For many, backpackers travel insurance must go beyond what is offered with a standard policy. Not all travel policies even cover backpacking vacations, leaving backpackers without needed medical care in emergencies. Some of the most popular backpacking destinations are also outside the boundaries of standard policy coverage, which places limits on where they are allowed to go. Before heading off on a cross-country or international trek, it is important for you to know what insurance is available to you and to find what is best suited to your needs.

Standard insurance policies exclude anything that has the potential to cause a claim. Backpacking, as well as certain other sports and activities, automatically places people at risk of illness and injury because it involves leaving the paved roads and vacation resorts. Backpacking in wilderness areas and mountain trails, as well as overnight accommodations in cheap hotels and backpackers hostels raises a lot of safety issues. Insurers also consider people who participate in those activities more likely to be assaulted or robbed. A backpacker’s travel insurance policy is issued with an understanding of the risks involved, and offers more coverage than a standard travel policy.

Backpackers have unique travel needs, and their insurance must be geared toward meeting those needs. For example, with the range of popular destinations, backpackers travel insurance must cover more countries, as well as remote areas that standard policies overlook. Avalanches, natural disasters and acts of God can all be major factors for backpackers, and many policies offer coverage for them, although with specific conditions attached. Health coverage for backpackers often includes a provision for covering transportation to an actual medical facility. Finally, backpacker policies often offer the option of extending the policy, or changing the policy location area, an excellent option for international backpackers who get caught up in the journey.

A common rite of passage for students leaving college is embarking on a multinational backpacking tour. It is a cheap way to see other countries, interact with the people and learn about the culture. It also offers the opportunity to find yourself, figuring out who you are and what you want to do with your life. However, for many, backpackers travel insurance does not provide coverage for destinations and vacations that the backpacker wants to experience. This can leave you stranded, without assistance or replacement of goods in the event of an emergency. Taking the time to explore your options before you leave, however, will help ensure that your policy covers what you need, wherever you go and no matter what happens along the way.