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COMMENT
How many people envy the current group of students who are choosing to take a 'gap year' – time off from their studies to see some of the world? Well gap years aren't just for students – a YouGov survey has shown that one in seven adults have taken a career break to travel. And increasing numbers of people in their forties and fifties are taking advantage of their new-found freedom from children that have flown the nest to travel and do voluntary work abroad. And employers can often be very understanding, offering longer term employees unpaid leave, while allowing them to return to their old jobs, believing that career breaks can result in refreshed and motivated staff. One thing that is vital for any potential backpacker is travel insurance. And for longer trips like this, an extended type travel policy is required. After all, you don't want to risk having to pay thousands of pounds to cover the cost of medical treatment abroad. Unbelievably, one in three of the 250,000 18-24 year olds intending to travel in the next six months will do so without insurance – a bit of a risk for the sake of saving a few quid! A recent study by Which? has found the Best Buy travel policies for extended trips abroad. Twelve-month Worldwide Trip – includes USA and Canada
Company
Max. Age
Premium
Travel-Insurance-Web.com (single trip)
49
£195
Globelink (Globetrekkers Standard Plus)
40
£224
Admiral (Adventure Travellers)
39
£235
Six-month Trip To Australia
| Company | Max. Age | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Travelplan Direct (Backpacker) | 39 | £81 |
| Leading Edge Backpacker | 45 | £88 |
| Travel-Insurance-Web.com (single trip) | 49 | £89 |
Four-month Trip To Europe (for a couple)
| Company | Max. Age | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| GoSure.com (Single) | 69 | £154 |
| Netcover Direct (Travel) | 75 | £185 |
| Flexicover Direct (Long Stay) | 75 | £189 |
All of the policies are available either online and/or on the phone (though the cheaper quotes are generally online). Of course, you'll need to check any policy you're interested in thoroughly, to ensure it will cover your exact needs (and don't forget to inform the insurer of any medical conditions you many have).
If you have a home insurance policy, you may find this will cover more expensive items (such as cameras, rings). However, remember to tell your home insurer how long you intend to be away – you may need to pay an extra premium to ensure cover.
Finally, remember to leave photocopies of passports and important documents with a friend at home, in case you should lose them. So if you're planning to take some time out to travel, make sure you're properly covered and have a good time!
You can find out more about travelling needs at Gapyear.com and travel insurance in our Insurance Centre.