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, people taking a career break 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 aged 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 medical condition, but you’ll need to declare it and your insurance premium may be higher. If you don’t disclose a health 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 depend on the severity of symptoms. There are also providers, like Outbacker, who will not cover any pre-existing medical 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, backpacker insurance is also unlikely to cover cancellation costs for pre-booked travel, accommodation or activities.

Yes, you can often extend your backpacker insurance if your trip lasts longer than planned, 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.

No, you can’t usually get a refund on your travel insurance if your backpacker trip is cut short. However, your policy may cover certain costs if your trip ends earlier than planned 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 to your cover for a fee.

Whether your backpacker insurance covers you to ride a scooter or motorbike will depend 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.

Yes, 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 or denied if items were left unattended.High-value gadgets may need extra cover to be fully protected.

If you need to make a claim on your backpacker insurance while you’re abroad, 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?

Yes, 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.

Yes, 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, accessing the system differs between the two countries:

For Australia: You need to enrol at a local Medicare service centre either before or after your treatment. You also need a UK passport with a valid Australian visa, a GHIC or UK-issued EHIC or proof or UK residency

For New Zealand: You need a UK passport and evidence of UK residence

The extent of cover also differs between the two countries as New Zealand provides emergency medical treatment in a public hospital and necessary dental treatment for people aged under 19 whereas Australia does not cover dental treatment and partially covers medically necessary treatment outside hospital and medically necessary treatment as a public patient in a public hospital.

See GOV.UK for full guidance.

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

If your bags are stolen from a hostel you should notify the hostel, the police and your insurer as soon as possible and within your insurer’s timeframe (often 48 hours but check your policy documents).

Your insurer is likely to need proof that your bags were stolen from a dorm locker or dedicated luggage room. If you left your bags unsecure and unattended in a dorm room or common area in the hostel you won’t be covered. So it’s worth paying a small fee if you need to for a locker.

To choose the right level of backpacker insurance cover, consider:

• Destinations: Are all of your destinations covered? Are you visiting somewhere with high medical costs that might require extra cover?

• Returning home: Will you need to temporarily return to the UK and what restrictions does the insurer have for the number of times and duration?

• Age limits: Are you aged 50 or above? Does the insurer have any age restrictions?

• Work: Is the type of work you’re planning to do abroad covered?

• Activities: Are you planning to do lots of different sports? Is your activity covered as standard or will you need to pay extra?

No, you don’t usually need to have booked a return flight to take out backpacker insurance as it’s usually more flexible than standard travel insurance. But check your policy documents or speak to your insurer to be certain.