Gap Year Travel Insurance

Every year about 200,000 youngsters embark on the trip of a lifetime, trailing the globe in their search for fun before they start a career. Many do so without a care in the world. The Foreign Office refer to them as ‘the invincibles’, because that’s how many of them behave. They’re more prepared to take risks, and are too busy having a good time to consider the dangers they may be facing.

If you’re considering going travelling, then you should consider taking out a comprehensive insurance policy so you’re protected should you get in trouble.

About one in four people on gap years don’t bother with travel insurance, but it’s not worth taking a chance.

If your son or daughter is currently planning a trip, make sure you’re not the one that has to find the money to cover any expensive bills.

Medical Expenses Cover

If you plan on participating in some extreme activities when you’re away, then it would be foolish not to cover yourself for medical expenses. Bungee jumping, motorbike riding and scuba diving are all popular activities, but if they go wrong, there’s a huge cost. You, or your parents, could be left with a bill for thousands of pounds if hospital treatment or medical repatriation is required. The NHS won’t cover you if you fall off a scooter in south-east Asia, and the local British Embassy won’t foot the bill either! It’s important to check exactly what activities are covered by each insurance policy.

Many travellers go to New Zealand and discover that they can ski there. However, skiing is not normally covered in a basic policy, so you may need to take out winter sports cover so you can go hurtling down the mountain without the fear of crippling expenses should you crash-land. Also note that most policies won’t pay out if you’re under the influence of drink at the time of an incident. Don’t expect to be covered if you have an accident whilst drink driving abroad either.

Even if you’re not into adrenalin sports, there’s still a risk that you could become ill, especially if you’re eating food your body isn’t used to, or living in an unusual climate. Most gap year travellers are on a tight budget, and you won’t want to blow it all on medical expenses because you got food poisoning in your first week away. A week spent in a Bangkok hospital followed by a premature return home isn’t how you want to remember your trip of a lifetime! The most common gap year insurance claims don’t come from near-fatal accidents. Migraines and gastroenteritis are two of the most popular claims, and they could happen to anyone – so get covered.

Personal Possessions Cover

Crime is another big problem for gap year travellers. When young Brits go abroad with a big backpack, they stick out like a sore thumb. Unfortunately, local criminals know that inside those backpacks there’s cash, credit cards, mobile phones and digital cameras. Back home, you know the places where you shouldn’t walk about late at night, but you’ve probably got no idea where the safe or unsafe areas are of far-away cities.

Theft doesn’t always come in the form of muggings either. If you play it safe, and stick to the tourist areas, you’re still at risk from pickpockets. In some countries there are gangs of thieves who target travellers and take advantage of their care-free attitude. Trains and buses are often hot-spots for crime because people often lower their guard. Be certain to take out personal possessions cover, so your trip isn’t ruined should you become a victim.

Accidents and crime are common problems for backpackers, but don’t ignore the things which affect normal holidaymakers too. Loss of baggage, cancelled flights, legal expenses and personal liability all need to be considered before you set off.

Top Tips

A common misconception is that annual multi-trip cover will do the job for a year spent travelling. But these policies often come with a maximum length per trip. This means you won’t be protected if you claim after being away for several months.

The excess fee (the amount you have to pay for each claim you make) can be an unpleasant surprise and varies from policy to policy. You can normally reduce it by paying a greater premium. If you feel you’re unlikely to claim but want to take out travel insurance just to be safe, then you can often lower the cost of the policy by agreeing to pay a larger excess.

The most expensive policy isn’t necessarily the best. If you spend some time doing your research you can get better insurance and save serious cash. You’ll probably spend ages trying to find the plane ticket with the most value for money. Give the same attention to your travel insurance because it could end up being the most important thing you have.

Make sure you photocopy any important travel documents such as passports, because it will make it easier for your insurance company to assist you if you lose the originals.

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