The best International Travel Insurance: Make the Right Choice

During my adventures I have used my travel insurance on different occasions, almost all of them related to medical problems due to food poisoning, something that happens oftenly when you take international flights to countries where hygiene and customs are different. These moments are the ones that makes me think it was really worth it to hire a cheap but complete international travel insurance for backpackers, that covers everything essential for this type of trip.

I've had good experiences with two travel insurers, IATI insurance and HeyMondo, better known as Mondo. Next, I will explain to you Which features you should take into account when selecting international travel insurance and which is from my point of view and experience the best travel insurance. At the end of this article, I will also briefly explain how to make a claim so you can get an idea of how it really works first-hand.

Let's look at the different types of insurance packages available and which one might be best for you based on your money-saving situation.

When I started traveling, Iati was the first insurance provider I used. I continued using IATI until a year ago when I switched to HeyMondo. I will also talk in this article about Safetywing, a suitable and flexible option for digital nomads.

HeyMondo is a Spanish insurance company, which has grown and expanded its services internationally and has become one of the most competent and leading companies in the travel insurance sector. Its strong points are the following:

• Economical and fair price.
• You can select the countries you are visiting and the price will drop depending on the location.
• Highly professional company and with more than 7 years of experience in the sector.
• Easy online claim process.

One of the advantages of HeyMondo is that it has a very fast and simple process to obtain your insurance. You'll only need to fill in a few details about your age, the countries you're visiting and the duration of the trip, and you'll be covered. Making a claim is just as simple, with an online portal where you fill out the claim and attach the documents that support it. In my opinion, HeyMondo is the best cheap international travel insurance for backpackers and that is why I switched to this company.

These are the three most common types of insurance in Heymondo:

1. HeyMondo Single Trip Insurance: Ideal for domestic and international trips of less than 90 days. This is the one I usually order, since during this last year my longest trip to Sri Lanka and Maldives It was 2 months.
2. HeyMondo annual insurance: Perfect for multiple trips per year, as long as each trip is less than 90 days before returning to your place of residence. Ideal if you have a fixed residence and make 3 or 4 big trips a year.
3. HeyMondo long stay insurance: Perfect for trips throughout the year without needing to return home every 90 days. It is a great option for digital nomads or if you travel for more than 3 months at a time without returning home.
4. HeyMondo cancellation insurance: This travel insurance is perfect when you are not sure if you will finally be able to make your trip. It covers up to 47 reasons why you can cancel your trip and refund money for your reservations and flights.

Click here: Activate discount code. I explain how to proceed to request your insurance with Heymundo:

1. When you click on the link, it redirects you to the HeyMondo website.
2. Select the type of insurance policy you need.
3. Complete the questionnaire and click 'Calculate price'.
4. Your 5% discount will be applied automatically.

IATI is the Spanish insurance company specialized in international travel insurance with the most experience in the sector, specifically, more than 135 years. It has grown and consolidated, adapting to the times and innovating in the different plans they offer.

Until recently I used this company and I can confirm that their service is the best on the market. However, I switched to Heymondo as it is cheaper travel insurance and offers slightly better benefits in my opinion.

IATI offers a variety of insurance adapted to the different needs of travelers:

• IATI Basic: Ideal for short-term international trips, with medical coverage of up to €50,000 and basic luggage protection and legal assistance.
• IATI Standard: Suitable for most tourist destinations, with medical coverage of up to €300,000, including adventure sports and no excess on medical assistance.
• IATI Backpacker: Designed for adventurous travelers, it includes medical coverage of up to €500,000 and protection for more than 60 sports and adventure activities.
• IATI Great Travelers: Perfect for long-term trips, with medical coverage of €300,000 and additional options for adventure sports and extreme activities.
• IATI Annual Multi-trip: Ideal if you make multiple trips a year, covering all trips of up to 90 days during a period of 365 days, with medical coverage of €300,000​.

HeyMondo is great, but if you search the most flexible cheap international travel insurance, you have to take a look at SafetyWing. Nomad insurance offered by SafetyWing It costs 56 dollars a month and, unlike most insurance plans, It is paid monthly, you decide if you renew or not. There is no long-term contract and with a single click, you can activate or deactivate it for the next month. Each month, payment is automatically deducted from your account, just like any app subscription on your mobile. This is what modern travel insurance should be like.

