The reality of long-term travel isn't what you see on a flawless Insta feed or a Lonely Planet guidebook. Things go wrong, and shit hits the fan when they do.

With that in mind, we recommend getting travel insurance before any journey in South America.

Smart Travelers get travel insurance. It may take several trips for you to need it, but when you do, it'll save you and your wallet from a lot of pain.

The problem with travel insurance is that you're buying something you'll hopefully never have to use. No one wants to linger on unpleasant What If's while planning the trip of a lifetime. Just as no one wants yet another expense to factor in. Similarly, getting a handle on what it all means can be confusing. But that doesn't mean you should relegate it to the back of your mind where it'll be forgotten.

A successful trip is one where you don't have to use travel insurance. But you should still invest in it.

It keeps your ass covered, providing support, compensation, and medical care in the event of the worst. We're talking crisis response, emergency evacuations, medical emergencies, hospital expenses, natural disasters, robbery, and even repatriation of your remains in the event of an untimely death.

Knowing you have that safety net is the ultimate peace of mind.

While you might not want to cough up for travel insurance, we guarantee you'll be praising it when saving a tonne of money on a claim.

Sometimes, the need for travel insurance is taken out of your hands. For example, providing proof of travel insurance is a mandatory entry requirement in Ecuador.

In our opinion, the excuse of affordability doesn't cut it here. You can't afford to travel if you can't afford travel insurance.

Many think that travel insurance exists solely to keep you covered if injured or if you suffer an accident. It does do that. But it also does so much more.

Below, we outline key aspects of travel insurance that you should look for when purchasing a policy for your next big adventure.

Emergency medical Cover, Bills, Evacuation, and repatriation

This is the main motivation for travel insurance. Emergency medical cover gets you out of some tough spots while keeping your savings intact.

That means protecting you from hefty medical bills, evacuation from life-threatening situations, and repatriation if seriously ill or injured. It also covers you for minor niggles, such as dental cover, physiotherapy, or visits to a chiropractor.

The average cover for the medical aspect of travel insurance is $5 million. We don't recommend settling for any less. This sum almost always covers medical expenses or evacuation. Both are expensive and could easily wipe out your savings without travel insurance.

Accidents happen. It's for the best that you're prepared.

Personal Liability

Personal liability is particularly helpful. Suppose you are legally liable for accidentally injuring someone, damaging their property, or losing their possessions. Personal liability is your get-out-of-jail-free card, so to speak.

Most travel insurance policies offer at least $1 million in personal liability insurance. This should cover any compensation you may owe and any legal costs you may incur.

Personal Accident

Personal accident cover entails that a set amount of money will be paid to you in the event of a serious accident on your travels. If you lose a limb, lose your sight, or are left with a permanent disability, expect a payout.

Loss or Theft of Baggage or Personal property

Travel insurance for loss, theft, or damage of luggage, personal possessions, and documents is vital in South America. Especially in big cities like Bogotá and Rio de Janeiro, where petty crime is common.

Lost luggage is one of the most commonly made claims amongst travelers. This part of your policy also covers flights. If you took ten flights, you stand a 5% chance of losing your luggage forever. It would be an agonizing loss for anyone setting out on their trip of a lifetime.

While this aspect of travel insurance covers a lot, there are limits. Cover for lost possessions tends to tap out at $1000, meaning it will not cover your fancy tech. This brings us nicely to tech and gadget cover.

Cover for Loss, theft, and Damage of Electronics and gadgets

Some travel insurance providers include this in their policies, but not all. Those that do often require you to add individual items to your policy. Even then, it's unlikely that your MacBook, iPhone, or DSLR will be covered for their full value. Policies tend to be capped at around $500 per item.

Occasionally, you'll encounter a 'Digital Nomad' policy offering enhanced protection for these devices. However, we'd recommend taking out additional insurance for your gadgets instead. This can be done with a third-party insurer. Our pick of the bunch is Insure My Equipment.

Cover for Adventure Activities

Again, not all travel insurance policies will cover this. For those that do, you'll be asked to outline what activities you plan to do on your travels. The cost of your policy will increase for each activity cited.

We recommend having a solid grasp of what you intend to do on your travels. Doing so ensures your policy gives you the right coverage.

