Travel insurance for interrailing

Key takeaways

• Standard travel insurance policies are usually suitable for interrailing, but check all the countries you are visiting are included

• If you’re away for more than a month you may need backpacker insurance

• If you’re planning to do adventurous activities such as hiking or scuba diving, you will probably need a special policy or upgrade

Do I need travel insurance for interrailing?

Travel insurance is not a legal requirement. But without it you will be personally responsible for paying all the costs if something goes wrong with your trip. Travel insurance can financially protect you if your interrailing trip is unexpectedly cancelled, you have a medical emergency while travelling, or your belongings are lost or stolen.

What's the best travel insurance for interrailing?

If you are interrailing for only a few weeks, standard travel insurance will often be suitable. Check your policy covers all the countries you will be visiting. For example, some European travel insurance policies do not cover Türkiye (Turkey).

If you are going interrailing for more than a month you will probably need backpackers travel insurance, which is tailored for extended travels across multiple countries.

If you have a disability or any physical or mental health condition you need to declare it on your insurance. Depending on the severity you may need to take out specific pre-existing medical conditions travel insurance.

What should interrailing travel insurance cover?

Most travel insurance policies cover the following:

• Illness and accidents

• Repatriation (bringing you back home if you are seriously injured, ill or dead)

• Trip cancellations and delays

• Missed departures

• Lost or damaged luggage and belongings, including your passport

• Theft

• Personal liability (covers costs if you accidentally harm someone or their property)

However, there are often restrictions to this cover. Most travel insurers will have rules about:

How much you can claim

For example, £1 million for medical expenses, or up to £1,500 for lost luggage.

Which reasons for cancellations they will cover

Standard insurance often won’t cover “force majeures” like extreme weather or the outbreak of violence.

Which activities you are covered for

Higher-risk sports such as skiing, scuba diving, golfing and going on a cruise require specialist cover.

Personal responsibility

You won’t be covered if you are considered to have been acting recklessly. For example, you were drinking alcohol, you didn’t wear safety equipment, or you went to a country against government advice.

Travel insurance policies can be very different, and you should always read your own policy documents carefully to check what you are and aren’t covered for.

Which travel insurance extras should I consider?

Travel disruption insurance

Gives you more protection if you cancel or cut short your trip. Standard travel insurance usually doesn’t cover you for ‘force majeures’, which are unavoidable and extraordinary events such as natural disasters, governmental or societal actions such as strikes, riots or conflict, and infrastructure failures.

Gadget insurance

Gadget cover means any expensive equipment you take abroad, such as your phone or laptop, is fully protected. Standard travel insurance policies often impose limits to how much money you can claim back for lost or damaged items.

Adventure sports insurance

Covers you for higher-risk activities like hiking, scuba diving, or mountain biking. Rather than offering policies for each individual activities, travel insurers will generally sell a single upgrade that includes multiple types of adventure sports.

How much does travel insurance for interrailing cost?

Prices for travel insurance can vary a lot depending on what type of cover you need and which insurer you choose. These are the average prices our customers pay:

Compare quotes from different insurers to find the best price for the type of cover you want. Don't want more tasks on your to-do list? MoneySuperMarket can do the work for you, saving you time and money.