Long Stay Travel Insurance: 14 Secrets From the Experts

Long stay travel insurance is an important part of the overall investment for an extended trip abroad.

With 14+ years in the insurance and travel sectors, our team knows a thing or two about travel insurance, long stays included. We are dedicated to the well-being of travelers, as we are all travelers ourselves!

We're a collection of expats and travelers from all over the world. This article exists through our combined knowledge, giving you insider tips to take with you the next time you buy long stay travel insurance.

1. Timing matters

If you're purchasing a long stay travel insurance policy because it's part of your visa application process, timing matters. If insurance is required, you will need to find a policy and buy it before you submit your visa application.

2. Watch out for mandatory waiting periods

If it's not for a visa requirement, you can generally buy travel insurance whenever you want, as long as it's before you leave for your trip. You can even buy it the day before.

With that said, some policies have mandatory waiting periods before your coverage kicks in. For example, if you leave on your trip tomorrow and buy your insurance today, there could be a waiting period before your coverage kicks in, leaving you without protection during that period.

Watch out for these and plan your purchase around them if the policy you're looking at has them.

3. 365 days of coverage doesn't mean 365 days of coverage

Don't let it mess with your head, but just because a policy has 365 days of coverage doesn't mean you're covered for all of them.

In some cases, you absolutely are. Check your policy for trip maximums.

Some policies cover travelers for 365 days, but each trip within those 365 days must be under a certain length of time. If your policy has trip maximums and you go over, you won't be covered for those exceeding days.

4. Guarantees have maximums

When a long stay travel insurance policy lists the guarantees, understand that there are still maximums, even if they're not listed on the product page or in the IPID. Additionally, there can be varying maximums within the same guarantee.

For example, the maximum for emergency medical could be €30,000... but emergency dental might be €150 max.

Repatriation might be covered, but again, only up to a specific amount.

The maximums depend on the policy, and all of this information can be found in the terms and conditions.

5. Repatriation can include pets

Make sure to check the terms of your long stay travel insurance because sometimes, repatriation of pets is covered, even if it's not advertised on the product page.

6. You have access to an expert hotline

Long stay travel insurance often includes 24/7 assistance and support. All policies through Insurte have it, for example.

This line is open to you all day, any time of day, for:

• Travel-related questions
• Questions about your trip specifically
• Medical advice
• Daily life

If you need help, are confused about something, or need a little bit of advice, you have a dedicated helpline that you can call.

Check the terms and conditions to make sure you have this guarantee.

7. Reimbursements might be in a different currency

Depending on what company you purchase your insurance through, reimbursements for approved claims may be in a different currency than the currency in your home country.

This means you are subject to exchange rates. Additionally, there may be fees to exchange the currency that your travel insurance doesn't cover.

8. Your policy could include a visit from a relative

If you have a medical emergency, your policy may be able to organize a relative to join you during your time of need. They may cover the costs as well (to a certain extent).

To see whether or not your policy covers this, check the terms and conditions in the emergency medical section.

9. Not all medical emergencies are necessarily covered

Typically, medical emergencies that can be treated on site and don't prevent the traveler from continuing their stay are not covered.

Make sure to review the terms and conditions to see what qualifies as a covered medical emergency and what doesn't, as it can differ.

10. If you opt out of a necessary vaccination, your emergency may not be covered

If you don't get a necessary vaccination and have a medical emergency as a consequence, your long stay travel insurance may not cover you.

When traveling, make sure to follow the guidance of your nation's embassy and the embassy of your destination when it comes to travel risks.

Additionally, check all of the exclusions before you travel so you can make the most educated decisions regarding your health while abroad.

11. If you go off the path, search and rescue costs may not be covered

To explain: if you choose not to follow rules, guidelines, and signs issued by site operators (so, park admin or federal government for example), and end up needing search and rescue, it may not be covered by your long stay travel insurance.

It's important to follow the rules, local signs and guidance when you're exploring outdoor areas, whether you're hiking, skiing, or simply taking in nature.

12. You can ask about local medications and drug interactions

As part of your 24/7 line of assistance, you can ask about local medications, what they are, and possible drug interactions. This can come in handy when you're in a foreign country and medications may have different imagery, branding, and names.

Refer to the terms of your policy to see what it specifically covers and doesn't.

13. Lost/stolen luggage coverage won't replace everything

While this guarantee is a huge help, not everything is covered, and there are maximums, of course. Some things that may not be covered include paintings and works of art, glasses and contact lenses, damage to fragile objects like glass or porcelain, documents, perfume, perishable foods, and others.

Exclusions depend on the policy you've chosen and may vary from the list above. Make sure you check your policy's exclusions in the terms and conditions so you know what to expect in the unfortunate event that you lose your bag or it gets stolen.

14. If Covid-19 is covered, it doesn't mean it's covered in all scenarios

Nowadays, it's common to see Covid-19 coverage as one of your travel insurance benefits, but just because you see it doesn't mean you're covered across the board.

Policies vary on coverage, but typically, Covid-19 is covered during a medical emergency.

If you simply get Covid-19, it doesn't mean your travel insurance will cover things like trip cancellations or over the counter medications.

As always, coverage depends on the policy, so check the terms and conditions.