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Long stay travel insurance

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  • Get cover for up to 18 months

  • Protect yourself from unexpected costs while you're travelling

  • Compare policies from up to 471 trusted UK providers

1Correct as of July 2024

What is long stay travel insurance?

Long stay travel insurance usually covers you for a single trip lasting between 1 and 18 months. Policies can cover you for a long holiday to a single destination, or for a trip with multiple stops.

So, whether you're planning a backpacking adventure and need travel insurance for 6 months, or you want to spend winter in the sun, a long stay travel insurance policy should provide the protection you need.

What does long term travel insurance cover?

Exactly what's covered varies between providers and policies. It's important to carefully check policy details before you buy insurance to make sure you're getting suitable cover.

Here's what's typically included with travel insurance:

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What's normally covered?

  • Cancellations and curtailment. You're covered if you need to cancel your trip or cut it short due to an unexpected event. This includes things like you or a family member becoming ill or injured, or disruptions that prevent you from travelling.
  • Emergency medical expenses. If you or someone you're travelling with needs emergency medical care, your travel insurance can help cover the cost of these bills.
  • Repatriation. If you need to be transported home for medical treatment, your insurance normally covers the costs.
  • Baggage cover. If anything happens to your belongings, you can claim back the cost of replacing them. This includes any luggage you take with you, as well as travel documents.
  • Third-party liability. You're normally covered for any accidental damage you cause to someone else's property. Your travel insurance provides legal protection if you're held liable.
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What's not normally covered?

  • Travelling against government advice. If you travel against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), you'll invalidate your travel insurance.
  • Undeclared pre-existing medical conditions. If you don't let your insurer know about any medical conditions you have, you risk not being covered.
  • Adventure activities. If you're planning any adventurous activities or extreme sports, you might not be covered by standard travel insurance.
  • Known events. Any events that are known when you buy your travel insurance aren't covered. This includes things like natural disasters or travel disruptions.
  • Incidents that occur while you're under the influence. If you're injured or you cause damage to someone's property while you're under the influence of drugs or alcohol, your insurance won't cover you.
  • Winter sports. If you're planning on going skiing during your trip, you may need to add it as a policy extra or buy a specialist policy for an additional cost.

We compare 47 trusted travel insurance companies1 to find you our best deals

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Coverwise
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What optional extras can I add onto my long term travel policy?

It's important that your travel insurance policy offers you the right amount of cover for your trip. If it doesn't, you could consider adding policy extras. These come at an added cost, but offer enhanced cover. So, they should cover the activities you decide to do during your trip.

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Gadget insurance

This provides a set amount of cover for electronics that often aren't covered by a standard policy.

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Winter sports cover

This covers you if you're planning activities like skiing or snowboarding during your trip.

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Cruise cover

This covers missed ports, cabin confinement and missed excursions due to unexpected circumstances.

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Business cover

This covers business equipment like money or a laptop that might not be covered by standard insurance.

Are there any age limits on long-stay travel insurance?

Some policies have upper or lower age limits. You should check these before you buy your policy to make sure you're covered.

Typically, long stay travel insurance doesn't cover anyone under the age of 18. But, it's possible to find cover for 17-year-olds.

Many providers reduce the length of trip you're covered for as you get older. For example:

  • Up to a year for those aged 18-65
  • Up to 3 months between 66-80
  • Up to 1 month over 80

This is generally because the older you are, the higher your risk of falling ill or becoming injured. This means you're more risky to insurers. Plenty of providers offer long stay travel insurance for over 50s and some even offer specialist long-stay travel insurance for over 75s though, so you should still be able to find cover. Just make sure you check the policy details for age limitations before buying.

What's the difference between long stay and annual travel insurance?

Long-stay travel insurance:

  • Covers you for a single extended trip
  • Provides cover for trips lasting between 1 and 18 months
  • If your trip ends and you return home, you need a new policy before setting off again

Annual travel insurance:

  • Covers you for multiple trips within the policy term
  • Normally covers shorter trip durations, often up to a maximum of 3 months
  • You're covered until the end of your policy, so you should only need 1 policy to cover all your trips

Can I get long-stay travel insurance if I have any pre-existing medical conditions?

Most providers cover pre-existing medical conditions, but you might find that policies are more expensive. This is because pre-existing conditions can increase your chances of needing emergency medical treatment abroad. Examples of pre-existing conditions include:

It's important to declare any conditions when getting travel insurance quotes. If you don't, any medical assistance you need because of your condition during your trip won't be covered by your insurance.

Some insurers don't cover multiple conditions or more serious conditions. If you can't find suitable cover, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has a directory of insurers who offer cover for pre-existing medical conditions. You can find a list of these on the MoneyHelper website. You can also call MaPS for free, impartial advice on 0800 138 7777.

