The most important thing to organise for your backpacking trip is travel insurance.
Travel insurance is an absolute must. You never know what could happen.
Obviously, we all hope and pray that we will not need to claim on our travel insurance however I would never recommend anyone to travel without it.
Travel insurance is however a mind field.
And finding travel insurance that is a backpacker-friendly policy can be a challenge!
This post breaks down everything you need to be aware of before purchasing a policy for your backpacking adventure.
Going solo backpacking on a 1-way flight is by far the craziest thing I have ever done!
It’s no secret that backpacking comes with its fair share of challenges.
When you actually break down the fact that it’s flying to the other side of the world completely solo for months on end, it’s pretty terrifying.
However, it’s all part of the journey and it is beyond worth it.
My adventure was everything and more than I could have ever imagined!
My Mistakes with Travel Insurance
Next week I am flying back to South East Asia for my third backpacking trip!
Over the past year, I have definitely learned from my mistakes when it comes to travel insurance.
For my first backpacking trip in August 2022 to Indonesia, I took out a regular travel insurance policy which was valid for a year.
I had no issues on my trip to Indonesia, I didn’t need my insurance and I didn’t think any more of it.
I did however fall in love with backpacking. I quickly decided life at home wasn’t for me and booked another flight!
In October 2022 I flew back to South East Asia to start what I intended to be a 3 month trip but actually ended up being 6 months!
The best 6 months of my life!
However, within the second month, I needed some medication from a doctor and thought I would check my insurance details to see if that would cover it.
It was only at this point that I realised the policy I had was only valid for trips of 31 days or less.
Yes, I was uninsured and had been for a week!
I am beyond lucky that I realised at this point and not further down the line. And even luckier that nothing bad happened whilst I was uninsured.
At this point, I started looking for new insurance policies but it wasn’t as straightforward as I expected.
Most insurance companies require you to take out your travel insurance policy whilst you are still in your home country before you leave.
My trip had already started, I was in Thailand at the time and definitely wasn’t going home!
I eventually found a temporary policy that covered me for the rest of that trip, however through this mistake, I encountered unnecessary expenses and paid over what I should for a policy that wasn’t the best fit for me.
This is where we all can learn from my mistakes!
Being hospitalised in Vietnam
Fast forward a couple of months my brother came to visit and we were both hospitalised with Dengue Fever in Vietnam.
We were riding mopeds at the time the symptoms first hit. We were in the middle of nowhere with a limited phone signal and few other tourists.
We eventually managed to flag down some locals who called us an ambulance.
After about 2 hours the ambulance arrived and took us to the hospital.
The wait for the ambulance was horrific, I could see that my brother was so ill but I was helpless as I was just as bad myself.
At this point we both thought it was severe food poisoning however after some tests they confirmed it was dengue fever and we would need to stay in overnight.
Overnight turned into 8 days.
To be completely transparent, it was horrible. It’s at this point you realise how far away from home you are and how helpless you feel.
I was lucky, I had my brother with me and I didn’t feel as alone. However, he was also extremely ill and it was equally as horrible seeing him in pain.
We are lucky it wasn’t anything more serious and that we both recovered fully after about 2 weeks.
It is however enough of a scare to realise how important travel insurance really is.
You don’t know what is around the corner and you certainly never set out intending to end up in hospital or needing an ambulance!
Safety Wing Insurance
I have found Safety Wing through other backpackers and I wish I had known about it sooner.
Safety Wing is designed for backpackers and digital nomads.
It is a monthly subscription insurance that you can take out from anywhere in the world and extend for as long as you need!
Safety Wing covers both medical and travel insurance in one which is so Important.
Medical Coverage
- If you are in an accident or fall sick and need medical assistance while outside your home country.
Travel Coverage
- For travel delays, lost checked luggage, emergency response, natural disasters and personal liability.
I have linked the full list of cover safety wing offers here!
I am confident that Safety Wing is the perfect insurance for backpackers and digital nomads and provides us with the flexibility we need.
Affiliate link, at no extra cost to you I may earn a small commission if purchased through this link.
Travel insurance for backpackers
Travel insurance is so important!
Making sure your travel insurance is a backpacker-friendly policy is even more important!
Please learn from my mistakes and ensure your insurance fits your trip and covers you suitably.
Do your own research into what is best for you!
If you do decide on Safety Wing, it would mean the world if you could purchase your cover through my link.
At no extra cost to you, I earn a small commission and it helps me run this blog and bring you more content!
Love
Zo x