Travel insurance for backpackers

Do I need travel insurance?

Travel insurance is very important, especially for backpackers. The biggest reason is the medical insurance. You won’t be covered for medical expenses unless you are sticking to the 11 countries that Australia has a reciprocal health care agreement with. Smartraveller, the Australian government's official travel site, says if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.

Basic and standard policies can also cover you for accidental death (e.g. getting your body home to loved ones), emergency evacuation if you get really sick or injured and personal liability if you injure or damage someone or their property.

More comprehensive policies can cover you for trip cancellations, lost or stolen luggage and personal items, rental car excess and more.

Countries Australia has an RHCA with

Australia has RHCAs in place with the following countries:

I've spent a lot of time traipsing around countries when I was younger. I would always take out the most basic cover for medical expenses but it was almost never what went wrong on trips. It was usually cancelled flights and delayed or lost luggage. If you want cover for these things too, you should probably get comprehensive travel insurance.

Gary Ross Hunter
Finder's insurance and innovations editor

Plan on doing any adventure activities?

Travel insurance can cover you but you'll usually need to add adventure sports to your policy for a small fee.

Good value travel insurance for backpackers

FastCover won the best value travel insurance award because you get a lot for your money compared to the 28 international policies we analysed, making it a good choice for backpackers on a budget who don't want to compromise on cover. This includes COVID cover, cancellations, unlimited medical, travel delay expenses, lost luggage and more. Head to our best travel insurance guide for more information.

• Pros and cons

  • Extensive COVID cover (incl. trip rearrangement and cancellation costs and repatriation – many others don't offer this).
  • Cheapest international policy on average out of 28.
  • Best Value Finder award winner and Finder Innovation finalist.

  • Lots of other travel insurers also cover COVID-19 now.
  • Rental car excess cover is an optional extra. It's automatically included with most comprehensive policies.
  • $750 cap on delayed luggage. SCTI and CoverMore have a $1,000 and $1,100 cap.

• How Fast Cover Travel Insurance compares

  Provider	Example quote	Excess	Overseas medical	Cancellation fees and lost deposits	Rearrangements costs for Covid-19	Customer Satisfaction rating
  Fast Cover - Comprehensive	$141.99	$200	Unlimited	Unlimited	Included	★★★★★ 4.01/5
  Covermore - International Comprehensive	$253.00	$250	Unlimited	$2,000	Included	★★★★★ 4.16/5
  NRMA - Comprehensive	$175.75	$250	Unlimited	$4,000	Included	★★★★★ 4.24/5

  *Example quote based on a single 40 year old travelling to Bali for 2 weeks. Data collected in August 2023.

• What you're covered for

  • COVID-19 Medical Expenses:
  • Rearrangement costs if you get COVID-19:
  • Theft or damage to luggage: up to $15,000
  • Cancellation and amendment fees: up to Unlimited
  • Luggage delay: up to $750
  • Theft of cash: up to $250
  • Rental car excess insurance: Optional
  • Cooling off period: 25 days
  • Travel Delay: up to $2,000
  • Special Events: up to $5,000
  • Travel Documents: up to $5,000
  • Personal liability: up to $5,000,000

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• How to find the best backpacker travel insurance for you

  If you're travelling the world on a budget, then you're probably going to end up taking more risks. Whether it's using cheap and potentially unreliable transport or staying in hostels with poor security, travel insurance for backpackers is as important to your trip as the backpack itself.

  Backpacking comes in all different styles - from travelling across Europe to hiking through the rainforest - which means there is no one policy that all backpackers need. The best policy for you will depend on where you travel, your budget and how long you travel for, amongst other things. Having said that, when searching for the best travel insurance, it's worth considering the following:

  • Look for the best value, not the cheapest. It's tempting to get the cheapest form of travel insurance out there – even if it's just to get your parents to stop worrying – but some of the cheapest policies cover you for very little should something actually go wrong.
  • Emergency Medical Expenses & Repatriation. Backpackers tend to do more high-risk activities than others when they travel, from bungee jumps to hiking. You might be young, fit and healthy but accidents can happen so having emergency medical cover is a must. Repatriation cover is usually also included and this can get you to a hospital quickly without a hefty bill to accompany it. It can also help cover the cost of travelling home in case of a medical emergency.
  • Know your limits. If you know you plan on participating in activities – such as mountaineering, rock climbing, hang gliding – make sure they don't invalidate your travel insurance. You should also be wary of passport/credit card coverage as well as baggage and medical coverage. While you probably aren't travelling with the most expensive gear, you might want to get cover for certain items. Ask yourself, how easily could you replace items if they are lost or stolen.
  • Consider trip cancellation. It may be worth considering trip cancellation if you have spent a lot on flights or already paid for your accommodation. Similarly, it's helpful if you or a family member gets ill and you need to cancel. However, many backpackers aren't interested in trip cancellation coverage as they don't usually have a lot invested in the trip before they arrive. It may be something you can live without.