Travel Disruption

Disruption can take many forms, from the usual culprits of canceled flights to rarer scenarios like accommodation fires.

With a canceled flight, uninsured travelers would have to fork out on a last-minute replacement flight. This might mean you spend more on accommodation if your replacement flight is not on the same day.

In the event of an accommodation fire, you'd have to shell out for new accommodation. Not to mention replacing any of your possessions lost to the flames.

These are the sort of scenarios travel disruption cover will mitigate, ensuring you don't spend a dime while navigating such difficulties.

Trip Curtailment & Cancellation

Like mitigating the impact of travel disruption, trip curtailment and cancellation is for more extreme circumstances before or during your trip.

That could mean canceling your trip before departure. Or it could mean returning home at sudden notice.

The circumstances in which your policy provider would agree to pay out on this include sickness, family emergency, bereavement, natural disaster, and war.

All extreme stuff and something you'll hopefully never have to call upon. But if you need it, it is there.

Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation

In extreme circumstances, you might need to leave a country asap. Such circumstances might mean a natural disaster, political unrest, or conflict escalation. In any case, travel insurers will absolve the costs of such a getaway. This could mean a flight out to a 'safe' neighboring country or a straight trip home.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment

This is something no one wants to dwell on for too long, but that doesn't mean it isn't important.

If the worst comes to pass, and your trip, and life, are cut tragically short, policies have a contingency to have your remains transported back home. This is something that would ordinarily be very expensive.

Many travel insurance policies will also pay out a small sum in the event of your untimely death. It's not huge, but it's enough for your family to make funeral arrangements.

It's like having a little life insurance thrown into your travel cover.

Policy Extendability

Another important aspect of travel insurance. Having the flexibility to extend your policy if our travels go on longer than you expected is crucial. Keep it in mind when choosing a policy and a provider.

What Does Travel Insurance Not Cover?

So, now you have a good idea of what cover is out there. You also know what to look for when getting a quote for your Latin American adventure. But what does travel insurance not cover?

• Accident and injury due to reckless behavior. For example, accidents that occur under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

• Accidents and injuries sustained in extreme adventure activities you didn't disclose in your quote.

• Pre-existing health conditions. For example, diabetic travelers cannot use their cover for an insulin stock-up.

• General health check-ups.

• Anything related to pregnancy.

• Mental health breakdowns. Attitudes towards mental health are changing, and we hope this will change soon. But for now, if you do something in a bad frame of mind, your travel insurance provider will not bail you out.

• Carelessness with possessions, theft of items left in plain sight or unattended, and stolen cash.

• Knowingly traveling to areas that are deemed dangerous. That could mean armed conflicts, sites of natural disasters, or radioactive areas.

• Reckless driving if renting a car at any point on your journey.

• Flights bought with air miles.

• Flights that have been missed for reasons firmly in your control.

If you already have health insurance, you might wonder if travel insurance is necessary.

After all, a lot of the serious stuff you see in a travel insurance policy will prove familiar after glancing over your health insurance.

We'd understand why you might object to the need for travel insurance if you already have health insurance.

But, travel insurance is so much more than health insurance. Not only does travel insurance cover many of the medical components related to health insurance, but it also goes on to cover:

• Emergency evacuation

• Lost, stolen, or damaged possessions

• Personal liability

• Travel disruption

• Trip curtailment or cancellation

Travel insurance goes above and beyond medical insurance. It covers medical emergencies and any other mishap that may befall you.

Mind you, that's not to say travel insurance can directly replace health insurance. Quite the opposite.

Your health insurance will provide more extensive coverage than your travel insurance. If you are sent home due to a serious injury, you'll be thankful for having health insurance.

After purchasing your travel insurance, it'll take 24-48 hours for the cover to kick in.

Theoretically, you could buy the policy the day before flying out to start your adventure, so long as the cover is active before you fly out. Many insurance providers will insist on this.

Some companies, like SafetyWing, will allow you to buy a policy after landing at your destination. Though, we don't recommend waiting that long.

Make a note to buy your policy after booking outbound flights.

Buying travel insurance before flying out means your coverage may save you money from the get-go. This might mean canceled and delayed flights or even having to postpone or cancel your trip altogether.

Another reason to buy travel insurance early is that many providers offer a cooling-off period. No policy is perfect, and if you suddenly find a policy more suited to your needs, the cooling-off period will allow you to make the change.

