Backpacker travel insurance

No. Backpacker insurance isn’t just for students or gap-year travellers. It’s designed for anyone travelling for an extended period, often across multiple countries. While it’s popular with younger travellers, it can also suit older travellers, career breakers and digital nomads planning long or flexible trips.

However, as with standard travel insurance, there are often upper age limits on cover, and these age limits are often lower than for standard insurance policies. Travellers age 50 and over are likely to have fewer options for backpacker insurance than younger travellers.

Yes, you can often get backpacker insurance with a pre-existing condition, but you’ll need to declare it and your premium may be higher. If you don’t disclose a condition, your policy may not pay out for related claims, so it’s important to be accurate even if your condition feels minor or well-managed.

Some backpacker insurers will not cover certain conditions or certain severity of symptoms. There are also providers, like Outbacker, who will not cover any pre-existing conditions.

Yes, unlike standard travel insurance, many backpacker travel insurance policies will allow you to take temporary trips back to the UK without ending your cover.

Always check your policy wording, as even insurers who offer this are likely to impose restrictions on how many trips home you can take, how long you can stay in the UK, and when your cover will restart once you leave again.

If you return home for non-emergency reasons, backpackers insurance is also unlikely to cover cancellation costs for pre-booked travel, accommodation or activities.

Often yes, but not always. Some insurers let you extend your backpacker insurance while you’re still abroad, as long as you haven’t made a claim and the policy hasn’t expired.

Extensions aren’t guaranteed, so it’s best to choose a policy with enough flexibility from the start.

Usually no. If you return home early, insurers don’t normally refund unused premiums. However, your policy may cover certain costs if your trip is cut short due to an emergency, such as serious illness, injury or bereavement, depending on the terms of your cover.

Backpacker travel insurance usually covers lower-risk activities as standard, such as hiking, cycling and swimming. Some policies may also automatically include cover for higher-risk activities like winter sports, scuba diving or mountaineering. Exactly what you are and aren't covered for should be listed in your policy documents.

If an activity you plan to do isn't on the list, you can often add an 'adventure sports' package onto your cover for a fee.

It depends on the policy. Many backpacker insurance policies only cover scooter or motorbike riding if you hold the correct licence and are wearing a helmet. Some restrict engine sizes or exclude riding altogether unless you add extra cover. Always check the wording carefully before hiring or riding a bike abroad.

Most backpacker insurance policies cover phones and electronics for theft or loss, but only up to certain limits. There’s often a cap on single items and valuables, and claims may be reduced if items were left unattended. High-value gadgets may need extra cover to be fully protected.

Contact your insurer as soon as possible using the emergency or claims number in your policy documents. You’ll usually also need evidence such as receipts, medical notes or a police report for theft, so keep records and report incidents quickly.

For medical treatment, you may need to call the insurer first so they can approve care and guide you to the right hospital.

➡️ Read more: How do I claim on my travel insurance?

UK residents can get some free or subsidised healthcare in many European countries with a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), but it’s limited and not a replacement for travel insurance.

You can apply for a GHIC from the NHS website for free. But even with this healthcare card, you may still have to pay upfront costs, and it won’t cover private care, mountain rescue, repatriation, or non-medical expenses.

The UK has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with both Australia and New Zealand. That gives UK citizens travelling in those countries access to medically necessary treatment in the public healthcare system.

However, it doesn’t cover ambulance costs, private treatment, ongoing care, or returning home early.

Yes, some providers offer a student discount on their travel insurance policies. You would need to buy your travel insurance policy directly from your chosen provider on their website to access these savings.