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Maximize your itinerary, minimize your luggage, and help protect your finances — we’ll be right with you. 

How our backpacker travel insurance can help you

No matter how much you pack, you can always run into travel mishaps like delays and emergency medical expenses. If you choose to travel light, backpacking travel insurance can help carry the financial weight if something goes wrong on your trip.
If you like having options…  

If you want 24/7 travel assistance …

Our assistance provider can help with both urgent and non-urgent travel issues anytime, anywhere.

Get nonstop support
If you want access to emergency support support

If you want to protect your belongings …

We offer coverage for your baggage and personal items, so you can back up your backpack.

See baggage benefits
If you want medical expenses coverage coverage

If you want coverage for emergency medical costs …

Our Ultimate, Advantage, Essential, and Travel Med Go plans can help.

Get medical coverage
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If you want coverage for a pre-existing medical condition …

Our Ultimate plan can waive the pre-existing medical condition exclusion if you’re eligible.

Chronic illness benefit

Here's what you get with our comprehensive backpacker travel insurance plans

Want cheap backpacker travel insurance or extensive travel insurance for backpacking Europe? Compare our comprehensive plans below for the lowdown on what’s offered and what’s not to help you choose your coverage. 

Before you buy: Backpacking close to home? Our plans only offer coverage if you’re traveling at least 100 miles from your primary residence. Be sure to check your destination’s distance from your home before you get your policy.

a young mother with backpacker travel insurance hikes through a forest with her two sons (one a teen and the other a child) a young mother with backpacker travel insurance hikes through a forest with her two sons (one a teen and the other a child)

Ultimate

For travelers who want maximum protection.
  • Up to $50,000 trip cancellation
  • Up to $75,000 trip interruption
  • Up to $2,000 travel delay
  • Up to $250,000 emergency medical*
  • Up to $1,000,000 emergency evacuation and repatriation

Advantage

For travelers who want a step up from basic coverage.
  • Up to $10,000 trip cancellation
  • Up to $12,500 trip interruption
  • Up to $1,000 travel delay
  • Up to $50,000 emergency medical
  • Up to $250,000 emergency evacuation and repatriation

Essential

For travelers who want reliable coverage at a lower cost.
  • Up to $10,000 trip cancellation
  • Up to $10,000 trip interruption
  • Up to $600 travel delay
  • Up to $25,000 emergency medical
  • Up to $200,000 emergency evacuation and repatriation

Important:

* This coverage only applies to emergency medical expenses that first arise during your trip. You’ll have a $50 deductible if your primary residence is in Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Vermont, or Washington. Residents of New Hampshire are eligible for up to $50,000 emergency medical and dental coverage with the Ultimate plan.

 

Why vacation with our backpacker travel insurance?

You can match your coverage to your trip and move forward with a team that understands the ups, downs, and surprises of travel.

6 plan options available

Affordable plan options

Want cheap backpacker travel insurance? We offer so much more — with reliable coverage at a great price.

Check out our plans
25+ years' experience

25+ years’ experience 

You can explore with over two decades of travel expertise on your side and award-winning customer service.

Meet our team
24/7 support

24/7 travel support

That’s right — you can access support anytime, anywhere for medical assistance with an illness or injury and more.

See our assistance benefit

Get to know ourcoverage a little bit more

Whether you're hitting the trails or exploring bustling cities, we've got options to pair with your backpacking plans. 

a family of four raises their hands into the air as they take in scenic views on vacation, protected by backpacker travel insurance
a family of four raises their hands into the air as they take in scenic views on vacation, protected by backpacker travel insurance
a family of four raises their hands into the air as they take in scenic views on vacation, protected by backpacker travel insurance

Unpack our benefits

With perks like emergency medical coverage and trip cancellation, you’ll be ready for whatever the trail or your itinerary throws your way. Take a peek at the benefits that help make backpacking better. 

a young woman wearing sunglasses hikes through rocky alpine terrain, insured with backpacker travel insurance
a young woman wearing sunglasses hikes through rocky alpine terrain, insured with backpacker travel insurance
a young woman wearing sunglasses hikes through rocky alpine terrain, insured with backpacker travel insurance

Discover our upgrades

Your worldwide backpacker travel insurance should work for your unique trip. We offer customizable coverage with nine optional upgrades, from adventure activities to cancel for any reason.  