Cheap backpacker travel insurance

Tick is hard to beat when it comes to price, making it a potentially good option for backpackers who want cheap cover medical expenses. Our research shows it's commonly the cheapest basic travel insurer for popular destinations including Bali, Italy and the UK.

• Pros and cons

  • Highest rated travel insurer on Finder (4.42/5) and 95% recommendation rate.
  • The cheapest travel insurance cover for 7 out of the 9 destinations we got quotes for.
  • 10% off your travel insurance policy, using the code Finder.

  • Only covers the basics e.g. unlimited medical expenses, up to $2,000 for stolen luggage and personal liability cover.
  • No cover for COVID-19.
  • No cover for cancellations or travel delays.

• How Tick Travel Insurance compares

  Provider	Example quote	Excess	Overseas medical	Cancellation fees and lost deposits	Discounts available?	Customer Satisfaction rating
  Tick - Single trip	$93.19	$200	Unlimited	$20,000	10% off with coupon code: Finder10	★★★★★ 4.42/5
  Medibank - Comprehensive	$147.05	$250	Unlimited	Unlimited	15% off for members (included in price)	★★★★★ 4.13/5
  NRMA - Comprehensive	$175.75	$250	Unlimited	$4,000	5% off for members (include din price)	★★★★★ 4.24/5

  *Example quote based on a single 40 year old travelling to Bali for 2 weeks. Data collected in August 2023.

• What you're covered for

  • COVID-19 Medical Expenses:
  • Rearrangement costs if you get COVID-19:
  • Theft or damage to luggage: up to $2,000
  • Cancellation and amendment fees: No
  • Luggage delay: No
  • Theft of cash: No
  • Rental car excess insurance: $0
  • Cooling off period: 14 days
  • Travel Delay: No
  • Special Events: No
  • Travel Documents: No
  • Personal liability: up to $1,000,000

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• How to find cheap backpacker travel insurance for you

  There are ways you can save on backpacking insurance so don’t worry, you won’t have to give up your Contiki tour to pay for it. Here are some tips to help you save money on your insurance:

  • Find a policy with adventure activities built-in. You usually have to pay extra for adventure activities bit some policies will offer some adventure cover for free. For example, you can find policies that will automatically cover you for bungee jumping, motorcycle riding and shark cage diving for free.
  • Get a single-trip policy instead. Most backpacking policies are just singles policies with a new name and the ability to add a few extra months to your trip. But some insurers might offer you worse terms if you select “backpacking” rather than “single trip”. Get quotes for both trip types and see what one looks better. Just make sure it offers covers for all the same activities. You may be limited to one year’s worth of cover, so you’ll also need to find out if they will let you extend your cover from overseas if you’ll be travelling longer.
  • Choose medical only. If you’re really strapped for cash, you can choose a policy that covers you for medical expenses and nothing more. You won’t be covered if someone steals your luggage or if you have to cancel your trip, but you will be covered if you get sick or injured overseas. Medical costs can be astronomical, so medical cover is arguably the most important part of you cover anyway.
  • Do your homework. Prices can vary wildly from brand to brand, so make sure you get quotes from a few providers so that you can get the best deal. Just make sure that you also compare what the policies offer before buying the cheapest one. If the second cheapest one offers much better cover, that’s probably a better choice.
  • Look into reciprocal healthcare agreements (RHA). Australian has agreements with many countries around the world to provide medical cover to each other’s residents. If you have a Medicare card, you may have medical cover in a lot of countries - especially in Europe. If you’ll be spending a large portion of your time in these countries, it may be worth asking your insurer if they’ll reduce your premium for the time you’ll be there. Just remember that your benefits may be limited (see the section on backpacking in Europe below).
  • Look out for discount codes and sales. We offer exclusive discounts with some travel insurance brands and check each of our partners' sites to see what offers are available. Available offers are displayed just below.