Founded by a former backpacker twenty years ago, World Nomads is one of the most established names in travel insurance.

It was founded to provide freedom, safety, and connection to those with dreams of traveling the world.

Today, they're recommended by Lonely Planet, National Geographic, and Rough Guides. There's a lot of pedigree, and the company has the substance to back it.

The cover is available in 140-ish countries and is possibly the broadest on the market. World Nomads is also one of the few providers that allow you to purchase coverage after your trip has started.

So, let's get into the nitty-gritty of what coverage with World Nomads looks like.

The first thing to know about World Nomads is there are two plans available. A 'Standard' plan and an 'Explorer' plan.

World Nomads ‘Standard’ Plan

Medical Coverage:

Coverage of up to $100,000. It's not a crazy sum. But it will protect you from any accident or illness that may befall you. Medical coverage with World Nomads also features emergency dental coverage. You can't claim on it for general check-ups or cosmetic treatment But, it is there if your pearly whites suffer any damage from an accident. 

Medical Emergency and Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation:

Emergency evacuation kind of falls under medical coverage, as this is where it's most frequently utilized. With World Nomads, if you fall seriously ill or are seriously injured, the standard plan offers $300,000 to get you out of there and get the help you need. Non-medical emergency evacuation is your contingency in case of political unrest, the outbreak of violence, or a natural disaster. World Nomads offer up to $25,000 for non-medical emergency evacuations.

Trip Cancellation, Interruption, Or Delay:

If your trip is canceled, this plan has you covered. There is $2,500 of coverage to reimburse you for any prepaid costs. Valid cancellations include tour operators going bust, bereavement, natural disaster, and personal injury or sickness. There is also $2,500 worth of cover for trip interruption. This is only available in the event of a family bereavement, natural disaster, or personal injury and/or sickness. There is also coverage for trip delays, which can mean the cancellation or delay of transportation. The $500 cover for this also reimburses money spent pre-booking accommodation.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment:

In the event of the worst possible end to your travels, you can take some comfort in how World Nomads will respond. World Nomads will ensure your earthly remains get home. There is $300,000 available to do so. There is also a $5,000 lump sum payable to your next of kin in the event of your death. It's not much, but it'll cover funeral expenses. This cover also applies if you suffer an accident causing loss of sight or limb.

Lost or Stolen Possessions:

The standard World Nomads plan offers $1,000 to reimburse your personal items. This covers loss, theft, and damage – providing you have taken every reasonable measure to ensure that your possessions are safe. In the grand scheme of things, $1,000 isn't a lot. If you had a DSLR in your luggage, and if your luggage gets lost on a flight, that $1,000 won't cover the DSLR, let alone all your other belongings.

Adventure Activities and Sports:

World Nomads offers the best travel insurance cover for adventure activities and sports. They cover over 200 different adventures. The cover includes emergency medical assistance, treatment, evacuation, or repatriation in the event of serious injury or death while participating in adventurous shenanigans. There are exceptions to what activities are covered. So, it's best to check.

24/7 Assistance:

World Nomads has a 24-hour helpline dedicated to backpackers in need. Whether you need help, advice, referrals, or anything in-between, it's nice to know that you can always get the information you need. If you take out a policy with World Nomads, save the helpline to your phone.

COVID:

Following the pandemic outbreak, insurance providers were found wanting in what assistance they could offer to stranded or infected travelers. World Nomads has rectified this by offering some COVID cover. It includes medical treatment, evacuation, trip delay, and trip interruption. There are many stipulations around this, so check the fine print. Even with these caveats, World Nomads is one of the only travel insurance providers that have added COVID cover to their policies.

World Nomads ‘Explorer’ Plan

The Explorer Plan offers all the coverage of the standard plan but with a greater financial safety net across the policy and a few additions.

It covers medical expenses, evacuation, trip cancellation, disruption or delay, accidental death or dismemberment, repatriation, lost or stolen possessions, adventure activities, and sports.

