So you’re travelling on a shoestring and avoiding every possible extra cost. Why would you spend your hard-earned cash on travel insurance? This is a mistake many backpackers make when they head off on their big trips, but the truth is if you’re going on a budget holiday then choosing not to buy travel insurance may be one of the biggest regrets of your life. The typical backpacker holiday involves budget accommodation, budget travel and in many cases a lengthy time away from home. In reality this is the type of trip where the risk of anything happening is pretty high.
If you are a frequent backpacker then you will have seen it all from missing luggage to broken into hostel rooms, lost passports to stolen cameras, altitude sickness to serious medical accidents. You may shrug off the idea of a minor 24 hour case of Delhi Belly but there is a much worse side of food or water poisoning that no one wants to experience. Being stuck in a foreign city in a small dodgy hospital is a daunting idea, not to mention being stuck with the massive medical bill that comes alongside it. Having a good travel insurance that covers medical and hospital expenses will not only ensure that your precious savings are spared if you end up in this situation, but it will also guarantee that you are placed in trusted medical hands whether that means flying you to the nearest city for appropriate medical care or even back to Australia.
Travel insurance doesn’t have to blow your budget. Many companies offer different levels of cover so that you have a choice between the top level of cover and a cheaper budget travel insurance option, such as ITrek Travel Insurance’s ‘Bronze’ or 1Cover Travel Insurance’s ‘Basics’ levels. A quick search online will enable you to compare the levels of cover and prices. The crucial benefits you should look for in travel insurance are unlimited medical and hospital cover, unlimited emergency medical assistance, and cover for luggage and your personal belongings. Most budget travel insurance policies will cover these important areas, and anything else is a bonus. You will be amazed at how cheap a basic cover like this can be.
The most important thing to remember is this: no matter how much you feel you are forking out for travel insurance, the cost is completely irrelevant when compared to the potential cost of a medical bill or replacing an expensive camera. Never choose to go without travel insurance, especially when you are travelling on a tight budget.
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