Backpacker travel insurance

One of the teams student daughter is off to spend the summer break coaching at a North American summer camp. Like many concerned and probably over anxious parents she has used this as an exercise in researching backpacker travel insurance. Here are some of her findings:

My first concern is that she will have adequate medical expenses cover if she is taken ill or injured and I have established that this element of her backpacker travel insurance will need to be least £1,000,000. I will be writing down the details of the 24 hour medical emergency service in the UK and putting it in her purse and making sure she has it in her mobile phone as well, just in case there are any emergencies.

Then there is cover for her travel essentials, camera, MP3 player, clothes and more shoes than Imelda! Here the sums on backpacker travel insurance bear careful scrutiny as there are inner single item and valuables limits. I have discovered that often savings can be made if more expensive personal possessions are covered under the long suffering parents “new for old” house contents policy.

Backpacker travel insurance can be kept to a surprisingly reasonable premium by opting out of the frills such as travel delay cover and curtailment. My daughter will have a revalidateable ticket from a reputable airline so if she decides to cut her stay short no extra expense will be incurred here and hopefully she will be catered for in the event of delays en route. All that remains now is to apply for her visa, essential these days for travel to North America and to work out how to fit all those pairs of 4 inch heels into her shocking pink suitcase and stay within the 20 kilo weight limit !

If you are planning on a backpacking or longstay trip this year, dont forget to buy travel insurance. Holidaysafe.co.uk has specialist longstay and backpacker travel insurance from as little as 17pence a day.