Although we bring you to “places your mother would rather you stay away from”, this doesn’t necessarily mean they are dangerous places. However, it is compulsory for travellers to all our destinations to arrange travel insurance, to cover medical treatment and evacuation in the unlikely event of illness or an accident.
Young Pioneer Tours have used IATI Travel Insurance for a number of years and we highly recommend them as they cover the majority of off the beaten destinations we tour. Such as North Korea, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Libya, Turkmenistan, Russia, China and the list goes on.
Click this link here to receive a 5% discount off the standard IATI prices when signing up to a policy.
IATI can cover overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and personal items. It is your responsibility to ensure that your travel insurance coverage includes, medical and health cover for an injury or sudden illness while on tour, 24-hour emergency service and assistance (including repatriation if you become too ill to continue the tour), cancellation and curtailment, lost and stolen possessions cover, and personal liability cover.
Benefits of having travel insurance
With our own experience we know IATI are the most competitive insurance provider. They cover over 130 countries, have low costs compared to other budget travel insurers and can cover travellers up to the age of 70.
If you change your travel plans it is possible to extend your cover whilst you’re on the road. You can also buy a new policy whilst you’re aboard. We really appreciate this flexibility that most other insurers aren’t able to provide.
We have found IATI claims to be easy, simple and quick. All you need access to is either a phone or internet. They’re very understanding when you are located in a remote location with limited internet or phone roaming, and they are available to reach 24/7.
Before you purchase any travel insurance make sure you read the policy carefully and are aware of the fine print, especially the exclusions. Some key things to watch out for with your policy are*:
- Country Exclusions – Make sure all the places you’re going during your trip are covered
- Dangerous activities – Let’s be realistic, most insurers don’t cover extremely dangerous activities. So be aware of what is and isn’t covered and contact the provider if you aren’t sure, BEFORE you need to make a claim.
- Per item maximums – If you have high value equipment like high quality camera lenses, you may need separate coverage for those specific items. There’s little point getting a policy that has a maximum payout on camera equipment of $1,000 when your cheapest lens is worth twice that.
- Excess – Basically the cost of making a claim. Check that your insurer has a reasonable excess or it’s only useful for extreme situations.
- Personal Liability – Should you accidentally (or negligently) cause damage to the property of others and get sued, are you offered any protection? (Like third party insurance for your car but for yourself.)
- Evacuation – Should you need to get home in a hurry due to medical or other circumstances, ensure that these costs of evacuation are covered in your policy
* The above are only some specific items that some travellers tend to overlook. Be sure to consider your own personal circumstances and requirements when selecting an insurance policy.
Disclaimer: We use IATI for our own guides when we travel, and have for many years. We truly believe in their product. If you purchase a IATI policy through our site, we may receive an affiliate commission. We only affiliate with IATI because we believe they have the best product.
IATI are an independent company of Young Pioneer Tours. It is the responsibility of each traveller to check which countries are covered by them (or any insurer) before you embark on your tour with us.
