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Long stay travel insurance

Compare long term travel insurance quotes

  • Get cover for up to 18 months

  • Protects you from unexpected costs while travelling

  • Compare some policies with covid cover

Can I get travel insurance that covers COVID-19?

Yes, you can still compare and purchase travel insurance with COVID-19 cover from Confused.com. All of our providers offer emergency medical treatment and repatriation (returning to the UK) for COVID-19 claims.

Many of our providers offer further Covid-19 related cover such as holiday cancellations, accommodation costs and denied boarding. Be sure to check the details of your policy carefully as different providers will offer different policy enhancements.

It's important to note that if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), you won't be covered by any travel insurance policy you buy.

What is long stay travel insurance?

Long stay travel insurance is designed to provide cover if you’re travelling for longer than a month.

Also known as backpacker travel insurance, policies can last for up to 18 months.

A long term travel policy can help with emergency medical costs which can sometimes be £1,000s. And gives you peace of mind while you travel to new countries you may not be familiar with.

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

Long stay travel insurance suits people who are travelling to several countries on a single trip lasting many months. Annual travel insurance can also be used to visit different countries but is designed to cover multiple short-duration trips.

Long stay travel insurance is ideal for people taking a gap year, for example – backpacker travel insurance policies can cover trips lasting from one to 18 months.

Annual travel insurance is valid for a 12-month period but you’ll usually only be covered for a maximum of 31 days at any one time – annual travel insurance isn’t suitable if you’ll be away from home for longer.

How do I get a quote?

Getting a quote is easy and only takes a couple of minutes. All you need to do is:

  • Fill in your details, including where you’re travelling to
  • Choose the backpacker travel insurance option
  • Select the start date for your trip and tell us how many months you’ll be away
  • Declare any pre-existing medical conditions to ensure you’re covered

Compare long stay travel insurance quotes

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What does long stay travel insurance cover?

Here's what your long stay travel insurance policy should cover:

  • Emergency medical treatment
  • Getting you home if you’re injured
  • Cancellation of flights or accommodation due to events outside your control
  • Loss, damage and theft of baggage, travel documents, personal possessions or money
  • Legal protection if you injure someone on your long term holidays

Long stay travel insurance usually won't cover:

  • Incidents caused by you taking alcohol or drugs
  • If you travel against Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advice
  • Natural disasters and catastrophes
  • Pre-existing medical conditions – you might need to take out medical travel insurance
  • Skiing or extreme sports – you'll need to buy extra cover

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.

Jac Morris Travel & Pet insurance expert signature

Jac Morris

Travel insurance expert

Need more help?

Will long stay travel insurance cover me when working abroad?

In most cases no. Long stay travel insurance usually won’t cover you if you’re working abroad. But if you’re taking a gap year and hoping to do some work on your travels, you might be able to add extra cover.

If you’re a professional and you’re going to be travelling for business rather than on holiday, you should take out business travel insurance instead.

Can I get long stay travel insurance at any age?

Many long stay travel insurance policies typically have an upper and lower age limit, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find one that meets your needs.

Plenty of insurers offer long stay travel insurance for over 50s. You should be able to get similar cover levels to a standard policy, but it might be a little more expensive.

Several insurers also offer long term travel policies for over-65s as well as long stay travel insurance for over 70s – but most have an upper age limit of 79.

Can I still get long term travel insurance if I have a pre-existing medical condition?

You should tell your insurer about any pre-existing medical conditions before you travel. These conditions could include cancer, stroke, serious heart, respiratory and terminal conditions.

Some insurers might not provide cover if you already have a serious medical condition, or if you have a number of conditions. Others might only offer insurance at a much higher price.

You can still get a quote through Confused.com. If you’re unable to find suitable cover, the Money and Pension Service (MaPS) has also set up a directory of insurers willing to cover customers with pre-existing medical conditions.

If you have a medical condition, make sure you:

  • Tell your insurer
  • Get broad enough medical cover
  • Take your Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
  • Research to see what medical options are available and where the nearest hospital is
  • Take extra medicine, so you have enough if your trip is delayed
  • Consider a medical travel insurance policy
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