote with the insurer and buy on their site, as you wish

Remember as well:

• Your discount will be automatically applied, with no further effort from you
• You pay nothing until you buy the policy, so there are no drawbacks to joining
• You will also get access to our best-buy tables so you can compare backpacker insurance policies with our offer

Need more help on finding the best backpacker insurance?

We've written three guides to help you out. The first looks into some of the details that can be easily overlooked, allowing you to easily compare backpacker travel insurance policies. The second digs into the common mistakes that people may make with their cover in What does my backpacker insurance really cover?. Finally, we've also written an introduction to the basics if everything is a bit daunting!

By Ronny Lavie

Top questions answered by us

• Can I get backpackers insurance over 1 year?

  The short answer is yes as most policies these days will allow up to 18 months of travel (although some do stop at 12). Our group’s offer from Explorer insurance allows trips up to 18 months in length. Or, see our list of alternative providers in the article getting the best backpacker insurance.

• Can I get backpacker insurance with iphone cover?

  iPhones are no different from other phones and would be subject to the insurer's 'single item limits'. i.e. the maximum amount an insurer will pay out for any one item.

  A policy with say £1,000 of baggage and personal affects cover can seem like enough if you are carrying a £500 device (such as a Samsung Galaxy Note or iPhone and £500 of other possessions. That said, if the single-item limit is only £100, you'd only get £100 for your gadget, even if the total of your claims was below your £1,000 overall limit.

  Note that if you have or will buy a UK gadget insurance policy (see our groups), be careful again! These policies –may- include cover for your gadget abroad, but can be limited in the number of days you take the gadget abroad in any one year (e.g. 90 days per year only). That makes them incompatible with backpacking plans.
  

• Is there a backpackers insurance comparison site?

  Most of the major comparison sites (e.g. Confused.com) will allow you to select a ‘backpacker’ option when comparing travel insurance.

  However, the market has adapted to the existence of comparison sites. These days, insurers create very cheap policies that exist just to ensure they get the top spot on the comparison tables. Some insurers (such as Insure and Go with Insure and Go Light) even run sub-brands which are dedicated to this purpose. In many cases, these policies or brands are cheap because the insurer has reduced the cover to a very low level (e.g. by cutting the maximum amounts you are covered for, whilst raising the excess) or have introduced limitations that may not be immediately apparent (e.g. some policies may not be extendable, some may not cover you for airline failure, some may have lower limits for valuables and single items, etc).

  Always make sure that you have the level of cover that you are comfortable with, not just the cheapest cover. To help you think about this, see our article on comparing backpacker insurance.

  Where can I get backpacker travel insurance including extreme sports
  Backpacker policies usually include cover for a range of activities as standard. However, insurers often exclude more dangerous activities (e.g. trekking over 6000m, 2000m or some other limit), unless you pay an additional premium.

  Check your policy documentation which will have a table or list showing what you are covered for. Make sure your cover and the options you select are sufficient for your plans.
  

• What’s the cheapest backpacker insurance?

  The cheapest insurance will always vary somewhat depending on your exact plans (for example one insurer may offer a better price if you’re only travelling within Europe whereas another may be cheaper if you’re travelling worldwide) so no one ‘cheapest’ insurer exists.

  But you can look at our best buy table to compare the prices of a few backpacker travel insurance policies.
  

• Where can I find backpacker insurance reviews?

  One useful source of backpacker insurance reviews is the Defaqto website which gives star-ratings to Travel insurance (and other insurance) policies. Whilst not strictly reviews (the star ratings are based on policy features and extent of cover rather than customer service levels), the star-ratings are useful ways to compare backpacker travel insurance.

• Will my backpacker insurance cover me for working abroad?

  Whilst some policies do exclude work abroad, there are a growing number who include it. However, you will need to check the policy wording as it depends on the job. For example, non-manual labour is covered within our group’s offer from Explorer insurance. Perfect if you’re pulling pints to make ends meet or office temping to pay for more travels.

  However, if you are planning a trip involving manual work (such as laboring on a building site, volunteering to build a school and so on) you might want to check Endsleigh Insurance’s policies – they have options tailored to Adventure, Working Abroad or Volunteering, with different activities covered within each.