With Emergency evacuation, the cover is extended from $300,000 on the standard plan to $500,000. Cover for trip cancellation or interruption is boosted to $10,000, up from $2,500. Trip delay cover increases from $500 to $3,000. Cover for repatriation is $500,000, while the death or dismemberment payout is increased to $10,000. In addition, coverage for lost or stolen goods is tripled to a much more reasonable $3,000. You also get $35,000 worth of rental car excess. Something that doesn't feature on the standard plan. Finally, as the name suggests, there is much broader coverage for adventure activities and sports.

The Pros of Travel Insurance With World Nomads

The benefits of travel insurance with World Nomads should be pretty evident. Market-leading coverage for some 140 countries. But, it's also well priced, and you can extend your policy at any point on your trip. They're also one of the few providers that allow you to purchase a policy after your trip begins.

The Cons of Travel Insurance With World Nomads

Our only real gripe with World Nomads is the extent of cover for lost, stolen, or damaged possessions. In an age where most electronics would surpass the cover of the standard plan, $1,000 – or even $3,000 on the Explorer plan – doesn't feel adequate. Though this isn't an issue exclusive to World Nomads.

Luckily, there are other ways of insuring your valuables during your trip.

That moan aside, it should be noted that coverage isn't available for anyone aged 69 and over. Also, the online system isn't the most user-friendly.

How Much Does a Policy With World Nomads Cost?

Putting a ballpark figure on the cost of travel insurance with World Nomads is impossible. Each quote will be affected by age, country of residence, and where you intend to go.

The best way to get an idea of how much World Nomads will cost is to head to their website and get a quote. But what you should know is that it won't be crazy expensive. And when you consider the extent of cover you're getting, the expense is insignificant.

The Bottom Line

World Nomads have been around for a long time now. It's a service made by backpackers, for backpackers. It does a superb job of keeping you safe from any incident that may befall you. Backpackers needn't look further for good travel insurance.

Launched in 2018, SafetyWing is a relatively new player in travel insurance.

The company is a Norwegian startup based in California, pitching itself as the go-to for digital nomads.

They distinguish themselves by offering one policy as an indefinite monthly subscription, focusing mainly on medical cover.

SafetyWing looked at the market and found that offering different tiers of coverage was confusing. So, they devised one simple, straightforward policy they believed catered to the needs of digital nomads and long-term travelers.

Below, we round up what that plan actually covers:

What Does A Safety Wing Policy Cover?

Emergency Accident and Sickness Expenses:

Accidents happen all the time. It's one of the main reasons for buying travel insurance in the first place. Sooner or later, you may need emergency medical treatment. With $250,000 worth of cover available ($100,000 if you're 65 and over), SafetyWing isn't found wanting here. In fact, SafetyWing's accident and sickness coverage goes above and beyond what you'd find with other travel insurance operators, thanks to a few nice-to-haves.

$1,000 is set aside for emergency dental treatment. There is also cover for the acute onset of pre-existing medical conditions. SafetyWing also offers outpatient care, including physiotherapy or a trip to a chiropractor – you can claim $50 per day on outpatient care.

Evacuation and Repatriation:

Emergency evacuation means medical-related evacuation. Should you need it, you might be sent home for treatment. However, you may also be sent to the nearest country that can provide appropriate care. Regarding emergency evacuations, SafetyWing provides up to $100,000 of cover.

SafetyWing also provides cover for non-emergency evacuations. This comes into its own in the event of political unrest, violence, or natural disaster. SafetyWing offers up to $10,000 cover for non-emergency evacuations.

SafetyWing also includes repatriation in its plans. Repatriation is the cost of transporting your earthly remains back home if you pass away during your travels. The cost of repatriation is staggering, so having it covered is great, though hopefully, it'll never be needed. 

Accidental Death and Dismemberment:

This is SafetyWing's cover for loss of life or limb on your adventures. They also offer a 365-day grace period to claim on this aspect of your insurance following an accident abroad.

If you later lose a limb or pass away due to said injury, you, or your family, can still make a claim. If you lose a limb, SafetyWing will pay out $12,500. If you lose two limbs or your life, SafetyWing will pay $25,000.

Kidnapping:

While rare, kidnappings can happen. With SafetyWing, you'll be prepared for such a scenario with their crisis response coverage.

SafetyWing's crisis response coverage allows the company to pay your ransom if you are kidnapped, not to mention reimburse you for any possessions lost during the kidnapping. You can even get reimbursed for loss of earnings during the kidnapping period if applicable.