Something that I like about this insurance and why it is considered one of the most flexible is because of the worldwide coverage, excluding your country of origin and any other exceptions and the possibility of immediate cancellation. It's perfect if you don't know the length of your trip.

It can be difficult to find cheap international travel insurance, and even more difficult to get an accurate quote without having to spend a lot of time entering all your information. According to my experience, HeyMondo is the simplest and clearest platform regarding inclusions and exclusions. Unlike many insurance companies, they don't try to trick you with hidden fees or exclusions.

Often, exclusions are in fine print and you only find out that you are not covered for certain activities in specific countries when it is too late. The main things you need to be included in your travel insurance are:

1. Medical expenses and hospital coverage: It can be very expensive to spend a night in a hospital in certain countries, such as the United States. The costs can reach very high figures. Make sure this limit is high to cover a serious accident or any health problem.
2. emergency evacuation– Another crucial aspect that is usually considered when it is too late. Make sure your insurance provider has coverage to evacuate you in an emergency or you may have to pay more than $10,000 for an urgent evacuation if you have an accident.

These two items are what generate a hefty bill when something happens. Hospital bills and evacuation are the largest expenses that affect your pocket the most.

I have already mentioned two of the non-negotiable aspects of good international travel insurance before. These should be the standard, but you also need cover for smaller, more likely incidents. These elements also make a difference when making a decision:

1. Coverage in most or all countries in the world.
2. Coverage for damaged, lost or stolen personal items (no low limit).
3. Easy access to customer service with live chat or 24/7 phone helpline.
4. Coverage for adventure activities.
5. Possibility of extending coverage if you plan to stay longer traveling.

I have been traveling non-stop for more than 3 years and I can tell you that I have made the odd insurance claim with Iati or HeyMondo every year I have traveled. These are some of the most notable ones I have done:

• Medical bills Food poisoning in Mexico: I became ill upon my arrival in Sayulita (Puerto Vallarta) apparently after drinking contaminated water or consuming tripe tacos at a street stand. At first they told me that it wasn't that big of a deal until I almost fainted and they took me to the hospital. They injected me with urbason and I remember that they prescribed three pills for parasites, to retain fluids and to be able to sleep at night.
• Money stolen from a bus in Mexico: They stole 6,000 Mexican pesos from my wallet that was in my backpack while I was sleeping on the bus on the way to Chiapas. I realized it upon my arrival at the hostel. I recovered the full amount, although this depends on the type of insurance you take out.
• Medical bills in Sri Lanka for food poisoning: Just like in Mexico, this time things were milder and I only had to go to the doctor to prescribe some pills against diarrhea.
• broken camera in the jungle of Sri Lanka: My canon broke after a storm on a route through the Sinjaraha Natural Park in Sri Lanka.

Although it should be simple, it is not. The claims department usually looks for any defects in your claim to avoid paying it, although in my experience, IATI and HeyMondo have proven willing to help.

The main point that will help you obtain a successful claim and payment is to have all your documents that support the events. If there was theft or damage to the items, I highly recommend obtaining a police report, which solidifies your claim and shows the insurance company that this really happened without a doubt. Also You will need receipts or proof that you owned the items you are claiming as lost or stolen, this is very important. I always keep all my receipts in a folder.

HeyMondo tends to handle claims within 2-3 weeks.

There are limits and things on what you can and cannot claim. You can expect that the items listed below will NOT be covered by your international travel insurance policy.

Extreme activities: Some policies will exclude highly dangerous activities such as skydiving, cliff jumping, and more. If you are someone who regularly participates in extreme activities, be sure to review the policy before purchasing cheap international travel insurance.

Pre-existing conditions: If you carry an illness or injury into the policy period, it usually will not be covered. Makes sense. The idea is to buy the policy and then be covered for the illness or injury, not just buy the policy once you get sick. That's not how insurance works.

Traveling against government warnings or restrictions: Traveling to countries or for reasons that are on no travel lists or have been advised against by your government can sometimes void your policy due to the increased risk of evacuation needs, injuries or incidents. Your insurance company expects you to go on vacation, not to a war zone.

I hope this guide has helped you understand what to look for when purchasing your backpacking insurance. There are many options, but these that I have mentioned are the most complete when we talk about cheap international travel insurance. Hopefully you never need to make a claim and your trip goes smoothly, but in case you do, make sure you are covered!