Longstay Travel Insurance

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About This Guide – This page explains what Longstay Travel Insurance includes, who it’s suitable for, what it covers, and how longstay policies differ from standard travel insurance. It also highlights key considerations, medical requirements and tips to help you choose the right level of cover for an extended trip or gap year.

Longstay Travel Insurance

Planning a gap year, backpacking trip or extended stay abroad? When you’re travelling for several months at a time, standard travel insurance may not offer the level of protection you need. Longstay Travel Insurance is designed specifically for extended trips, providing comprehensive cover for adventurers, students, digital nomads and long-term travellers.

Covered2Go’s Longstay Travel Insurance allows you to travel for up to 18 months (for travellers aged 64 and under), with flexibility, medical protection and peace of mind no matter where your journey takes you.

👉 Get a Longstay Travel Insurance quote today

What Is Longstay Travel Insurance?

Longstay travel insurance is a specialist policy designed for longer trips — typically lasting several months to over a year. Whether you’re backpacking through Southeast Asia, working abroad, interrailing across Europe or spending an extended period with family overseas, Longstay Travel Insurance provides essential protection throughout your entire journey.

While standard travel insurance usually limits trips to 30–60 days, Covered2Go longstay policies allow you to travel for up to 18 months, offering more flexibility and higher levels of cover.

Who Is Longstay Travel Insurance For?

Longstay cover is ideal for:

  • Gap year travellers and students

  • Backpackers exploring multiple destinations

  • Digital nomads working remotely abroad

  • Travellers visiting family overseas for several months

  • Round-the-world adventurers

  • Long-term volunteers or those working abroad

If you’re spending an extended period outside the UK, this type of travel insurance is essential.

What Our Longstay Travel Insurance Includes

Covered2Go’s longstay policy provides wider and more flexible protection than standard travel insurance:

⭐ Emergency Medical Expenses — up to £5 million per person

Covers hospital treatment, surgery, repatriation and emergency medical assistance worldwide.

⭐ Trip Duration — travel for up to 18 months

Ideal for backpackers, gap year travellers and long-term stays.

⭐ European or Worldwide Cover Options

Choose the right level of cover based on your itinerary.

⭐ Personal Possessions Cover — up to £1,000

Protection if your belongings are lost, stolen or damaged during your extended trip.

⭐ 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance

Worldwide support whenever you need help abroad.

👉 Terms and conditions apply. Please refer to the Policy Wording for full details.

Why Longstay Travel Insurance Matters

Travelling for long periods increases your exposure to:

  • Illness and medical emergencies

  • Lost or delayed belongings

  • Multiple connecting flights and transport risks

  • Changes to itineraries

  • Higher-value trip cancellations

  • Varied healthcare standards across countries

Longstay policies are built to handle these risks, offering stronger medical cover and longer trip duration limits than standard travel insurance.

Is Longstay Travel Insurance the Same as Backpacker Insurance?

Yes — longstay travel insurance is sometimes referred to as:

  • Backpacker insurance

  • Gap year travel insurance

  • Long-term travel insurance

All describe policies designed for extended trips with flexible itineraries, multiple destinations and longer periods abroad.

Common Reasons to Choose Longstay Travel Insurance

✔ You’re travelling for several months or more

Standard policies won’t cover extended trips.

✔ You’re unsure of your exact itinerary

Backpackers often visit multiple countries — longstay cover supports flexible routes.

✔ You want strong medical protection

Healthcare costs abroad can be high, and long trips carry increased risk of illness.

✔ You need cover for personal belongings

Protect essentials such as backpacks, clothing, electronics and travel gear.

✔ You want 24/7 emergency assistance

Essential for remote travel or solo backpacking.

Useful Resources for those backpacking, taking a gap year or simply taking an extended trip abroad:

Planning a long backpacking trip? Whether you’re exploring Southeast Asia, trekking through South America, or road-tripping across Australia, being well-prepared is essential. Here are some useful resources to help UK backpackers plan their adventure:

Visa and Entry Requirements

Budget Travel & Accommodation

Flights & Transport

  • Skyscanner – Compare flight prices.
  • Rome2Rio – Map routes by bus, train, ferry or flight.
  • Interrail – Rail passes for European travel.

Backpacking Gear & Essentials

  • Decathlon – Affordable travel gear.
  • Nomatic – High-quality travel backpacks.
  • Lifestraw – Water purification for remote areas.

Travel Insurance & Health

Money & Budgeting

Backpacker Safety & Communities

Looking for Longstay Travel Insurance?

Get the protection you need for your extended adventure.

👉 Get a longstay travel insurance quote online today

Related Travel Insurance Options

If you’re considering different types of protection for your trip, you may also find these travel insurance options helpful:

Single Trip Travel Insurance

Ideal for one-off holidays or shorter journeys that don’t require longstay cover. Perfect if your trip is under the maximum duration of a standard policy.

Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance

A great choice for travellers who take several trips throughout the year. Covers multiple journeys, each up to the trip duration limit — a useful alternative if you’re planning frequent shorter breaks rather than one extended adventure.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Cover

Specialist cover for travellers with medical conditions who need to declare and screen their health before travelling. Essential for long-term travellers who want full protection while abroad.

Over 65s Travel Insurance

Designed for senior travellers who may require tailored cover and clear medical protection. Suitable for shorter or multiple trips if longstay durations exceed the age limit.

Winter Sports Cover

If your longstay adventure includes skiing, snowboarding or winter activities, you can add Winter Sports Cover to protect against equipment loss, injuries and piste closures.

Essential Travel Resources for UK Holidaymakers Booking a Cruise Holiday

Travel Advice & Requirements

  • UK Foreign Travel Advice – Get up-to-date information on visa requirements, travel restrictions, and safety tips for your destination.
  • NHS Fit for Travel – Find health advice, vaccinations, and travel health recommendations.
  • U.S. ESTA Application – If travelling to the USA, apply for your ESTA visa waiver online.

Cover limits, terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Please read the Policy Wording carefully to ensure the cover meets your needs.

Page last updated: December 2025

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Longstay Travel Insurance FAQs

Longstay Travel Insurance is a specialist policy designed for travellers spending an extended period abroad, typically several months to over a year. It provides broader and more flexible cover than standard travel insurance, including higher medical limits, longer trip durations and protection across multiple destinations. It’s ideal for gap years, backpacking trips, long-term stays with family or round-the-world itineraries.

Yes, you can return home during your trip as long as the reason for returning does not relate to a claim under your policy. You may then continue your trip under the same policy, provided it is before the end date shown on your policy schedule and any travel back overseas is at your own expense.

Returning home early does not change the policy end date or trip duration. However, your cover will pause while you are in the UK. This means no claims can be made for incidents, treatment or expenses that occur during your time at home. Full cover resumes only once you continue your trip overseas.

Longstay Travel Insurance is intended for people taking longer than average trips abroad, for 1 – 18 months. Multi Trip insurance is best for people who are planning to take multiple trips during a 12-month period, but each trip will be limited to 31, 45 or 60 days in total duration.

Longstay cover is suited to travellers aged 64 and under who are planning an extended trip. This includes gap year students, backpackers, digital nomads, volunteers, working travellers and anyone visiting friends or relatives abroad for several months. It’s particularly useful for flexible itineraries where multiple countries will be visited.

Covered2Go’s Longstay Travel Insurance allows a single trip of up to 18 months, depending on the traveller’s circumstances. This extended duration makes it ideal for long-term adventures, continuous travel or multi-country trips. Standard travel insurance often limits trip duration to 30–60 days, so longstay cover is essential for longer journeys.

Longstay policies typically include emergency medical expenses up to £5 million per person, 24/7 medical assistance, personal belongings cover, and a choice of European or Worldwide cover. Depending on your policy level, you may also receive cover for cancellation, travel disruption, baggage loss and personal liability. Always refer to the Policy Wording for the full terms, conditions and exclusions.

Yes. Longstay cover is designed for multi-country itineraries and backpacking routes. Whether you’re travelling across Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia or South America, your policy can remain valid throughout your trip, provided you select the correct geographical cover and follow the policy conditions.

In most cases, yes. Longstay Travel Insurance is often referred to as backpacker insurance, gap year insurance or long-term travel insurance. These policies all provide extended-trip cover for long periods abroad, usually with flexible itineraries and multiple destinations.

Yes. All pre-existing medical conditions must be declared during the quote process. If you experience a medical emergency linked to an undeclared condition, your claim may be declined. Declaring your conditions ensures you receive the correct level of cover and avoid unexpected costs while abroad.

It may be suitable depending on the type of work. Many non-manual or volunteering roles are covered as standard, while manual, hazardous or specialist work may require an extension or may be excluded. Travellers planning to work overseas should review the Policy Wording or speak to the support team before purchasing.

Personal possessions are covered up to the policy limit (e.g., £1,000), but single-item limits may apply. Travellers carrying high-value electronics or specialist gear may need additional gadget insurance or check whether their home contents insurance offers worldwide cover. Always review item limits within the Policy Wording.

Yes. Covered2Go provides 24/7 emergency medical assistance, offering help with hospital treatment, repatriation, medical arrangements and urgent advice. This support is essential for long-term travellers visiting remote or higher-risk locations.

Many standard activities are covered automatically, but certain adventure or higher-risk sports may require an optional upgrade. Activities such as scuba diving, trekking, skiing or adventure excursions may need additional cover. Travellers should check the list of included activities before travelling.

You should purchase your policy as soon as you book your trip. This activates cancellation cover immediately, protecting any pre-paid travel expenses. Waiting until closer to departure reduces the time you are protected against unforeseen issues that may force you to cancel.

Some insurers allow extensions depending on individual circumstances, but this is not guaranteed. Covered2Go travellers should contact customer support before their policy expires to check whether an extension is possible. Extensions cannot be applied after the policy has lapsed.