How Long-Stay Travel Insurance works

Long-stay, or sometimes called long-term, travel insurance is designed for anyone who is taking an extended trip abroad - usually over 90 days - and needs insurance for emergency medical expenses and related coverage such as baggage loss.

Unlike short-stay travel insurance, which typically restricts your time abroad to a maximum of 90 days, long-term travel insurance gives you extended protection and can be used to insure you against a range of situations that could occur during a longer trip.

Long-term travel insurance is designed for those spending an extended time in another country, without moving there permanently. It's ideal for anyone who is traveling during a gap year or sabbatical, studying abroad or working remotely from different locations for more than 3 months. It can also be a great fit if you're retired and have more time to spend abroad during your travels.

If you need a long-term visa for your trip, long-term travel insurance will cover you for the time you're abroad, without the limits of short-term insurance. It can therefore be used to comply with your long-term visa application.

Long-term insurance can be used by those who are working remotely abroad.

However, it's worth bearing in mind that travel insurance will only cover emergency medical treatment and is not a substitute for health insurance.

If you're living abroad long term, you'll need to make alternative arrangements for day to day health care. Travel insurance is best suited for working abroad for a short, medium or long term rather than moving abroad permanently, and provides a basic emergency medical cover if that is all you require.

Long-stay travel insurance is a great option if you're traveling abroad as a family. You can take out a family policy that will cover every family member during your trip. This can simplify making a claim whilst you are abroad, since all your insurance details will be included within the same policy. Even if different family members are joining you for only part of your trip, as long as they're included in your plan, they will also be covered.

If your business trip extends beyond the length of a short-stay travel insurance limit, 90 days travel insurance could be a good option. This type of plan will give you more flexibility whilst abroad, particularly if you're touring multiple locations during your trip and cannot be sure of the exact length of your stay.

Unlike some other insurance providers, Insurte offers long-stay travel insurance policies to travelers of any age, including those over 65. If you're retired and wish to travel the world at leisure, taking out more than 90 days travel insurance will offer you the flexibility you need to enjoy your travels without feeling rushed. Additionally, Insurte does not change the price of insurance policies based on the age(s) of the traveler(s).

Yes, long-stay travel insurance and annual travel insurance are different things. However, they do often include the same coverage.

In many cases, annual travel insurance refers to annual multi-trip travel insurance. This means that you are covered for an entire year, no matter how many trips you take, and to where. Annual travel insurance is designed to cover two or more short trips throughout the year, but applies limitations on how long each of these trips can be, making it not the best option for those who are planning longer, extended stays. That's where long-stay insurance is a more suitable option.

To make things simpler, Insurte includes both long-stay and multi-trip cover within our annual travel insurance. You can select a policy that will allow you individual trips of up to 120 days, or even more, depending on your needs. This allows you the ultimate flexibility for your travel plans, and means that you can travel as many times as you like, for as long as you like, during the 12 months.

What's more, our annual insurance can be automatically renewed after 365 days, providing you with uninterrupted coverage even if your trip extends beyond a year.

Travel insurance policies vary, so it’s wise to read through the terms and conditions before deciding on your insurance plan.

Most long-stay travel insurance plans include, as standard:

• Medical Expenses abroad - It covers you for access to emergency expenses in the country you are visiting.
• Medical Repatriation - The cost of transporting you back to your home country in case your travel plans are affected by health incidents or accidents abroad (including repatriation of your mortal remains).
• 24/7 Travel Assistance - Tailored help and advice during any unforeseen circumstances affecting your travel plans.

Besides this basic coverage, some of the additional benefits to look out for include:

• Covid-19 - In case you contract Covid-19 during your trip and require emergency treatment.
• All epidemics - Coverage for any epidemic, including quarantine costs.
• Sports - Search and rescue costs in case of incidents or accidents during sports.
• Terrorism - Medical expenses incurred if your travel plans are affected by acts of terrorism.
• Legal expenses - Legal fees and assistance abroad including advance of bail abroad.
• Lost or stolen travel documents - Help to obtain new documents after the loss or theft of your identity papers abroad.
• Psychological Assistance – Therapy if you suffer a traumatic experience during your trip.

Not all situations can be covered by travel insurance, so please check the terms and conditions carefully before buying.

The destinations you can travel to with long-stay travel insurance depend on the insurance plan you select. If you're only planning to travel within Europe, to countries inside the Schengen zone or to the United-Kingdom, you have a few options. A Europe travel insurance, Schengen Insurance or UK travel insurance, offered by Axa Platinum or Mutuaide will cover these regions and likely suit your needs.

However, if your destinations are more widespread, or you aren't yet sure of all your travel plans, it makes sense to opt for worldwide insurance. Mutuaide Long stay worldwide travel insurance will cover you for any country abroad around the globe - except for restricted areas such as warzones.

With so many options available, it can be daunting to know how to choose long-stay travel insurance. Here are some steps to help you find the best policy for your needs:

• Decide on your requirements: Start by evaluating your travel plans.
• Compare Providers: Use the Insurte online comparison tool to compare different travel insurance providers.
• Review the policies in detail: Browse the guarantees listed under each policy.
• Check the claim process: Familiarize yourself with the insurer's claim process.

The advantage of a travel insurance comparison tool is that it can help you filter out the noise and identify the most appropriate insurance policy for your individual situation.

A comparison tool can help you to:

Find the best long-stay travel insurance to fit your needs

Every traveler’s plans will be different, so it’s not a question of one size fits all. Using a comparison tool allows you to customize your search based on your unique needs. You can opt for worldwide cover if you're traveling to multiple destinations, and adjust the length of your stay to find the most cost effective coverage.

Find the cheapest/low cost long-stay travel insurance

The comparison tool will display your search results according to price, making it easy to spot the most competitive rates and find a low cost long-stay travel insurance, without having to compromise on essential coverage.

If finding the cheapest option is your main priority, going for an insurance with a deductible (also known as “excess”) will often reduce the upfront cost of taking out the policy.

Find comprehensive long-term travel insurance

On the other hand, if your priority is reducing risk and finding a comprehensive insurance plan that gives you a wider range of guarantees, you can use the comparison tool to identify exactly which benefits are included in each policy, and which are excluded.

The cost of travel medical insurance can vary widely, depending on several factors:

• Length of stay: Shorter stays are generally to insure than longer stays or multiple trips.
• Deductible or no deductible (with or without excess): Cheaper travel medical insurance policies are typically those with a deductible. By including a deductible, the cost of your long-stay travel insurance policy will be lower, however, if you make a claim you'll have to contribute towards the payout, which could be inconvenient.
• Additional Guarantees: If you choose to include optional add-ons such as sports coverage, or legal assistance, this is likely to increase the premium of your insurance.