I wouldn't dream of travelling without insurance and I'm currently look for insurance for an upcoming overland trip from the UK to Oz.

It might seem like a waste of cash if your trip goes well and you don't make use of it, but you only need to make one tiny mistake and you'd be lost without it. There is always someone back home to use as a base for your address.

However, My experience of annual travel insurance is that it usually has trip limits (30, 60 90 days etc.) that are no good for overland travel unless you buy some special expensive 'adventure travel' insurance.
Slight Hijack but anyone recommend cheap travel insurance for motorcycle overland?

Try alphatravelinsurance.co.uk

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Mark
http://chasingdreams2014.blogspot.co.uk/

I've been investigating this lately. The two companies I short-listed were:

• 1Stop - underwritten by Cigna Europe Insurance Company; and

• Holidaysafe - trading name of Infinity Insurance Solutions Ltd - underwritten by Union Reiseversicherung AG (Germany)

Both will cover m/c overlanding without c.c. restriction subject to holding an appropriate UK licence.

I have it on good authority that Cigna '.. are generally fair and pretty good. [but can be a little slow at times]'

I notice that Alpha Travel Insurance's plan - suggested by trackdayrider (above) - is almost identical to Holidaysafe's offering in nearly every detail; both policies are just different 'white label' contracts as far I can tell. The slight exceptions between the two regarding 'motorcycling' definitions are:

Holidaysafe: 'Motorcycling with appropriate UK licence (excludes track days)'

Alpha: 'Motorcycling with appropriate UK licence'

Both will also include 'MotoCross' as an activity, providing you are prepared to pay an additional premium.

Incidentally, 1Stop's motorcycling definition is: 'Motorcycling on public roads (no racing) safety helmet to be worn and must possess a licence allowing You to ride an equivalent motorcycle in the UK'

I guess therefore, by definition, 1Stop excludes any off-roading activity whatsoever. In other words, you must stick to 'public roads'.
NOTE - the policy is silent regarding the particular make-up of 'roads' - therefore I assume it includes all surfaces - e.g. tar-sealed, gravel, even dirt - as long as you are travelling on a recognised 'public road' (.. and not racing.)

Finally, it's worth noting that 1Stop were prepared to include cover for a minor health condition I have, whereas Holidaysafe insisted on excluding it.

You cannot be too very careful with an insurer's policy wording!
.

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Right Way Round ...

I have been travelling soon 3 years and all the time with travel insurance.
In Indonesia I had accident with truck, broke both of my hands and one arm.
Hospital in Indonesia could not fix my broken wrist because it was too badly damaged, so I needed to fly back to Europe to get it operated.

My insurance company (ADAC) paid everything, even flight back to Europe without any problem.

You do not need to make mistake, it is enough that someone else does something stupid... So, my warm recommendation is to have travel insurance

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Thanks for all the replies. A topic worthy of the good discussion it has created. I asked because I will soon be at the end Of my first year of travel, and I fully intend to carry on. I will have a lot to sort out in order to continue, insurance is just one of those things.

I am at present with Campbell, really should check the paperwork to be sure but it's late and I am in the tent. I can now check out a few others as well. the big problem as some have mentioned is the travel by motorcycle part. Lots of the companies turned away at that point.

Your answers and comments have reinforced how essential this is.

Good morning everyone.
Ok time to return to this topic as I am now back in England preparing for the next stage. My last years insurance with Campbell Irvine has run its course, time for a new quote.

Next years travel is set to be South and Central America. Same plan, travel by motorcycle as the primary means of transport. A phone call to Vanessa at Campbell has produced a quote of £883. Now my plan is to go through the thread contacting each company mentioned and seeing how it pans out. the aim is to ensure I get an appropriate level of cover for myself, not cheap insurance. the price war issue is something else. I want to be safe and adequately covered not paying for a worthless piece of paper. To this end I ask some very specific questions of each company.

So as I go through it I will post results back up here. as usual any comments and questions are welcome.