It's worth noting that SafetyWing's crisis response cover is not active in countries deemed exceedingly dangerous, such as Venezuela. 

Lost or Stolen Passports:

One of the most common claims from travelers. If you lose your passport, SafetyWing will reimburse you up to $100 for a replacement. This sum will almost always be enough to cover the cost of a new one.

Personal Liability:

Personal liability keeps you covered if you run into some legal troubles. That might mean that your actions cause someone else injury, harm, or financial loss by accident. With SafetyWing, personal liability covers any legal fees and settlements that arise, up to a maximum value of $25,000.

COVID:

Providing you don't contract the virus before embarking on your trip of a lifetime, SafetyWing offers some COVID-19 cover. SafetyWing will cover the cost of quarantine outside your home country at up to $50 per day for a maximum of ten days. Most travel insurance companies still don't offer protection from COVID, so this is a huge plus. 

Home Country Coverage: 

This one seems odd, but it absolutely makes sense. Life happens, and you may need to pause your trip and head home at some point. That might be due to a family bereavement, a big birthday bash, or a wedding.

SafetyWing knows that these things happen. They know that while you'll need to head home every now and then, the journey's never really over.

With that in mind, your cover is maintained when you return home. For every 90 days spent abroad, you earn 30 days of cover back home (15 in the US).

No other travel insurance company we're aware of provides this flexibility in their policies, and we're here for it. 

Interruptions and Delays:

Speaking of heading home, SafetyWing offers up to $5,000 of coverage for trip interruption. This usually means going home due to personal illness, a family bereavement, etc.

So long as there's a valid reason for the interruption of your trip, SafetyWing will pay up.

There is also a limited amount of cover for trip delays. Specifically, you can claim back $100 per day for delays of up to two days following a 12-hour delay.

Lost Checked Luggage:

If your luggage is lost in transit, you'll be able to claim back up to $3,000. However, there are limits to this. Namely, you can only claim up to $500 per item, with a lifetime limit of $6,000.

What Does SafetyWing Not Cover?

That all sounds great.

However, there's no denying that SafetyWing's cover doesn't look as broad as others'. There are some very noticeable exclusions in SafetyWing's policy, which we'll discuss below.

Trip Cancellation:

If you're a digital nomad living life on the road without a permanent abode, is the journey ever really over? Can it get canceled? It's a question that SafetyWing thought long and hard about when mapping out the cover included in their policies. And clearly, one that they're happy to omit. 

Electronics: 

SafetyWing offers no cover for valuables and electronics. It seems a weird move, especially for a company pitching themselves to digital nomads. But there is a method to the madness.

SafetyWing knows that cover elsewhere for these items is severely limited, almost redundant. If you can only get a maximum of $500 cover per item, will that make a difference when your MacBook Pro bites the dust? Probably not. By that logic, SafetyWing assumes that their core audience, digital nomads, will have already taken out more extensive cover with a third party. So do they really need to offer it here?

Theft:

Again, omitting theft from coverage seems odd. But it makes a good deal of sense when you think about it.

Say you leave your sunglasses on a table at a cafe. You run to the loo and forget to pick them up. By the time you return, they're gone. If you tried to claim on this elsewhere, you'd still have to pay the excess, which is probably more than the value of your sunglasses. So, again, is it worth it? 

Adventure Activities:

This one is weird. Some activities, like trekking to 4,500 meters, are covered. But most are not. You're covered to climb to the top of a 4,500-meter mountain but not going out to play soccer. Bizarre.

The Pros of Travel Insurance With SafetyWing

There's a lot to love about SafetyWing.

They excel in the medical side of travel insurance, with solid coverage and some great extras that you won't find elsewhere.

Similarly, being able to purchase a policy after departing for your trip is really useful.

But above all else, SafetyWing is affordable, despite the $250 deductibles. The company uses a really convenient 'pay monthly' payment system. This allows you to start, stop, pause, or return to the policy whenever convenient. Paying monthly instead of all at once is a real luxury for travelers.

The Cons of Travel Insurance With SafetyWing

The absence of coverage for theft and electronics will be a real disappointment to some. As SafetyWing is pitching to digital nomads, they're expecting you to have third-party coverage for your electronics. And while the absence of this allows SafetyWing to keep costs down and undercut the rest of the market, it's a hassle for you to arrange third-party cover for your most valuable items.

