Do you enjoy exploring the world with only the items you can carry on your back? If you love to backpack or you’re interested in doing it for the first time, it’s important you protect yourself, and your finances, on your next trip. Travelex’s travel insurance is great for backpackers as you can receive coverage for travel delays, flight cancellations, emergency medical expenses, and more all at an affordable price. So even if you choose to travel light, travel insurance can help carry the weight in the event of an unexpected mishap or incident.
Benefits for backpackers
Affordable
Global coverage
Medical protection
What is considered a “backpacking” trip?
Backpacking is best described as a versatile and low-cost way of traveling. Generally, backpackers tend to travel for longer periods of time, across different countries and avoid hotels in favor of camping and hostels. An example of a common backpacking trip would be if you and a few friends used your summer break to travel across Europe.
Why would I need backpacking travel insurance?
As backpacking can involve multiple forms of transportation and travel between many different locations, having coverage for flight delays, trip cancellations and missed connections is crucial. For example, if you are traveling from Spain to Amsterdam but your flight is canceled because of a terrible storm, travel insurance can provide reimbursement in the event you need to book a hotel room last minute. Or, if your flight is delayed by five hours or more, travel insurance can cover additional travel expenses such as buying a meal at the airport.
Travel insurance for backpackers can also provide coverage in many other unforeseen circumstances. If your luggage is stolen or lost, travel insurance can provide reimbursement to replace the items. Or, if you get injured or become ill while traveling, travel insurance can not only locate your nearest medical facility, but it can also cover incurred medical expenses if necessary. This is incredibly important in situations where you might be traveling in remote locations such as small towns in Asia. If you accidentally injure yourself while hiking in a forest or surfing at a hidden beach, travel insurance can arrange a medical evacuation as well as provide financial reimbursement for hospital bills.
Which Travelex travel insurance plan is best for backpacking?
If you’re planning a backpacking trip, it’s important to have a budget-friendly travel insurance plan. The Travel Basic plan is affordable while also providing excellent coverage for backpackers. Yes, Travel Basic can provide coverage for trip cancellation, missed connections, emergency medical expenses and evacuation, lost or stolen valuables, and more.
Additionally, if you plan to rent a car at any point during your backpacking adventure, the Travel Basic plan offers optional upgrades including a car rental collision* upgrade. With the car rental collision upgrade, you have added coverage in the event your rental car is stolen, vandalized, or damaged while in your possession. This is a great option for those who are traveling by car through countries like Australia, Africa, Canada or South America for weeks on end.
If your backpacking trip is within the United States and is 14 days or less, the Travel America plan may be a good option for you. For a flat rate of $60, you can receive coverage with shared benefits for yourself and seven other traveling companions. The Travel America plan includes benefits for emergency medical expenses, rental car coverage, roadside assistance, trip cancellation (up to a maximum trip cost of $750 per plan), and more.
However, if you plan to engage in adventurous activities while traveling, the Travel Select plan provides higher medical expense premiums as well as a wider range of optional upgrades, including additional medical coverage and adventure sports. These optional upgrades can provide important benefits if your next backpacking trip includes mountain climbing, heliskiing, and more.
Lastly, Travelex insurance provides 24/7 access to an expert travel assistance team. The travel assistance team can help you in a number of different situations. If you are in need of legal assistance, a translator, travel document or ticket replacement, an emergency cash transfer, and more, travel assistance is available and ready to help.
How do I get a quote?
If you're planning on taking a backpacking trip, be sure to get a free online quote today!
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*Travelex’s car rental collision upgrade may not be available to residents of all U.S. states or for trips to all destinations. If this upgrade is available to you based on your state of residence and/or destination(s), you will be offered the opportunity to include this upgrade in your policy when getting a quote online.