What is 90-day travel insurance? 

Key takeaways

• 90-day travel insurance works in the same way as standard travel insurance

• You can travel to multiple destinations with 90-day travel insurance

• Your standard home insurance policy is unlikely to cover your house after being left empty for more than 30-60 days - consider specialist unoccupied home insurance.

• Make sure you disclose any pre-existing medical conditions to your insurer before buying your policy

What is the travel insurance trip length limit?

Most travel insurance policies set a limit on the length of any one trip – usually 31 days. 

But, a month-long holiday might not be enough. Whether you’re off to walk the Camino de Santiago, take a once-in-a-lifetime backpacking trip across South America, or embark on a round-the-world cruise, you might need a travel insurance policy to cover you for longer 

What is 90-day travel insurance? 

As the name suggests, 90-day travel insurance, is designed for people planning a trip of up to 90 days.  It is a type of single trip travel insurance. The main difference is that the maximum trip length is longer than on most other policies – instead of the usual 30 or 31 days limit, your policy will cover you for up to 90 days for one trip. 

This type of holiday insurance can be a good option for: 

• a long stay in a single destination 

• backpacking trips visiting multiple destinations 

• volunteering or working holidays abroad 

• staying at a second home overseas 

• spending the winter months in the sun 

• peace of mind that your whole trip is covered

Can I travel to multiple destinations with 90-day cover? 

Yes, you can travel to multiple destinations with 90-day travel insurance. 

But there are a couple of things you need to check first. Make sure the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) has not advised against travel to your destination – if it has, you won’t be covered. 

Secondly, make sure you have the right cover for where you are going. Travel insurance is usually split into European, worldwide (excluding USA, Canada, and the Caribbean) and worldwide cover. 

Whatever your travel plans, double-check your policy documents to ensure your destination is covered.

What does 90-day travel insurance cover? 

90-day travel insurance normally provides the same level of cover as standard travel insurance - just for longer. Policies typically cover:

• Emergency medical expenses: Your cover will be able to help you if you need emergency medical treatment or repatriation back to the UK. 

• Baggage and possessions: Cover if your possessions or gadgets get lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed. 

• Personal liability: In the case that you are liable for any injuries, loss of possession or damage to the property of a third party. 

• Cancellation cover: If you need to cancel your holiday for reasons specified in your policy, such as illness or bereavement. 

• Curtailment: If you need to cut your holiday short for a specified reason.

• Delays: You can claim for delays if bad weather, strikes, or something breaking down affects your flight, ferry or other mode of transport. 

• Travel disruption: Provides compensation for unexpected delays, disruptions, or the premature ending of your trip. 

What’s not covered by 90-day travel insurance? 

90-day travel insurance has similar exclusions and policy wording to standard travel insurance. Common exclusions are:

• Undeclared pre-existing conditions: 90-day travel insurance won't cover the cost of treatment abroad for any pre-existing medical conditions unless you told the insurer about them in advance. 

• Multiple trips: 90-day cover is single trip insurance. You will be covered for one long trip, not several trips where you return home in between. 

• Choosing not to travel: You can’t claim simply because you no longer want to go on holiday or if you are worried about Covid or another health issue in your destination. 

• Negligence: Such as if you hurt yourself while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if your belongings are stolen while left unattended. 

• Extreme sports: Some common sports and activities will be covered but anything considered high-risk, such as bungee jumping or shark diving, may require paying an extra premium. 

• Recoverable losses: This includes being able to rebook a trip and credit vouchers 

How much will I pay for 90-day travel insurance? 

The cost of 90-day travel insurance will depend on several factors including: 

• Your age: As you get older, your premiums are likely to be more expensive as there is an increased likelihood you'll make a claim. 

• Your health: You must declare any pre-existing medical conditions to your insurer. Failure to do so may result in your policy being void or claims being rejected. 

• Duration of your trip: 90-day travel insurance is designed to cover periods up to 90 days, but the longer you stay, the higher your premiums are likely to be. 

• Your destination: Travelling to countries where medical costs are high – such as the US – will mean 90-day insurance costs more. 

• Your luggage and personal possessions: You can choose the level of cover you need for your personal belongings, the higher their value the more cover will cost. 

• Activities you plan to do: You will need to add extra cover to your policy if you want to take part in any high-risk activities, or do any winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding. 

What is the difference between 90-day cover and long-stay cover? 

90-day cover will insure you for one trip up to 90 days in length, starting and ending at your home in the UK. 

Long-stay travel insurance (often referred to as backpackers insurance or gap year insurance) typically cover trips from 90 days up to 18 months. You can often return to the UK in this time and still be covered. 

What is annual multi-trip travel insurance?

Annual multi-trip insurance is an annual travel insurance policy that covers all the holidays you take in a 12-month period as long as each trip lasts 31 days or less. 

What is the longest I can get travel insurance for? 

You can get travel insurance for trips of up to a year or 18 months. These are normally backpacker policies.

You’ll have to shop around for cover if you want to go on a really long trip. 

Availability and cost of this type of cover can depend on your age – once you’re 65 or older, you might find insurers limit how many days a single trip can be.  

As a senior, can I get travel insurance for 90 days?

You can buy travel insurance for 90 days for seniors from a range of providers. However, this will get more difficult as you age as older people tend to have more health conditions. 

For example, LV= has a maximum trip length of 365 days if you're under 65 years of age. If you're between 65 and 79, it can cover trips up to 90 days, but just 31 days if you're 80 or over. 

At the Post Office, there’s no upper age limit for single-trip policies. For annual multi-trip policies you need to be 75 or under. Backpacker policies have a maximum age of 60 when your trip starts.

Is there anything else I should consider if I’m away for an extended period? 

If you plan to leave your home empty while you will be away, check your home insurance policy.  

Most home insurance policies limit the number of days you can leave your home empty at any one time, typically to 30 or 60 days. So if you’re going away and leaving your home empty for longer than that, you’ll need specialist unoccupied home insurance. 

You should also inform your insurer if you plan to rent your home out while you are away – and maybe take out landlord insurance. 

Can I get travel insurance with a pre-existing condition?

Yes you can get travel insurance with pre-existing conditions but make sure you tell your travel insurer about them before you buy a policy. Some common conditions will be covered as standard, while some will mean you need to pay an extra premium for cover. Some serious conditions might be excluded by mainstream insurers and you will need to look for a specialist insurer instead. 

If you don’t tell your insurer about a pre-existing condition and then make a claim for that condition, your claim may be rejected and your policy made void. 

Do I need 90-day travel insurance if I have a Global Health Insurance Card? 

Yes, you should still have travel insurance if you hold a Global Health insurance Card (GHIC). The GHIC entitles you to medical treatment in certain EU countries for free or at a reduced cost.  

But it isn’t a replacement for travel insurance as it won’t cover you for private healthcare, nor will it be useful for rescue and repatriation. It also doesn't offer additional protection for your belongings and possessions, accommodation, or flights. Some insurers will only pay medical claims in Europe if you have a GHIC (or valid EHIC) and use that first.