Gap Year Travel Insurance

June 25th, 2009

Looking for Gap Year insurance? Here are some common pitfalls to be aware of when choosing your Gap Year travel insurance policy.
Firstly don't buy the wrong policy! It's easily done. For instance, a cheap tourist policy is unlikely to cover working abroad, and it would be unwise to rely on your parent's annual family travel insurance to cover you as this may not cover you at all. So the advice here is to buy a good quality, specialist Gap Year Travel Insurance policy.
Secondly, beware of exemptions. All policies have them, and there are huge variations. So you really do need to read and understand the small print to ensure that the cover is sufficient for your circumstances. Check it covers the sports and activities you may want to do, and remember that many of the more risky activities that travellers undertake are 'spur of the moment' decisions. Check that you are covered to work, whether paid or voluntary.
Thirdly, you may need to cancel your trip. You should buy your travel insurance as soon as you book your trip to ensure that you are covered to cancel should you or a close relative become ill or have an accident. Sadly, it is not uncommon for a traveller to suffer a family bereavement during their time away. Some specialist providers offer cover for the cost of travelling home and back in the event of an unexpected loss of a family member.
And then there is the situation, increasingly common these days, of the airline you are booked to travel on going bust or the FCO issues a warning against all but essential travel as they did when Swine Flu struck Mexico. Remember that it may not be you cancelling the trip. Do check that you are covered if an airline goes bust and what cover is provided should there be a travel warning for a country that you are due to visit.
Finally 'it's not the cost that matters but the cover that counts.' So long as you plan your trip well and take measures to ensure your safety, you are certain to enjoy the wonderful adventure that Gap Year travel offers.