Do I need to tell my home insurer if I'm travelling for an extended period?

Home insurance policies generally stipulate that you can't leave your property unattended for more than a month. In some cases, you might need to take out unoccupied home insurance. Before you leave for your trip, check your home insurance policy documents and call your home insurer to let them know you're going away.

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What our travel insurance expert says:

"A lot of people forget that when you're travelling for an extended period of time, it puts you at greater risk of falling ill or getting injured. By taking out a long stay policy, you'll protect yourself against any emergency medical costs and potentially save yourself £1000's in medical bills."

Alvaro Iturmendi - Confused.com travel insurance expert
Travel insurance expert Confused.com logo

How do I compare long stay travel insurance quotes?

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Fill out our quote form

Let us know how long you're planning on travelling for and what type of travel insurance you need. We'll also need to know if you or anyone included on the policy has any medical conditions.

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We'll do the hard work

We'll show you a list of quotes from up to 471. We compare your details against all of the providers we work with to show you policies that suit your requirements.

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Choose the policy that suits you

Read the policy details to find the policy that best suits you. Don't forget, you can claim a free eSIM with up to 2GB of roaming data when you buy travel insurance with Confused.com!**

Free eSIM with up to 2GB of roaming data when you buy travel insurance**

With roaming charges making an unwelcome return, eSIMs are a convenient option when travelling. eSIMs are non-physical and are embedded into most newer smartphones; meaning you won’t have to put anything physical into your device, it should already be there.

How does it work?

Simply buy your travel insurance, claim your free eSIM, and install it onto your device at the tap of a button. Your eSIM with 2GB of roaming data will kick in on a local mobile network when you get to your destination.

Find out more about eSIMs
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**eSIM comes with pre-funded credit and the amount of data received in exchange, will vary based on the specific country you select. Compatible devices only. T&C's apply.

Why compare travel insurance with Confused.com?

  • We compare up to 471 travel insurers

    We work with a trusted panel of insurers to find you our best deals for travel insurance.
  • Get a free eSIM when you buy travel insurance

    You can claim a free eSIM with up to 2GB of roaming data** when you buy travel insurance with Confused.com

  • We're 100% independent

    We're not owned by an insurance company. So, the prices we show you are our best based on your information, not who they're from.
  • Our customers have rated us 4.7/5 stars on Reviews.io

    Confused.com travel insurance scores 4.7/5 stars on Reviews.io2

2Correct as of September 2024

Frequently asked questions

Will long stay travel insurance cover me to work or volunteer abroad?

This depends on your policy. Some cover working or volunteering abroad as standard, others don't. You should let your insurer know what type of work you'll be doing before you buy your policy to make sure you've got suitable cover.

Some providers let you add cover for working abroad onto your policy if it's not included as standard. This normally comes at an added cost though, so consider whether you actually need it.

This type of insurance isn't a replacement for a working visa. You should check any legal requirements for the country you're travelling in to make sure you're legally allowed to work or volunteer there. Working or volunteering insurance policies typically cover:

  • Injuries caused by an activity associated with the work you're doing
  • Third-party liability if you cause damage to someone else's property
  • Loss, theft or damage of tools and equipment you use while working

Do I need travel insurance if I have an EHIC or GHIC?

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and its replacement, the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) aren't a substitute for travel insurance. They offer you subsidised medical care, which means you pay the same as a citizen of the country you're in. However, many countries covered by the EHIC and GHIC don't have free healthcare, so you could still end up with medical bills to pay. Travel insurance can be used to cover these costs. It's worth noting that some insurers do require you to have an EHIC or GHIC for your policy to be valid.

The EHIC and GHIC are also only valid in certain European countries. So, if you're travelling anywhere that isn't covered, you have to cover medical bills.

Travel insurance also covers more than just medical costs, unlike the EHIC and GHIC.

Will I be able to visit multiple countries with long-stay travel insurance?

Yes, as long as you select where you're travelling to when you buy your cover, you should be able to visit multiple countries in a single trip. Some policies may allow you to return home for a short period before setting off again, but it's important to read policy documents to check whether this is covered.

When buying long-stay insurance, you can choose between European cover and worldwide cover. Worldwide cover is available either including or excluding the USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Make sure the region you select includes all the countries you're planning to travel to.

Can I extend my travel insurance while I'm away?

This will depend on your insurer. Some will let you extend your policy, but they might charge you a fee. Others won't let you extend your policy, so it's best to contact them to check.

Expert tips and guides

Explore other types of travel insurance

Page last reviewed: 01 October 2024

Reviewed by: Alvaro Iturmendi

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