Backpacker Insurance

Most backpackers are masters at doing without. Bag too full to do up? Time to ditch the thermal underwear mum made you pack. No running water at the hostel? Then achieve a basic standard of personal hygiene using a water bottle, travel towel and deodorant. Who needs showers anyway?

So when it comes to getting travel insurance, it's not surprising that some backpackers decide they can probably do without it. After all, the chances of a serious medical emergency happening to you while overseas are pretty slim. The possibility of being robbed is slightly higher. But still, chances are it won’t happen.

The thinking is that as cash is tight, you just need to ditch the things you can do without.

But that's where the backpacker reasoning fails a bit. Because if you don't have the money to pay for travel insurance. Then you certainly don't have enough to get yourself airlifted out of a south east Asian jungle - or to pay for your stay in an American medical facility. While these mightn't be common occurrences, they do happen. And for people without the necessary cover, they can certainly bring an abrupt end to your holiday and cost you an arm and a leg.

The good news is that there are insurance policies specifically designed to cater to the money-saving mindset of backpackers.

These 'backpacker policies' cover the necessities, like emergency medical assistance and loss of valuables, and leave out the extras, like boarding facilities for your pets back home should you be rendered unable to care for them. Sadly, backpacker insurance policies generally leave pets to fend for themselves.

This focus on keeping only the necessities is, after all, fairly standard backpacking philosophy.

Backpacker travel insurance policies are available at a much cheaper price than you'd pay for a fully comprehensive single trip policy. Search for a backpacker insurance policy online and you should find quite a few low cost providers.

One good option is to look into 1 Cover's backpacker insurance. This discount insurance policy covers you for up to $2000 for loss of luggage as well as giving you unlimited medical assistance, which includes medical evacuation, repatriation of remains and emergency dental expenses. There’s also a 24 hour emergency helpline, which is a vital inclusion in any travel insurance policy.

Backpacker insurance is designed to cover only things that are vital to maintaining your health (and the health of your hip pocket). Because while it's true that backpackers don't need all the bells and whistles, your health really isn’t something you can do without.