First company, Alpha Travel insurance. They are unable to quote as to qualify the insured must have lived in the UK for at least 6 of the last 12 months. As I have been away for a year I am excluded.

Next is 1 Stop Travel insurance. At 46 I am unable to use the backpackers policy and have to take out a single trip policy. Cover for the bike ( 950cc ) is ok. I questioned their wording as it stated " incidental use " within the wording of the policy. I explained that the bike was my home and principle mode of transport. I gave last years mileage of 20,000 as a guide to the use I expected. The gentlemen checked and confirmed this would be acceptable. I questioned their definition of a road due to the off road nature of overland travel. Again this was checked and the consensus is that if it is shown as a road on a map it's a road. I have the policy document to look at. But, for me there are 2 sticking points. First the quote is almost half that of Campbell Irvine. this makes me question the level of cover hence getting the document to read. And secondly I cannot return to England whilst traveling for a visit, to do so ends the policy as it is a single trip. I always hope to return for my daughters birthday, this means two policies over the year.

Lots more to do. Not as much fun as the travel but important stuff.

The UK travel insurance industry is a rip-off like most things. Many just won't cover you on a motorcycle, so you're fine unless you are in a bike accident. Holidaysafe (who I used for Morocco) do cover bikes which is good as it applies even to their their longstay policies as well as their bike specific ones.

Now things get interesting when talking about an extended trip. Sure many companies do long-stay insurance, but often they require proof of a return ticket (which man overlanders won't have) or proof of intent to return to the UK. What counts as proof will be up to the varying insurance companies.

Longstay insurance form most companies is up to 12-24 months. So after two years maximum you need a new policy, which in a lot of instances you can't buy if you're already out of the UK. Those that do allow you to purchase insurance when already abroad, hike up the charge. I've seen this be up to four times as much as the initial policy.

Another thing to note is, don't rely on travel insurance for anything other than medical cover. The values and excesses on property and items are pitiful, you'll need separate cover for those if you're worried. On the subject of medical cover, don't be fooled by the big numbers e.g. £5m, £10m, £20m cover. In the history of the earth there has never been a medical expense claim on a travel insurance policy over £2m, so don't pay extra for cover you don't need.

@Zedsded - I don't know your circumstance, but your quotes so far seem pretty high. Make sure you are only covering what you need to. I'm expecting to pay around £75 for 6 months in South America, but then I'm only treating the insurance as health cover so not concerned with lost baggage, stolen phones, additional payouts for injury etc..

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Ok, Monday morning and back on the trail. Lessons learnt so far; It would seem that I cannot get a policy that will allow me to return to England during the year for a visit. Multiple trip policies have time restrictions on travel and single trip is exactly that, a single trip. I can pay for six months, return and then renew the policy on leaving again. Not the best scenario financially.

So for now I am asking for two quotes. One for a year and then another for six months.

So far;
Trailfinders. No problems with covering the bike, it is a 50% loading on the premium. One year is £733 and six months is £444. Policy documentation is on the website for me to read and confirm.

World Nomads. Cannot over cover if you are motorcycle touring, or the motorcycle is your main means of transport.

1 stop. Well I checked this out again this morning. £270 for a year cover on their standard policy, again asked the question about the bike on the phone and was told it is covered on the standard policy, they do not make an additional loading. Also interestingly when I explained the difference in the prices between themselves and other companies the young lady said that I should make a note of the time and number I have called from. She explained that all calls are recorded and I should be confident that the cover for the bike is included. Any questions after the event the call could be referred back to.

So at this point I am going to read through the policies I have received and see what I make of them. Starting with 1 stop!

I'm always covered when I travel, though I don't know if I qualify as a long-term traveler necessarily. It's just not worth the risk, especially if you're in an unfamiliar area.

Motocross is entirely different.. Classed as "competitive" off road motorcycling rather than simply off road motorcycling..


BTW
Alpha covered me including an historic heart surgery a few years ago

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Mark
http://chasingdreams2014.blogspot.co.uk/