Another sticking point is the limited coverage for baggage, natural disasters, and delays.

But without a doubt, the biggest disappointment is the coverage available for adventure activities. While this is a policy aimed at digital nomads, we firmly believe that you should take some risks and try new things when traveling. Seeing that not acknowledged here is bitterly disappointing.

How Much Does A Policy With Safety Wing Cost?

Not a lot is the answer. Coverage with SafetyWing starts at $37 per month. It's well and truly earned its reputation as a cheap and cheerful option in travel insurance.

And while it is cheap, quotes will vary case-by-case, so it's best to head to their site and get one if you want a real handle on how much their policies will cost you.

The subscription-style payments are a big plus. Paying all that money at once can be off-putting to some. While paying for it bit by bit, having the freedom to cancel, pause, or come back to it whenever you want is a real breath of fresh air.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that SafetyWing has done its homework on its audience and what they really want from a travel insurance policy. For digital nomads and long-term travelers, it's so nearly perfect.

The absence of cover for adventure activities is a bitter pill to swallow. However, the flexibility of SafetyWing's policy lets you press pause and briefly switch to a policy with more comprehensive cover for such activities before switching back again.

With flexibility, affordability, and solid cover, SafetyWing is a winner.

Insure My Equipment is a new player in the travel insurance arena. The company has carved out a niche by offering the best protection for valuables and gear that money can buy.

The market has been ripe for a new player like Insure My Equipment. More established operators are reluctant to bring comprehensive coverage for high-value items to their plans. Insure My Equipment has plugged this gap and won plenty of fans for its efforts.

Their coverage is perfect for backpackers worried about taking their phones and laptops on the road. It's better yet for digital nomads carrying their entire professional workflow.

What Does An Insure My Equipment Policy Cover?

The company insures all your valuables up to a maximum collective value of $750,000.

For items under $2,000 in value, Insure My Equipment offers blanket coverage, meaning you don't have to declare each item.

For items over $2,000 in value, you'll need to register each item, creating a digital inventory of your equipment. Each item will be assigned a value for its worth and what they're covered for.

However, what isn't covered is all the additional stuff you get with a traditional standard travel insurance policy. You'll have to double up, purchasing cover from Insure My Equipment and regular old travel insurance.

How Much Does An Insure My Equipment Policy Cost?

Giving an average price is tricky. After all, we all have a different inventory of what we intend to take on our travels. The best way to get a feel for Insure My Equipment's cost is to get a quote from their website.

To help set your expectations, if you were looking to insure a MacBook Pro, a newish iPhone, a DSLR, and a couple of lenses, you're looking at an outlay of $500 per year.

The Bottom Line

It's a lot of money. But for that money, you're getting unparalleled coverage and peace of mind for your most valuable and prized possessions.

You'll still need to arrange travel insurance covering medical expenses, trip cover, emergencies, personal liability, etc.

Insure My Equipment does one thing, but it does it well. For digital nomads, it's the final word in protecting your workflow and all the gear you may be traveling with. For us regular folk, it's invaluable if you are concerned about the limited coverage on offer through your regular travel insurance policy.

It's a significant cost to account for, but a worthwhile one.

Travel insurance is there to make a claim at some point. But what does that process actually look like?

First, you need to get in touch with your insurance provider. There are two ways to do so.

The first is to call a 24-hour helpline – an industry standard for backpackers needing aid. Make sure you've saved your insurance provider's emergency contact number. Making a call is best for serious emergencies. Your insurer will help you make arrangements and cover your emergency costs immediately in such an event.

The second option, and more appropriate in non-emergency situations, is to log in to your travel insurance account and claim there. In these situations, you'll need to pay the costs upfront. Keep documents and receipts of everything. Forward any documentation you've collected to your insurance provider so they can reimburse you for any expenses incurred. You may need to be a little patient in getting your money back. After all, you're dealing with insurance companies; renowned for dragging their heels before paying up.

To ensure you spend minimal time waiting for reimbursements, you can take a couple of steps for different types of claims:

• For medical expenses, make sure you get a copy of everything. And we mean everything. Doctor's notes, medical bills, lists of treatments. The works.

