Backpacker Travel Insurance
Cover for gap years, career breaks and long trips
- Compare up to 15 travel insurance providers
- Cover for long trips across many countries
- Check activity and work cover
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A backpacker policy covers one long trip, often months long and across several countries, under a single policy. It suits gap years, career breaks and round-the-world routes where a standard single trip policy would run out too soon.
Is backpacker cover right for your trip?
The length of your trip and what you plan to do on the way decide the right policy. Find your situation below.
| Your situation | Likely fit |
|---|---|
| Three to twelve months across several countries | Backpacker or long-stay cover |
| A working holiday, such as bar or farm work | A policy that covers the type of work you will do |
| Moving abroad to live | Not travel insurance: the FCDO points you to expat health cover |
| Several shorter trips in the same year | An annual multi-trip policy |
| A one way flight with no plan to return yet | One way cover on our single trip page |
What backpacker insurance covers on a long trip
Medical cover is the heart of a backpacker policy, because you will spend months far from home. Belongings and activities are where policies differ most.
| Cover | Typical position | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency medical treatment | Core cover | The limit, especially if the USA is on your route |
| Getting home after illness or injury | Usually included | That it covers every country you visit |
| Bags and belongings | Included, often with low item limits | The single-item limit for phones and cameras |
| Adventure activities | Some included, others need an add-on | Bungee jumping, diving and skydiving by name |
| Quad bikes and mopeds | Not usually covered | The activity list and licence rules |
| Paid or unpaid work | Varies | The type of work allowed |
The FCDO guidance on long-stay travel insurance says to check the maximum duration and make sure the whole policy fits your plans, including any work.
Planning a backpacking route across several countries
Your policy needs to cover every country on the route, including places you only pass through. The FCDO says this matters because anyone can need emergency treatment in a transit country.
- Check each country’s entry rules. For example, GOV.UK says you must have a visa to visit Australia, though British citizens can usually get an electronic visitor visa (FCDO Australia entry requirements).
- A UK GHIC can be used for necessary state healthcare in Australia and the EEA. The NHS says it is not a replacement for insurance (NHS guidance on the UK GHIC).
- Choose a worldwide area that includes the USA if America is on the route, as medical bills there can be very high.
Prices for backpacker cover depend mostly on trip length, the regions you visit and the activities you add. Leaving the USA out of your route, if it is not part of your plans, can keep the cost down.
Gap year and solo travel: stay safe on the road
Travelling alone brings extra risks, and the FCDO guidance on solo travel has simple steps that also make an insurance claim easier:
- Leave your route with someone at home and agree when you will be in touch.
- Leave copies of your passport and insurance policy with someone at home too.
- Book your first night’s accommodation before you arrive.
- Make sure you can get to money quickly in an emergency.
What you need for a backpacker quote
- Every country on your route, including stopovers.
- Your start date and the latest date you might come home.
- Activities you might try, from diving to trekking.
- Any work you plan to do, paid or unpaid.
- Medical conditions, including tests under investigation.
Tiger.co.uk compares quotes from up to 15 travel insurance providers, which makes it quicker to find a policy with the trip length and activities you need.
How long can a backpacker policy last?
It depends on the insurer, so check the maximum trip length before you buy. The FCDO says long-stay policies can cover extended periods of continuous travel, but the limit varies from policy to policy.
Can I buy backpacker insurance if I am already travelling?
Some insurers will cover you once you have left the UK, often with a waiting period before illness claims are accepted. It is far simpler to buy before you go, as the FCDO suggests.
Does backpacker cover include working abroad?
Only if the policy says so. The FCDO says to make sure your policy covers any paid or unpaid work you plan to do, so describe the work honestly when you get a quote.
Are my phone and laptop covered?
Usually only up to a low single-item limit, if at all. If your kit is worth more, look at separate gadget insurance that covers you abroad.
Can I come home in the middle of my trip?
Some policies allow a short visit home, while others end the cover when you return to the UK. Check the rules before you book a flight back for a wedding or a family event.
Is backpacker insurance the same as long-stay travel insurance?
They overlap. Both cover one long trip, and insurers use the names in slightly different ways. Compare the maximum trip length, the countries covered and the activities included.
Compare backpacker travel insurance quotes with Tiger.co.uk before you set off. You can also go back to the travel insurance hub, or read about cover for the USA. Taking a laptop or camera? Gadget insurance may suit valuable kit, and home insurance is worth reviewing if your room at home sits empty while you are away. Policies vary, so check the wording or ask the insurer.
Fact-checked by Ian Wilson, Managing Director at Tiger.co.uk. 20+ years in price comparison; MEng, Queen’s University Belfast.
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