Backpacking Travel Insurance

Insurance is probably the last thing that you want to think about when you are planning a trip. You may want to tick it off your list but getting the wrong cover can work out a lot more costly especially if you find yourself needing to claim.

Some bank accounts or credit cards offer free insurance but it’s usually not comprehensive enough for your backpacking trip. With so many insurance companies and so many pages of small print to read through, how do you choose the best backpacking travel insurance?

Having been to more than 100 countries, I’ve tried several insurance companies. In the past I’ve used True Traveller (who I still think are great and easy to use). But for my last trip I wanted to try an alternative.

World Nomads is a company that I hear every other blogger talking about. It’s an backpacking insurance company used by the big travel names such as Nomadic Matt, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and Intrepid. So I decided to see what all the hype was about and try them for myself.

My Experience with World Nomads

I was travelling to Lebanon for 5 days to visit a refugee camp (adventurous I know!) I inserted the country I was travelling to, my country of residence, my start and end date, my age and then the “Get a Price” yellow button. I was given a Total Standard Price of £30.66 and a Total Explorer Price of £36.32. Plus £1 added for my footprints donation (a fab idea!)

Underneath both was a full description of each coverage. Primarily just looking for medical expenses I opted for the standard price – the cheapest cover which covered me up to £5 million for emergency medical expenses. The excess for both policies was the same at £75 if I needed to claim.

The main differences were that I wasn't covered for trip interruption, money, travel delay & abandonment, and missed departure. (The higher coverage even covered post assault counselling!)

And it was cheaper than the True Traveller quote by £3.36. I was converted. But just having a lower price was only one of the reasons that I decided to book with them.

5 Reasons To Choose World Nomads

1. They are easy to use

They are super easy to use. Everything is explained simply so you can focus on what you need in your insurance such as your iPhone or camera, and leave out what you don’t. You don’t have to be a UK resident either as they provide cover for travellers from 140 countries. They even have language guides that you can download to learn the lingo before you go.

2. They are flexible

You can buy their insurance even if you are already travelling. This is great if you are travelling last-minute and completely forgot to get insurance before you went. You can also change your plans and buy more cover online if you decide to stay longer. This is a bonus for me as I never know what my plans will be and they can always change last-minute.

3. They have 24 hour assistance

They have 24 hour emergency assistance if anything goes wrong on your trip. Plus a high level of support if you need to claim. Even if you have a question you can still get in touch with them at any hour, no matter which time zone you are across the globe.

4. They cover adventure

World Nomads seem to understand the way us backpackers travel. They have designed their insurance for adventurous travellers and cover a range of adventure sports and activities. If you want to go white-water rafting in Australia or snowboard in the Alps you can.

5. You can help give back

What I love is that you can join the other 85% of their travellers to help change lives when you travel and donate between £1 – £5 to a choice of 3 communities such as ending childhood malnutrition in remote Indonesia, conserving Mekong ecosystems in Cambodia, or creating safer cities for girls in Hanoi.

Plus they have a great reputation and are a trusted brand by numerous big travel names. World Nomads are now my go-to insurance for each solo trip.

For more information on why you need insurance for your trip, find out why travel insurance is important here.  For an immediate quote for your next trip fill out where you are heading to in the box below.

Safe travelling….

What To Look For In Backpacking Travel Insurance

Excess

Generally speaking, the higher the excess the lower the insurance premium. If you pick a policy with a cheaper excess of just £50 then the premium you have to pay will be more expensive than one with an excess of £100. If you’re on a budget look for a higher excess for the cheapest price but be prepared to pay that cost if you need to claim.

Duration

If you’re going to be away several times within one year look at taking out an annual policy. This can cover you for up to ninety days at a time over a twelve month period.

Personal Items

If you’re taking a laptop, tablet or smart phone, make sure that the personal items cover the full amount of your equipment. Some only cover up to £50 per item so if your phone is worth more then ensure that it will cover the full value.

Activities

If you’re an adventurous solo check the small print to see if the activities you want to do are included. Some companies don’t cover extreme adventure sports such as bungee jumping and will only insure you up to the standard 2000 metres for trekking which is not ideal if you’re looking to go to Everest Base Camp for example.

Medical

Travel insurance can be one of the most expensive costs for your trip but it is necessary. If you can’t afford the full cover and don’t mind if your flight gets delayed or have no valuables in your luggage then look at reducing it down to just include the medical expenses instead.

N.b. My World Nomad link is an affiliate link. This doesn't cost you any extra and Girl about the Globe donates 10% of all affiliate sales to War Child, protecting children in war zones. Thanks for helping x