• If you get robbed, get a police report asap. You'll also need receipts and serial numbers for any devices that may have been taken to give proof of ownership. You'll also need to give a sworn statement to the insurers of what happened and how. Do all this, and your claim will go through smoothly.

• Providing proof of purchase and serial numbers is vital for claiming damage or theft on gadgets and electronics. It may be overkill, but we recommend taking regular photos of your electronics and gadgets via your smartphone, especially for device damage. Your phone captures metadata when you take a photo. Metadata is a digital record of the photo's details, including when and where it was taken. Regularly taking photos of your possessions gives insurers a neat little breadcrumb trail of where they've been and when. This paints a picture of when and where any damage that befalls your possessions occurs. It's a mundane task but so worth the time.

The message here is that organization and documentation are vital. Regularly organizing documents, invoices, receipts, photos, and so on will boost the chances of being reimbursed fully and quickly. If you're still unsure what documentation you need to supply for individual types of claims, check the fine print on your policy.

If you make a claim, you'll usually get an email advising what documentation to supply for the claim to go through. Still, it's best to know beforehand what documentation you need to be collecting on your trip.

Not Factoring Travel Insurance Into Your Budget

There are many exciting things to plan before embarking on your trip. Flights, hostels, an itinerary, your packing list – all things infinitely more exciting than travel insurance.

With so many things to plan and buy, the need to book a travel insurance policy can fall to the wayside.

Yes, a good policy for long-term travel will set you back several hundred dollars. But we've said it before, and we'll say it again. If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.

Add that travel insurance could save you and your wallet a lot of despair, and the expense is entirely justified.

Buy your policy early, and you won't be dipping into all those savings you worked so hard for.

Not Getting Cover For Your Activities

When traveling, there's an urge to try things you've never done before. Rafting, caving, bungee jumps, climbing mountains, scuba diving. Nothing is off the table.

You're more adventurous. You take more risks. But there is an element of jeopardy. That potential for danger tends to cost a pretty penny on your insurance quote – if your insurance provider even covers it.

That higher associated cost may tempt some to leave it out of their quote. Don't let it. If sensible enough to add it to your quote, check what's covered. But above all else, just ensure it's there.

Assuming Your Valuables Will Be Covered

Most travelers embark on their trip armed with a fancy phone, a laptop, maybe even a nice camera. Digital nomads will often travel with a phone, workhorse MacBooks, a fancy DSLR with lenses, a drone, and more.

Given the above has become so prevalent, you'd imagine that cover for them is pretty comprehensive. It's not. When lost, stolen, or damaged, reimbursement for these items tends to be inconsequential compared to their actual cost. At the very most, reimbursement maxes out at $1000. That'll barely replace your phone, let alone a MacBook or DSLR.

Luckily, there are third-party insurers who offer cover specifically for those traveling with such items, like Insure My Equipment. This would be our approach if traveling with items that cost several thousand dollars.

Not Reading The Fine Print

The fine print makes or breaks travel insurance policies. Providers talk a big game. After all, they want your custom. However, those big, bold claims can be misleading if you dig deeper.

We've seen our fair share of insurance providers making a big deal out of high limits, low deductibles, etc. Then the fine print explains that the cover is actually quite limited.

Reading the fine print is just as important as those big, bold statements, no matter how arduous it is to work through. Never say yes to a quote before reading the fine print.

The fine print includes vague and confusing language designed for insurers to worm their way out of paying for claims. If you have doubts about what the fine print actually means, contact the insurer for clarification. Plain-English, understandable, screenshottable clarification.

Not Distinguishing Between Single-Claim And Aggregate Claim Limits

This sort of falls under the point about the fine print. But it's so important it deserves its own section. Aggregate and single-claim limits are a devious little tool employed by insurers to not pay up when it matters.

If you're unlucky on your travels, you might need to make several claims under the same cover umbrella. That might mean a cracked phone screen, a stolen camera, and a laptop problem, all through separate claims.

This is where the distinction is vital.

Say, for example, your insurer quotes $2000 cover for valuables. Sounds good, right? At the very least, $2000 will cover a good chunk of your precious possessions if they break, get damaged, or are stolen. But, dig a little deeper, and you might find that this is the total amount you can claim for all your valuables. That's a different proposition entirely.

It's absolutely worth looking out for when looking for your perfect policy.