Do I need travel insurance? Yes you do, here’s how to find the right insurance for you

Yes.

I know it feels like one of those boring adult things you can skip when you’re busy booking flights, planning outfits and making your travel itinerary. But trust me, it matters. And if you’re travelling solo, it matters even more.

Travel insurance is one of those things you hope you never need but will be so grateful to have if things go wrong. Flights get cancelled, bags get lost and sometimes you wake up with food poisoning in a country where you don’t speak the language. Having insurance takes a massive weight off your shoulders so you can focus on the adventure. It’s also crucial if you’re planning on taking a group tour. Most big tour companies like Intrepid, IntroTravel and TruTravels need your insurance details before the tour starts, otherwise you can’t join.

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is basically a safety net for your trip. It usually covers:

• Medical emergencies: hospital visits, surgery or even emergency evacuation if something serious happens.
• Trip cancellations or interruptions: If you have to cancel your trip because of illness, family emergencies or other covered reasons.
• Lost, stolen, or delayed baggage: Because nothing ruins day one like waiting three days for your backpack to catch up with you.
• Travel delays: Some policies will pay for hotels or meals if you get stuck somewhere unexpectedly. This can be a game-changer, especially if you get stuck somewhere super expensive.
• Personal liability: In case you accidentally damage property or injure someone.

But here’s the thing: policies can vary a LOT. Some will cover adventure sports, some won’t. Some have low medical limits, others have super generous coverage. That’s why reading the fine print is so important.

How to choose the right one

There are so many options out there and yes, it’s overwhelming.

Start with comparison websites. They make it easy to see coverage and prices side by side. But here’s the catch: not all travel insurance is the same. Backpacker insurance is different from a standard two-week holiday policy.

Read the terms and conditions carefully (really carefully) because you could pay for a policy that isn’t even valid for your trip. A few big things to watch out for:

• Some policies aren’t valid if you buy them after you’ve already left home.
• Others require you to have a return ticket booked (a mistake I made once, more on that later!).
• Some won’t cover you if you’re living/working abroad for too long or doing certain adventure activities.
• Make sure you have enough medical cover: Your top priority should always be medical emergencies. Aim for at least £5 million. Hospital bills abroad can be astronomical, especially if you have to fly home injured (or worse). And having sufficient coverage can save you from a financial disaster that you could end up paying off for the rest of your life.

TikTok and Instagram can be great for finding recommendations, but don’t just rely on what an influencer says in a 30-second clip. Always do your own research and read the policy wording.

Common misconceptions about travel insurance

There are a few myths that stop people from getting covered and they can be expensive mistakes.

“I’m young and healthy, I’ll be fine.”
Even the healthiest person can slip, get food poisoning or end up needing stitches. Hospital bills abroad can run into thousands. For example, breaking an ankle in the USA can easily cost £8,000–£12,000 without insurance.

“My credit card covers me.”
Some credit cards do offer travel protection, but it’s often limited, maybe just trip cancellation or lost luggage, not medical emergencies. And sometimes you need to pay for your trip with that card for coverage to apply. Always read the small print.

“It’s too expensive.”
Travel insurance usually costs a fraction of your total trip budget. For a few pounds per day, you get peace of mind that could save you thousands if something goes wrong. It’s a lot cheaper than emergency surgery, a last-minute flight home or replacing stolen electronics.

What travel insurance doesn’t cover

Not everything is included and this is where people get caught out. Common exclusions include:

• Pre-existing medical conditions: Unless you disclose them and pay extra.
• Extreme sports or risky activities: Think skydiving, bungee jumping, scuba diving without proper certification.
• Alcohol- or drug-related incidents: If you get hurt while intoxicated, most policies won’t pay.
• High-value items: Expensive gadgets, cameras or jewellery may only be partially covered unless you add extra protection.
• Ignoring local advice: Like travelling to places with government “do not travel” warnings.

Knowing what’s not covered is just as important as knowing what is, so you’re not shocked later.

Tips for saving money on travel insurance

Travel insurance doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some ways to keep costs reasonable:

• Buy early: Many policies include cancellation cover from the day you buy, so getting it early means better protection.
• Compare multiple sites: Prices and coverage vary, so don’t just buy the first one you see.
• Consider annual or multi-trip policies: If you’re travelling more than twice a year, these can save money in the long run.
• Only pay for what you need: Skip add-ons for activities you won’t do.

A little bit of planning can save you money without sacrificing peace of mind.

Travel insurance I used

When I first left home, I used Outpacker Insurance. It came highly recommended and I paid around £350 for about four months of travel. Luckily, I never had to use it, but I later found out that it actually wasn’t valid because I didn’t have a return flight booked. Ouch. I read through the terms and conditions and this didn’t appear anywhere. It wasn’t until I heard from another traveller that I found out it wasn’t valid. This is something to be extremely careful about.

While I was living and working in Australia, I didn’t have travel insurance and just relied on Medicare. Again, I got lucky nothing serious happened. But looking back, that was a huge risk, especially because my coverage was limited. But even if I did have insurance, normal travel insurance wouldn’t have been valid for living and working in a country. Keep this in mind.

When I started travelling solo more seriously, I was much more careful. After a lot of research, I found TruTraveller. Their policies were perfect for long-term travel, as well as visiting different countries. What I loved about them was that:

• I could travel open-ended (no return flight needed).
• I could renew my insurance while abroad, no need to fly home just to get coverage again.
• I could customise my policy, add gadgets, cover winter sports, etc.
• I could insure myself worldwide, so my insurance didn’t restrict my travel plans.

Thankfully, I never had to claim with them either, so I can’t comment on how they handle claims. But one thing I did like was that I could save all of my insurance details in my Apple Wallet, which I can imagine being super handy in an emergency.

So, travel insurance might not be the most exciting part of your trip planning, but it’s one of the most important. You can spend weeks planning the perfect itinerary, but one accident, illness or stolen bag can throw everything off and cost you a fortune if you’re not covered. It’s best to make sure you’re fully protected, especially when you’re exploring countries that you’re not familiar with.

Think of it as buying yourself freedom: freedom to enjoy your travels without worrying about what could go wrong. Do your research, compare policies and choose the one that works best for you and your travel style.

So, do you need travel insurance?

Yes. 100%

And your future self will thank you for it.