By So you’re heading on a world adventure? You’ve got your itinerary, flights and accommodation booked, but have you thought about the vital travel insurance cover you’re going to need to protect you on your trip for medical emergencies, lost luggage, cancellation and more?
With so much choice out there it’s easy to end up paying too much for cover that you don’t need, or picking an insurer that doesn’t offer the right protection for your trip.
So, here’s some tips from Compare Insurance on how to get the best backpacker insurance for your trip:
1. Get enough cover so you’re not out of pocket later
We know you’re probably on a budget, however you shouldn’t ignore travel insurance. The worst thing you can do is under insure and have to pay big later. You might be able to afford to replace your camera if it’s stolen, or a flight that’s cancelled because of mechanical fault, but could you afford to pay $2,000 for a broken arm, let alone a $20,000 medical bill for a week in hospital? Backpacker travel insurance is a small cost to pay when considering the medical bill you could be left with!
2. Compare insurers to find a cheaper price for your destination
Depending on where you’re going, you’ll probably be able to bag yourself a bargain by shopping around. Some insurers will list different countries cheaper than others e.g. Some list New Zealand under ‘Pacific’ and others list it separately by itself, which tends to be cheaper. Compare insurance providers to save yourself a few dollars.
3. Pick a destination that’s covered by travel insurance
It’s not wise to travel to a destination that’s not covered by travel insurance such as those in political unrest or in a warzone. Check smarttraveller.gov.au for travel advice before you go.
4. Make sure your adventure activities are covered
Not all adventure activities are covered in a standard travel insurance policy. So if you’re planning on rock climbing, go-carting or perhaps going to a festival like running with the bulls in Spain, you should check that your planned activity is covered. Travel insurers such as itrek tend to cover more adventure activities. ‘Winter cover’ for sports such as skiing and snowboarding can be added to most policies.
5. Find an insurer that covers for longer trip duration
If you’re heading overseas for a year or more, get a policy that covers for longer length trips and with the flexibility to change details easily.
6. Increase your excess to keep costs down
The more excess to select to pay when you make a claim can reduce the cost of your overall insurance premium to start with, but remember you will have to pay more later if you do in fact have to claim.
7. Make sure your expensive belongings are insured
Bet you’re planning on taking your iPhone or tablet travelling, right? Have you thought about whether travel insurance will cover them if they break or are stolen? Some travel insurance policies have limits on how much they will insure single items for, which can be as low as $350. If you’re taking your laptop or SLR camera away with you it’s best to get it insured separately, or increase your single item limit within your travel insurance policy.
8. Pick a good company
We understand you’re looking for cheap backpacker insurance, but don’t buy the first policy you come across. Read customer insurance reviews to help you make an informed decision before you buy.
So there you have it, our 8 tips to help you find the best backpacker insurance around. Follow these and you’ll be sure to find yourself a corker!
A final word of advice from Smart Traveller ’If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.’
Happy backpacking jetsetters!
Compareinsurance.com.au is a leading Australian insurance comparison website where you can compare cheap backpacker insurance quotes simply and easily.
What are you waiting for? On your marks, get smart, compare!
