There is something exciting about traveling the world with just your backpack and your passport. You have to be willing to sleep in your clothes sometimes, travel by all forms of transport, and be very patient.
Most backpackers have to be social, or they become social people by the end of the holiday because they spend so much time at hostels and dormitories with other people traveling on the cheap. Their goal is to see as much of the world as they can within a tight budget.
Comfort, en suite bathrooms, and fancy hotel décor are not as important as prolonging their holiday time. Air conditioned cars and taxis are not as desirable as experiencing new cultures and indigenous people on their own turf and on their usual buses.
These individuals also face unique risks not as common to people seeking insurance for one trip at a time. This does not mean there is such a thing as a risk free holiday. Still, backpackers travel insurance is designed to provide for clients in difficult situations.
These policies can be very inclusive, with certain brokers providing coverage even in the most dangerous or unpredictable countries around the world. Still, something in the backpacker’s nature wants to go to these places and meet the real people you do not see on the evening news; the ones not holding guns.
It is typical for a backpacker to find himself as far from home as it is possible to get. These travelers need to be protected against endemic illnesses caused by drinking contaminated water, or being stabbed by mosquitoes.
They usually are covered since these are typical risks which almost all travelers under any circumstances will face. Nothing you do can prevent all mosquitoes from joining some part of your travels around Africa for instance.
Most insurance coverage includes medical treatment whether this means going to hospital to have x-rays, or just buying some antibiotics so that you can make it through to the next destination. Certain policies explicitly state that they provide rescue services as well, in case you need to get out of a remote location by helicopter to the nearest emergency room.
What is less clear is whether or not a traveler will be covered for extreme activities in the event that injury occurs. Backpackers, being thrill seekers at heart, are drawn to bungee jumping, parasailing and white water rafting.
The wilder the rapids the better they like it. Rock faces have to be vertical to be challenging. Anything else is a kiddies’ slope. No holiday is complete without swimming with sharks, or something equally dangerous.
It is important to check a policy carefully, though, before undertaking any of these activities. Experiencing an injury during one of these, or some of the other extreme sports available around the world, could disqualify a client from receiving compensation for medical costs.
It is better to purchase a policy which allows you do whatever you plan to do, or to know what exciting sports you will and will not be trying while you are away. That way, if you get gored by a bull, you know you can afford to be stitched up without opting for the do-it-yourself (DIY) solution.
Backpackers tend to expose themselves to more risk than couples staying in hotel rooms or traveling on guided tours. Their financial security is undermined by the fact that they stay in group accommodation where they could be robbed in their sleep.
Money and belongings are frequently stolen under these circumstances. Even personal safety can be an issue since a backpacker is at the mercy of public transport or his own feet much of the time, sometimes when night has fallen and the criminal element has come out to play. Whereas many travelers rent cars or have access to hotel shuttles, this is not so for someone traveling without an itinerary or a hotel booking, perhaps alone.
Backpackers travel insurance should provide help when technology or money is stolen and to look after you if you are mugged. Again, this kind of thing is routinely covered, especially in a package designed specifically for backpackers. Certain companies also make it easy for consumers to make claims while they are still on the road, simply because it can take too long to get back.
Many people who travel in this way take several months or even a year to complete their journeys. That is too long to wait when you need your Blackberry so you can keep sending text messages to mom and dad back home so they know you are alive out there, somewhere.
If you want the cheapest policy available, limit some of your plans. Although flexibility is the key to backpacking, select a date of return so that you do not need to buy an open plan which would enable you to spontaneously change the date of your arrival home.
Choose your adventures beforehand and stick to them. Rather than buying an all inclusive policy, opt for one where just certain sports are covered, such as kite sailing and water scuba diving.
Visit countries where there is no imminent threat of being kidnapped or blown up. There are a lot of politically volatile destinations and they keep changing, so remain up to date with the world scene. Staying away from these zones will also reduce premiums.
Making these choices will inevitably reduce the spontaneity you bring to your holidays, unless you plan to take the risk that nothing bad will happen. The trouble with that attitude, however, is that trouble does happen.
No one expects it to, but when it does and you are not covered by an insurance policy, you could be left suffering without medical care or completely destitute after paying your last dime to have a broken bone set.
At this point, insurance starts to look cheap. To be on the safe side, either purchase the expensive, all-inclusive plan, or follow the guidelines set by your policy. This way your time away will not be overshadowed by hardships and horrors.
