Long Stay Travel Insurance: Employment Abroad

It's another kind of experience to work overseas. You'll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture, expand your resume, and take on new challenges that will help you grow as a person.

Personal and professional growth is exciting, and you're about to experience both when employed abroad.

To prepare, there are a lot of things you need to do. From contracts and visas to research and planning. But what about long stay travel insurance?

If you've been employed overseas, you might be thinking about whether or not you need travel insurance, what type of policy you need, and what the best options might be for your unique situation.

We're here to help.

We're putting our 14+ years of expertise in travel and insurance to good use, creating guides to answer questions for travelers just like you.

In this article, we will take a look at long stay travel insurance for workers: whether or not you need it, what to consider, and more.

Long stay travel insurance for workers

It's never a bad idea to insure yourself. However, it's important that you consider your options and choose the best insurance for you and your situation. In some cases, it might even be mandatory.

Different travel insurance policies will suit different types of workers. It also depends on exactly what kind of coverage you're looking for.

We're going to give you all of the things you need to consider to uncover the right plan of action moving forward.

What to consider

There are several things you need to consider before you choose a travel insurance policy to cover your long stay abroad.

• Is travel insurance a requirement for your visa? Many long stay visas require applicants (or visa holders) to take out a long stay travel insurance policy. Whether or not yours does depends on the visa type, country, your ultimate goals, etc.
  When you apply, you will be given a list of all of the visa requirements. If travel insurance is on the list, obtaining it is mandatory.
  Choosing not to do so may result in visa rejection. Different visas have different requirements, even within the same country. For example, an au pair visa will have different requirements than an entrepreneurial one.
• What do you want to be covered for? If you are looking for long stay travel insurance for medical emergency costs, lost/stolen passports, and other travel-related risks, travel insurance might be a good choice.
  However, if you're looking for insurance that covers you professionally, as well as your work, you may need another type of insurance altogether.
• Are you an employee or an entrepreneur/contractor? If you are an employee, your workplace may be able to provide insurance to you or have some protections in place. Make sure to check with them about what you can and can't be covered for.
  If you're self-employed and want to protect your work, you may need to look into business insurance, either instead of travel insurance or in addition to it.
• How long is your long stay? Some long stay travel insurance policies can cover you for up to a year, but it's important to understand that travel insurance isn't the same thing as health insurance. If you're spending ample time abroad (say you're going to be an au pair for 6 months) and rely on regular treatments or want preventative care or routine care, travel insurance does not cover you.
  Travel insurance only covers unforeseen medical emergencies, not day-to-day health and wellness. If you want to be covered for the "day-to-day" things, you may need to look into health insurance - not travel insurance. Though, some travelers do take out both.

Does long stay travel insurance protect workers abroad?

It depends on what you're referring to.

Long stay travel insurance protects travelers abroad, including workers, and what it covers you for depends on the specific policy.

Travel insurance isn't the same as business insurance, and even if a policy includes personal liability coverage, it usually excludes professional scenarios.

If you're a worker abroad and you want to cover your business and work, you may need to consider business insurance.

Long stay travel insurance will cover you for a lot of essential things. Depending on the policy, this includes:

• Medical emergency costs up to a specific amount.
• Medical evacuation.
• Repatriation (including of the deceased).
• Emergency hospitalization and surgery.
• Covid-19.
• Epidemics/pandemics.
• Search and rescue.
• Lost/stolen/delayed/damaged luggage.
• Lost/stolen passports.
• Legal assistance.
• Legal fees abroad.
• Advance of bail abroad.
• 24/7 travel assistance and support.
• Etc.

As you can see, long stay travel insurance can provide you with coverage for a list of common travel-related events, but protecting your professional life isn't one of them.

Tips for getting the right insurance

While it can feel overwhelming to figure out the right insurance policy or policies for you, it's always worth it in the end. There is nothing better than traveling with peace of mind, knowing an expert has your back in case anything goes awry.

All of that said, here are some things that you need to think about before you purchase insurance:

• Do I need insurance for a visa application?
• If employed, will my employer provide health insurance options?
• Do I need/want health insurance during my long stay to cover day-to-day health and wellness, such as preventative care and routine treatments?
• If self-employed, do I want/need business insurance?
• Do I want to be covered for travel-related risks like medical emergencies and lost passports?

Depending on your answers to the above questions, you may want to consider health insurance, business insurance, travel insurance, or a combination of the three.

Ultimately, what you need comes down to any visa or business requirements and what you want to be covered for during your long trip overseas.

Travel insurance is there to help you when you need help most, whether it's a medical emergency or something else. With 24/7 travel assistance, you'll have someone on your side every step of the way.

FAQs: Long stay travel insurance for workers