Travel insurance deals

Code

Save 10% on InsureandGo policies with Finder

Use this coupon code to save 10%. Ts&Cs apply.

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Code exclusive

Get 10% off Freely travel insurance policies

Use this promo code to get a 10% discount. T&Cs apply.

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Deal

Protect your next trip with Qantas Travel Insurance

Expires 28 May 2024

Plus, earn up to 10,000 Qantas Points. T&Cs apply.

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Code exclusive

Get 12% off Kogan travel insurance policies

Use this promo code to get a 12% discount. T&Cs apply.

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Deal exclusive

Get 8% off your Travel Protect policy

Use the promocode to get 8% off travel insurance. T&Cs apply.

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Code

Get 10% off on Tick travel insurance policies

Use this code to get a 10% discount. T&Cs apply.

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Deal

ahm and Medibank members get 10% off travel insurance

Get this discount if you're an ahm or Medibank Private member and save.

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Deal

Earn Velocity Points with Cover-More

Get 3 Virgin Velocity Points for every $1 spent on travel insurance with Cover-More.

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Deal exclusive

Get 8% off your Wise and Silent policy

Use the promocode to get 8% off travel insurance. T&Cs apply.

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Deal

15% off travel insurance for Medibank Private members

Get this discount if you're a Medibank Private member and save.

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Who offers long-term travel insurance cover for backpackers?

Brand	Maximum length covered in one trip	How does it work?	Enquire
Medibank	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	Bonus Get quote
Freely	6 months	Where your journey is necessarily extended due to an unforeseen circumstance outside your control, your period of insurance will be extended until you are physically able to travel home by the quickest and most direct route. The period of insurance will not be extended for any other reason.	Bonus Get quote
Zoom	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	Get quote
fastcover	24 months	You can purchase a 12-month policy and apply to extend for another 12 months after your trip has started.	Bonus Get quote
Insure4less	12 months	You can apply for up to a 12 month extension (maximum extension of insurance is 12 months. Note: There is no cover for any insured person who is in the USA for 364 consecutive days or more.	Get quote
Travel Insuranz	12 months	You can apply for up to a 12 month extension (maximum extension of insurance is 12 months. Note: There is no cover for any insured person who is in the USA for 364 consecutive days or more.	Get quote
InsureandGo	12 months	Cover can be extended, subject to approval from InsureandGo.	Finder AwardBonus Get quote
Tick	12 months	Cover can be extended, subject to approval from Tick.	Bonus Get quote
World2cover	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	Get quote
Cover-More	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	Bonus Get quote
Southern Cross	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	Finder Award Get quote
Australia Post	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	Get quote
Travel with Kit	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	More info
Travel with Jane	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	More info
Easy	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	Get quote
Travel Insurance Saver	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	Get quote
1cover	12 months	If you choose to continue travelling after your first 12 months, you may be able to get a further 12 months of cover by taking an "Already Overeas" policy.	More info
Worldcare	12 months	You can purchase the new cover subject to approval and duration of cover cannot exceed the total of 12 months.	More info

^{Table updated August 2023}

Travel insurance for people backpacking in Australia

Overseas visitors backpacking in Australia

You will need to buy non-resident travel insurance from an insurer in Australia. Travel insurance is not the same as Overseas Visitor Health Cover. If you're here on a visa and are required to have some form of health insurance in place, you will need OVHC.

Australian residents

If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Australia and you are backpacking here, your medical expenses are already covered via Medicare. Your best bet is to simply purchase a domestic travel insurance policy – either a single-trip policy covering the entire duration of your trip, or an annual multi-trip policy if you will be returning home periodically between travels.

Frequently asked questions

• Should I get travel insurance as a backpacker?

  Smartraveller says if you can't afford to take out travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. While you're on a budget as a backpacker, this advice applies to you as well.

• What is the difference between backpacker insurance and travel insurance?

  There's no difference between backpacker insurance and travel insurance. However, backpackers typically want to take out cover for a longer period. Lots of travel insurance policies can cover you for up to 12 months. Some can cover you for as long as 24 months.

• Does travel insurance cover COVID-19?

  Yes. Most major travel insurers cover COVID-19 now. This includes medical expenses if you're hospitalised, as well as rearrangment or cancellation costs due to COVID.