Travel Insurance Volunteering

Travel Insurance for your volunteer abroad trip
As much as we hope our trip will go exactly as planned, there is always a small chance that things may go wrong. Because of this, we will always recommend getting travel insurance to cover the duration of your trip. There are so many things to consider when choosing your level of cover, and we know that picking an insurance policy can be an intimidating task - here’s some FAQs and information which may help you understand and find the best insurance option for your upcoming volunteering trip.

Why get travel insurance?

Unforeseen events may stop you from travelling or alter your plans, and if this happens, you may be liable to pay money or forfeit the amount that you have already spent on flights, accommodation, and experiences. Inconveniences like your luggage going missing or cancelled flights may mean that you have to replace the contents of your suitcase or book a hotel room for a night. To ensure that any unexpected events don’t result in a financial blow, travel insurance is there to cover you. When you make a claim on your travel insurance policy, you should be able to recover some or all of these costs

What can travel insurance cover?

Cancellation:

When you plan a volunteering trip abroad, you’ll be paying money upfront for flights, your project fee, and possibly some other accommodations and experiences. These payments are often non-refundable, so if something happens which stops you from being able to take your trip, travel insurance can get that money back in your pocket.

Medical costs:

It’s important to organize travel insurance as soon as you have paid money towards your trip. This will cover you for any unexpected situations that may come up such as flight delays, cancellations, medical costs, and lost luggage.

Valuables:
If you will be taking valuable items (such as a laptop, camera, smartphone, or jewellery) on your trip, there’s the possibility that they will go missing or get damaged while you’re abroad. Travel insurance can help you recover the costs of replacing or repairing them if this happens..

Activities:

Adventure sports and extreme activities such as skiing, bungee jumping, skydiving, or even everyday activities like driving a scooter may or may not be covered by your travel insurance policy. If you plan to do any adventurous activities, check whether these are included - you may need to pay an additional fee to bump up your cover.

Other:

There are many other things that travel insurance can cover such as car rental excess, the hire of sporting equipment, or the costs of returning home if something happens while you’re abroad. Take a good look through each policy to check which cover options might be relevant for you.

How much does travel insurance cost?

There is no set price for travel insurance - the cost will vary depending on the country you are visiting, your country of citizenship, the duration of your trip, and your age. Generally, the less expensive the policy is, the harder it will be to get all your money back if you make a claim, so be wary of super cheap policies. You can calculate and book your insurance with Worldnomads who we highly recommend:

Here are some things to look out for when comparing prices:

Excess:

Most travel insurance policies will have an excess, which is a set amount (usually a few hundred dollars) that you will forfeit every time you make a claim. A higher excess will generally result in a cheaper policy, but it also means you will miss out on getting some money back if you make a claim. Some policies will have a $0/nil excess, which will increase the overall policy price but will get you the highest return on each claim!

Limits:

There is usually a maximum amount of money that can be paid out for each claim. Be careful of certain limits for things like lost luggage - if there is a limit of $1000 but your luggage and gear is worth $2000, you won’t be able to claim that difference.

Where do I get travel insurance?

Comparison websites (where you can compare different travel insurance policies) are useful for seeing all your options. Your policy dates should cover every day from your departure to the date you arrive back home. Once you’ve picked a policy, be sure to book it directly through the insurance company website to avoid any third party fees. If you’re using a travel agent to book your trip, you can also ask them to suggest a good policy and arrange travel insurance for you.

It’s best to organise your travel insurance as soon as you have paid any money towards your trip so that you’re covered right from the beginning. Let us know if you have any questions about insurance for your upcoming volunteering trip!

Click here to calculate and/or book you insurance

Read next: See all FAQs about volunteering through Fronteering