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travel on app
travel on app

Pack our Travel On app

Keep your policy in your pocket — and more. Travel safer with our app’s tap-to-call 24/7 assistance, destination information, and real-time safety alerts. 

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Backpacker travel insurance tips andvacation inspiration

Want a better backpacking experience? Get our guidance before you go.
a man and woman wear helmets and bike through town on vacation, following the responsible traveler tips they researched

Want to be responsible while you’re backpacking?

Here are 10 ways to help ensure you have a more eco-friendly experience while you’re out exploring.

Backpack responsibly
a young man sits by the ocean while he researches the difference between a travel alert and advisory on his phone

Is your destination safe for backpacking?

Find out the difference between a travel alert and a travel advisory so you’re more informed before you leave.

Compare alert and advisory
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How much does backpacker travel insurance cost?

Check out our list of seven factors that can affect how much you pay for your backpacking travel insurance.

Understand coverage costs

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Want to know more about our backpacker travel insurance?

Get more coverage details to help you blaze the trail with extra confidence.

Let’s start with what it means to be a backpacker. Backpacking is where you explore the world at your own pace, with nothing but a backpack filled with essentials and an open heart ready for new experiences. It’s a versatile and lower-cost way of traveling for longer periods of time and across different countries.

Getting worldwide backpacker travel insurance is like adding a layer of protection that means you can get financial support and travel assistance if you experience mishaps on your trip — whether it’s stormy weather that cancels your flight or an illness you catch while staying in a hostel. If you pack coverage, you can focus on the joy of discovering new places and meeting fascinating people, knowing that if anything goes awry, you can be safeguarded against unwelcome surprise costs. 

Maybe you’re thinking you won’t need coverage because you’re not bringing much, or that your U.S. health insurance will take care of any medical costs you may have while traveling. But travel insurance can cover much more than what you pack — and your U.S. health insurance likely won’t work in other countries, or even certain U.S. states. 

Backpacking can involve multiple forms of transportation and travel between many different locations — meaning it’s more likely for you to have travel delays, trip interruptions, and missed connections. For example: Imagine you’re traveling from Spain to Amsterdam and mechanical issues delay your flight for more than five hours.  

Your travel insurance for backpacking Europe could reimburse you for the cost to book a hotel room last minute and meals you need while you wait. 

What if your backpack gets lost, stolen, or damaged? It’s likely the only bag you’re traveling with, so you’d need replacement items ASAP. If you packed a Travelex policy, we could reimburse the costs to replace your necessary belongings if you save your receipts and submit them with your claim. Just don’t forget to check your plan’s coverage limit for baggage before you go on a shopping spree — we can only cover up to a certain amount. 

Plus, if you get injured or sick while traveling, our 24/7 travel assistance provider can help you find the nearest medical facility, and we can reimburse your emergency medical expenses. 

Don’t think you need backpacking travel insurance? It’s especially important if you’re traveling in remote locations where there may not be adequate medical care. Whether you get hurt while hiking in a forest or exploring a hidden beach, our travel assistance provider can arrange and help pay for your emergency medical evacuation and hospital costs so you can get the care you need when you need it. Without coverage, you could be left to arrange your care yourself — and pay for all the bills.

You bet! Our base plans already include protection for certain adventure activities like hiking, kayaking, and horseback riding, so you can hit the trails with confidence. Whether you’re roaming through lush forests or scaling scenic hills on your backpacking trip, we’re right there with you for your everyday outdoor adventures. 

But if you’re craving something a bit more daring — like mountaineering with ropes, bungee jumping, or even skydiving — our adventure activities upgrade is your ticket to thrill-ville. This upgrade removes our base plans’ exclusions for certain high-adrenaline activities, so you can take your adventures to the next level. Whether you’re leaping off cliffs or exploring rugged peaks on your backpacking adventure, we’ll help you focus on the fun while we handle the unexpected. 

