Complete Worldwide Travel Insurance Guide
A comprehensive guide to travel insurance for holidays, business trips, backpacking, cruises, family holidays and worldwide travel. Learn about medical cover, emergency evacuation, repatriation, cancellation, baggage, activities, pre-existing medical conditions and much more.
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Enter your trip details below to explore travel insurance options for your holiday. Compare before you buy and always check the policy wording, limits and exclusions.
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HolidayIn4U provides general travel information. Insurance products, eligibility, prices and cover are determined by the comparison provider and insurers. Check the full policy documents before purchasing.
Before You Buy Travel Insurance
The right travel insurance depends on the journey you are taking. Your destination, country of residence, age, trip length, medical circumstances, activities and the conditions of the policy can all affect the cover available to you.
Always check the insurer's current policy wording, limits, exclusions, geographical area and conditions before purchasing cover.
Worldwide Destination Insurance Search
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Travel Insurance Topics
What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
Travel insurance is designed to provide protection against specified unexpected events connected with a journey.
Depending on the policy, cover can include emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation, repatriation, cancellation, curtailment, baggage, travel disruption and personal liability.
Policies differ significantly. A benefit appearing in a policy does not mean every situation is automatically covered.
Worldwide Medical Cover
Medical cover is one of the most important parts of travel insurance. Healthcare costs, standards and access to treatment vary considerably between destinations.
Check for:
- Emergency hospital treatment
- Emergency outpatient treatment
- Ambulance transportation
- Emergency dental treatment where included
- Medical evacuation
- Repatriation
- Emergency assistance
- Additional accommodation where covered
- Transport following a medical emergency
Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
Serious illness or injury overseas can sometimes require specialist transportation, evacuation or repatriation.
This can be particularly important when visiting remote areas, mountains, islands or destinations far from major medical centres.
- Check whether emergency evacuation is covered.
- Check whether repatriation is covered.
- Check whether insurer approval is required.
- Check remote-area exclusions.
- Check mountain and rescue exclusions.
- Keep emergency assistance details accessible.
Cancellation and Curtailment
Cancellation cover may protect certain prepaid and non-refundable travel costs when an insured event prevents you from travelling.
Curtailment applies when you need to cut a trip short after it has already started.
- Check the cancellation limit.
- Check the curtailment limit.
- Check covered reasons.
- Check exclusions.
- Check medical conditions.
- Check travel advice conditions.
Baggage, Phones and Valuables
Baggage cover may protect against certain loss, theft or damage, but valuable items can have separate individual limits.
- Total baggage limit
- Single item limit
- Mobile phone limit
- Laptop limit
- Camera limit
- Valuable item limit
- Excess
- Proof of ownership
- Police report requirements
- Unattended baggage rules
Sports, Adventure and Activities
Standard travel insurance does not necessarily cover every activity.
Depending on the insurer, additional cover may be needed for skiing, snowboarding, scuba diving, surfing, trekking, climbing, rafting, motorcycling and other activities.
Check the insurer's activity list and restrictions concerning altitude, depth, equipment, supervision and location.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions
Existing medical conditions can affect eligibility, premiums, exclusions and policy conditions.
Answer medical questions accurately when applying. This can include conditions being investigated or circumstances where tests or treatment are pending.
Specialist providers may be available where standard insurance products are unsuitable.
Travel Insurance for Older Travellers
Some insurers have age limits or apply different conditions to older travellers.
Compare medical screening, emergency assistance, cancellation, trip duration restrictions and exclusions carefully.
Family Travel Insurance
- Make sure every traveller is correctly included.
- Check children's age limits.
- Check medical conditions for every traveller.
- Check cancellation limits.
- Check baggage limits.
- Check activities.
- Check whether travellers must travel together.
Pregnancy and Travel Insurance
Pregnancy cover varies between insurers and can depend on the stage of pregnancy and the circumstances involved.
Check emergency treatment, complications, cancellation and pregnancy-related exclusions before travelling.
Cruise Travel Insurance
Cruise holidays can involve several countries and remote locations, so specialist cruise conditions may be important.
- Medical treatment onboard
- Emergency evacuation
- Repatriation
- Missed ports
- Missed departures
- Cancelled excursions
- Cabin confinement where applicable
- Multi-country geographical cover
Backpacking and Long Stay Travel
Long stay travellers should pay particular attention to the maximum duration permitted by their policy.
Backpacking, gap year travel and extended multi-country journeys may require specialist long stay insurance.
If you are crossing borders, check every destination against the geographical area listed by the insurer.
Understanding Worldwide Insurance
The word worldwide does not necessarily mean exactly the same thing in every insurance policy.
Some insurers divide geographical cover into different areas. Certain countries may also be excluded or treated separately.
| Region | Important insurance considerations |
|---|---|
| Europe | Healthcare arrangements, winter sports, driving, cruises and multi-country travel. |
| North America | Medical expenses, road trips, winter sports, adventure activities and geographical definitions. |
| Central America and Caribbean | Islands, cruises, hurricanes, diving and water sports. |
| South America | Altitude, trekking, remote areas, internal flights and adventure activities. |
| Africa | Safari activities, remote healthcare, evacuation and multi-country travel. |
| Asia | Multi-country trips, diving, trekking, motorcycling and seasonal weather. |
| Middle East | Current travel information, security exclusions, geographical definitions and medical arrangements. |
| Oceania | Remote islands, road trips, marine activities, weather and evacuation. |
How to Make a Travel Insurance Claim
Contact your insurer
Follow the insurer's claims procedure as soon as reasonably possible.
Keep evidence
Keep receipts, medical documents, booking confirmations, police reports and photographs where relevant.
Complete the claim carefully
Provide accurate and complete information and keep copies of important documents.
Check the excess
An excess may reduce the amount paid on a successful claim.
Travel Insurance Checklist
Worldwide Travel Insurance FAQs
Does worldwide travel insurance cover every country?
Does travel insurance cover medical treatment?
Are pre-existing medical conditions covered?
Does travel insurance cover cancellation?
Does travel insurance cover lost luggage?
Does travel insurance cover adventure sports?
Is annual travel insurance better?
Does a healthcare card replace travel insurance?
Official Travel Information
HolidayIn4U is a worldwide travel resource. Travellers should check official information relevant to their nationality, destination and individual circumstances.
UK Foreign Travel Advice World Health Organization International Civil Aviation Organization
