Worldwide Travel Insurance

If you’re about to head off on a long-awaited overseas trip, right now you’re probably studying the guide book, panic-buying last minute travel essentials, and trying to cram everything into your suitcase. But amongst the excitement, there’s one important thing to do - buy your worldwide travel insurance.

Why do I need worldwide travel insurance?

Worldwide travel insurance is well worth having. You may think it’s unnecessary, but it could be a lifesaver if for example, you have an accident and need medical treatment; your baggage gets lost; your flight is delayed; or you need to cancel your trip at the very last minute.

Most travel insurers offer either European, or worldwide policies. Europe-only policies are generally (but not always) cheaper than worldwide ones, and often stretch the boundaries of Europe to include Egypt, Morocco and Turkey. But if you’re venturing any further afield – say to Asia, America, Australia or New Zealand - you’ll need worldwide cover. Always make sure your destinations are included, as definitions of worldwide cover can vary by provider.

Most standard travel insurance policies will cover you for up to 30 days. This is fine if you’re doing a two-week break in the sun. But if you’re heading off on a round-the-world trip or gap year adventure in some far-flung corner of the world, you’ll need to take out either annual travel insurance, or gap year travel insurance. The type of holiday you are having will dictate the type of policy you will need.

How is travel insurance worldwide different to standard travel insurance?

It all comes down to the cost of medical treatment. In Europe, there are agreements in place to keep treatment costs to a minimum for visitors from other EU countries. This doesn’t mean you don’t need medical insurance though, you do need it. This is because even though the costs are reduced in the EU for EU citizens, they’re still expensive to pay for. This EU agreement for medical costs is not in place with countries outside the EU. Most people have private health insurance to help with medical costs, but as visitors, we don’t. So a broken bone can end up costing you an arm and a leg, if you don’t have the right cover.