Travel insurance can cover you for at least 12 months if you are going on a gap year.
It can cover medical expenses, cancellations, luggage and more.
Most travel insurers let extend your policy while you are away.
What travel insurance brands provide cover for a year abroad?
Brand
Maximum Trip Length
*Conditions of Extension
Enquire
12 months
If You are travelling and wish to be insured for longer than the original period shown on Your original Certificate of Insurance, You need to purchase a new policy. Restrictions on the duration of the new policy may apply. For example, the maximum overall period for Worldwide cover is 12 months in total.
The period of insurance on your original Certificate of Insurance and your new Certificate of Insurance cannot exceed a maximum combined period of 24 months.
The Period of Insurance on Your new Certificate of Insurance, when added to the period of Your original Certificate of Insurance, cannot exceed a combined maximum period of 12 months.
If You are travelling and wish to be insured for longer than the original period shown on Your original Certificate of Insurance, You need to purchase a new policy. The maximum overall period for Worldwide cover is 12 months in total.
If You are travelling and wish to be insured for longer than the original period shown on Your original Certificate of Insurance, You need to purchase a new policy. The maximum overall period for Worldwide cover is 12 months in total.
If You are travelling and would like to be insured for longer than the original period of cover, you will need to apply for cover prior to the expiry of your original policy. The period of cover on your new Certificate of Insurance cannot exceed 12 months from the start date shown on your new Certificate of Insurance.
Finder survey: What types of holidays have people taken?
Response
Male
Female
Honeymoon
52.22%
41.69%
None
28.32%
34.07%
Working holiday
20.04%
18.31%
Round-the-world
12.14%
10.85%
Other
9.63%
10.51%
Gap year
5.59%
8.64%
Baby-moon
3.28%
7.29%
Volunteer abroad
3.66%
4.24%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1112 Australians, December 2023
Extra cover that you may need in your gap year
Rental vehicle excess cover. If your rental vehicle is involved in an accident or stolen, you could be liable for the rental company's expensive insurance excess, which could be several thousand dollars. Luckily, most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover this expense.
Snow sports cover. Snow sports cover protects you from costs such as stolen or damaged equipment, equipment hire, and ski resort closure due to inclement weather. Seek snow cover if you are planning on going skiing or snowboarding during your gap year.
Adventure activities cover. Many high-risk adventure activities you might want to indulge in during your gap year such as rock climbing or hang gliding, are not automatically covered on many policies. Adding optional adventure activities cover to your policy ensures that claims resulting from your participation in such sports will be covered.
Valuable items cover. Although a travel insurance policy may have a high amount of cover for your personal possessions should they be lost or stolen, be aware that sub-limits may apply to individual items. As a result, you may not have sufficient cover in place to repair or replace an expensive laptop or camera, so taking out extra valuables cover can be a good idea.
What are some common general exclusions?
Though no two long term insurance policies are the same, you will generally not have your claim paid if:
Your claim results from a pre-existing medical condition for which you are not covered
Your claim relates to any elective medical, dental, cosmetic or surgical procedure
You fail to take reasonable care to minimise your loss or injury
Your claim relates to you committing an unlawful act
Your claim relates to psychiatric, nervous, mental or behavioural disorders
Your claim relates to physical, mental or emotional exhaustion
Your claim is a result of an intentional self-inflicted injury
Your claim is a result of the use of alcohol or drugs, except drugs prescribed by a medical practitioner
Your claim relates to a sexually transmitted disease
Your claim arises as a result of pregnancy or childbirth
Your claim relates to riding a motorcycle (certain exceptions may apply depending on your policy)
You participate in professional sport or adventure activities
You participate in paid work that is not for your usual employer and was not arranged beforehand
Your claim relates to an act of war.
Why you can trust Finder's travel insurance experts
We're free
Our travel insurance engine is completely free to use. You pay the same as buying directly from the insurer. Better still, we regularly run exclusive deals that you won't find on any other site.
Unlike other comparison sites, we're not owned by an insurer. That means our opinions are our own and we work with lots of travel insurance brands, making it easier for you to find a good deal.
We're here to help
Since 2014, we've helped over one million people find travel insurance by explaining your options simply. We'll never ask for your number or email to see prices. We're here to help you make a decision.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, many insurers will allow you to extend your cover if needed, as long as you meet the conditions of a policy extension. Common conditions include providing:
A reason for extending your travel insurance
Disclosure of any new health conditions
Note: Some insurers require you to request your extension a certain amount of time before your policy's original end date, such as 1 week in advance.
You. You can buy a policy when you're overseas. In most cases, you'll have a short waiting period of around 72 hours before you are covered.
Jessica Prasida is a travel insurance expert for Finder. She lives and breathes travel, having worked as a travel agent and branch manager at STA Travel for over 4 years, then writing about travel insurance with Finder for another 5 years. Jess has a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney and a Tier 1 General Insurance qualification.
Guide to high-risk travel insurance: What is and isn't covered.
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