Thinking of travelling abroad by yourself or with your family for more than 3 months? Going to a foreign country for some volunteer work? Visiting a country to experience adventure or extreme sports? Or maybe leaving home for a long business trip? If you answered yes to any of these choices, then it’s time for you to consider having long term travel insurance. While it’s great to head off to another country to have the experience of a lifetime, or to merely have the vacation of your dreams, it never hurts to prepare for any eventuality. This includes theft, health issues, accidents, and deaths – among others. For instance, you may be staying at a local hotel where security is limited, you may end up in a city where there is a condition break-out, or you may have an accident while trying out a native sport in a foreign country.

By now, you may be wondering, what are the benefits of having this? There are different profits to having long term travel insurance, depending on the type of coverage and the amount of premium that you’re paying. One, your insurance covers all the medical bills that you incur if you either get ill or get into an accident. There are also some insurance companies who, after an investigation, will pay for the damages that you may cause to a third party or to someone else’s property. Two, your insurance covers theft or loss of baggage and important papers. You are also covered in case of cancelled, delayed or emergency flights. Third, for a higher premium, the insurance company provides help and support to your family in case of death. Now, before you jump into the first long term travel insurance company you find, here are some pointers that you should take note of.

First - know what you need. Whether you’re a student off to study abroad or merely travelling, or businessman out on a business trip, or a volunteer off to help other nations, medical needs and expenses are still the same. They may vary depending on how you need them, but it should be the foremost of what you look for in a long term travel insurance policy. Medical treatment may prove to be costly abroad so it pays to be prepared for this. In addition, check the items that you are going to need for your travel. Check if you need to pay extra to have iPods or digital cameras insured. Most companies will not pay for lost items unless they are properly declared beforehand. Lastly, know how long your stay is. This is important so you’ll know if your whole trip is covered and how much medical insurance you need.

Second – look for the benefits. This is essential so you’ll know which are covered or not. Usually, long term travel insurance companies offer coverage to people aged 35 to 40 years only. They may offer a different, more expensive coverage to older people. Also, if you plan to take part in extreme sports, make sure that it’s covered. Some companies require a higher premium if you’re going to do certain activities like bungee jumping or sky diving. The same applies for winter sports like skiing or snowboarding. In addition, check if the country where you are going is not included in the insurance company blacklist. Normally, countries listed as not suited for travel are not covered. Also, if you plan to go off-track in search for adventure, check if the insurance company covers “search and rescue”. Knowing all these ensures that you are prepared for any eventuality and ensures you of a worry-free journey.