You can, if you buy our Ultimate plan within 21 days of your first trip payment, ensure your entire trip cost, and are medically able to travel when you get your policy. It takes just a few steps to have financial back-up for the medical care you need for your chronic illness while you’re exploring with only backpack! 

Most of our plans offer coverage for baggage and personal effects (up to $500 per item), so your backpack and eligible items are protected on the go up to the benefit limit for your plan.

We don’t offer coverage for electronics on our base plans, but we do with our baggage upgrade! It adds extra coverage for your non-tech stuff, and helps protect your laptop, tablet, phone, camera, GPS device, and other electronics up to $1,500 per item.

So, when you’re packing for your backpacking trip, don’t forget to see if you need to take our baggage upgrade with you too. 

Yes, as long as you avoid our blocked destinations!

If you’re planning to backpack in a remote area, it’s important to consider a plan that offers our emergency medical evacuation benefit. If you’re hurt or injured and don’t have the medical care you need nearby, you’ll need to be evacuated to the nearest suitable medical facility — which can be costly. Our coverage means you’ll not only have 24/7 assistance to help coordinate your evacuation, but also back-up for your unexpected costs. 

No matter which of our Travelex plans you choose, you’ll have access to our 24/7 expert travel assistance provider — so you’re never truly alone on your backpacking adventure. From finding local medical care to arranging an emergency medical evacuation, you’ll be in good hands. They’re also easy to reach with just a tap on the assistance button in our Travel On app

Our Travel On app can also help you travel safer — and make smarter decisions — while you’re backpacking. It can: 

  • Alert you to nearby safety risks so you can avoid them before they become an issue.
  • Tell you important safety and health information about each destination you visit.
  • Give you the numbers to local emergency services so you have them handy if you need them quickly. 

Plus, it also contains your description of coverage, so if you’re wondering whether or not you’ll have coverage for the adventure activity you’d like to try, you can find out easily.

The right plan for you depends on your travel needs, like your budget and what activities you’re planning. All our plans can work well for backpackers, as long as you’re traveling at least 100 miles away from home. You can compare our Travelex plans here.

If you’re planning a budget-friendly backpacking trip, you may want cheap backpacker travel insurance. Our Essential plan is our most affordable plan, meaning you’ll have a wide range of benefits at a lower price. If you want a bit more coverage but still want to save money on your travel insurance cost, our Advantage plan may be a good choice.

Want to rent a car or try adventure sports during your backpacking vacation? Or maybe you’re traveling with your dog or want protection for your smartphone. With our Essential or Advantage plan, you can choose from several upgrades to add extra coverage to your policy.

Our best option for worldwide backpacker travel insurance coverage is our Ultimate plan. It has our highest benefit limits and most customizable coverage, meaning you can choose to add any of our nine optional upgrades to your policy for extra protection. 

Yes, you can extend your backpacking travel insurance — but only in certain situations!

If something unavoidable delays your trip, like bad weather or other circumstances beyond your control, and you insured your entire trip, your coverage can be extended.

However, this extension ends as soon as:

  • You arrive back at your originally planned destination, or
  • Seven days after your original return date, whichever happens first.

Just a heads-up, this extension doesn’t apply if the delay is voluntary (like choosing to stay longer). Plus, if you’ve already filed a claim, this won’t affect it!

Have questions about your specific situation? Reach out — we’re here to help! 

We recommend getting travel insurance as soon as you start booking your trip. Think of it as packing your safety net right alongside your hiking boots and trail mix. By getting your plan early, you’re ready for an unexpected trip cancellation because of those “oops, I didn’t see that coming” moments before you even hit the trail.

Plus, if you buy our Ultimate plan within 21 days of your first trip expense, you’ll be eligible for our pre-existing condition coverage. You just need to insure your entire trip cost and be medically able to travel when you purchase our coverage. 

It’s simple to find out — just hit the orange “Get quote” button or scroll to the top of the page and enter your destination to start your free quote.  

Once you enter a few trip and traveler details, you’ll see which of our plan and upgrade options are available for you to choose from. 

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