Travel Insurance for an Extended Road Trip

Updated 3rd June 2025

Insurance is a perennial problem for long-term travellers, since many insurers place restrictions on the amount of time you can spend outside the UK. However, as I am fond of saying, there is always a solution!

In this blog I look at the types of personal and vehicle insurance you need to cover any trip, but recommended the niche providers who will cover out of the ordinary situations, such as long-term or full-time travel, self-built or modified campers, and off-the-beaten-path destinations. I also highlight some of the policy pitfalls to avoid.

There are several considerations to make to ensure you’re adequately insured:

1. When Should I Take Out Travel Insurance?
2. Personal Travel & Health Insurance
   1. How to Get Travel Insurance When You Are Already Abroad
   2. Unexpected Event Cover
   3. I Have An EHIC/GHIC Card– Do I Need Travel Insurance?
   4. NHS Treatment and ‘Ordinary Residence’
3. Vehicle Insurance
   1. Extended European Cover
   2. Military Vehicle Insurance
   3. Hacks to Extend Foreign Cover on Vehicle Insurance:
   4. Insuring Without An MOT
   5. European Breakdown/Recovery Policies
4. Insurance for Full-Time & Self Build/Modified Vehicles
5. Hacks to Get The Best Deal on Renewing Your Vehicle Insurance
6. Pet Insurance
7. Unoccupied House Insurance
8. In Conclusion
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When Should I Take Out Travel Insurance?

Experts agree that the time to take out travel insurance is as soon as you book your travel, so that you are protected from cancellation.

However, the policy is a waste of money and not worth the paper it’s written on if it does not cover you in the event of an emergency, so do make sure you do your homework, check your policy, and make sure you have adequate cover.

Please note I am UK based, so some of the specifics may not apply in other parts of the world. Policies change; I have made every effort to ensure that the information is correct at the time of writing. I am not an insurance professional. The following is based solely on my own research and experience and any advice is used entirely at your own risk. Please see my Disclaimer for details.

I recommend telling your insurance company everything that is relevant, and if you’re unsure what is covered, ask them specific questions. Don’t be afraid to ask them to confirm in writing what you’ve agreed. The midst of an incident is NOT the time to discover you don’t have adequate cover.

Personal Travel & Health Insurance

There are lots of providers out there.

• Some bank accounts, such as Nationwide FlexPlus, include general travel insurance, but check carefully what is included. At the time of writing, Nationwide flex plus offered annual family travel insurance for up to 30 day trips (you can extend) and vehicle breakdown cover in UK and EU, including motorhomes upto 8m and 7500kg, although at 10m and 16,000kgm that’s no good for us! Apparently, it only covers 31 days skiing even if you extend cover to 90 days.
• Comparison sites such as Moneysupermarket or Comparethemarket list suppliers who provide all different types of cover, such as single/multi trip, over 70s, winter/extreme sports, etc.
• Our personal travel and health insurance is with Co-op, although we have to use other suppliers for skiing and ‘already travelling’ suppliers if we need to extend cover while out of the country.
• Safetywing Nomad Insurance is a subscription-type insurance which covers you outside your home country and for short visits back to your home country. It can be started while your’e already abroad (see How to Get Travel Insurance When You Are Already Abroad below for more policy recommendations.)

POLICY PITFALLS TO AVOID:

• Does the policy cover the full duration of your trip? It is difficult (but not impossible – see below) to get insurance when you’re already abroad.
• Does the policy cover all the countries you’re visiting?
• Dangerous Sports Cover – does your policy cover all the activities you want to do? What constitutes a dangerous sport varies between insurance companies. Mark and I have to ensure that we are covered for windsurfing, skiing (including off piste), SUP and cycling. The policy we bought covered surfing as standard, but not windsurfing, which was charged as an extra. Even if you plan to do a one-off activity, such as parascending or white-water rafting, check that you have cover, since activities such as these are often excluded. World Nomads insurance offers cover for 150 activities, but you may need to upgrade your policy or sporting level to ensure that you’re covered for everything you plan to do.
• Are you covered if you are over 70 or have pre-existing medical conditions? Tell your insurer about any long-term illness and medication you take. (Before you travel, also check that your medication is legal in the countries you’re visiting. Some countries have heavy fines or even imprisoment for posession of what they view as controlled drugs, but which may be common over-the-counter or prescription medicines in the UK. Examples are opiate painkillers e.g. codeine, or antidepressant medication. There can be restrictions on the amount of medication you can take with you, and you may require a note from your doctor. This article from Which! lists some common restricted medicines and the countries with the strictest policies. )
• Is the loss or theft of valuable items such as cameras or electric bicycles included?
• The UK Government website offers advice on what to look for in a travel insurance policy.
• What Do The Sections Cover? – This short guide from Good To Go Insurance explains the different sections of a travel insurance policy.
• ALWAYS Check The Small Print!

How to Get Travel Insurance When You Are Already Abroad

Our travel insurance expired while we were in lockdown in Italy. It can be difficult to get insurance if you are already abroad; we are aware of only a few companies who offer ‘Already Travelling’ insurance.

• Battleface offers unusual insurance packages, including to countries with travel warnings.
• Big Cat Travel Insurance
• Holidaysafe
• Safetywing Nomad Insurance
• True Traveller – from personal experience, I cannot recommend True Traveller. When forced to return to the UK just before Christmas because my father was rushed to hospital and subsequently passed away, all we claimed for was our unused seasonal ski passes, They refused to cover it on the basis it was ‘loss of enjoyment’. The loss of enjoyment was the death of my father. The ski passes was the loss of £2,000. It was an expensive policy, and this made me wonder whether any other curtailment or other costs would be covered, or whether everything else would simply constitute ‘loss of enjoyment’. When we were forced to return from a ski trip under similar circumstances for Mark’s mum, we were insured by Big Cat, who refunded the costs without question. When we made a big fuss and threatened to contact the media, True Traveller did decide to reimburse us, but I don’t believe we should have had to do that to have a valid claim settled. For the full story and media contacts, read my post True Traveller Insurance – My Terrible Experience.
• World Nomads

Unexpected Event Cover

Click here for Which? Money’s list of insurers who offer ‘Unexpected Event Cover’, which includes cover for things like Scheduled Airline Failure, Volcanic Ash, Strike, Terrorism and Civil Unrest.

I Have An EHIC/GHIC Card– Do I Need Travel Insurance?

The quick answer is YES – DEFINITELY – if you want to avoid huge unexpected medical and/or other bills!

The UK EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) has now been replaced by the UK GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card). Although it is being phased out, your EHIC remains valid until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you’ll need to apply for a GHIC. You can apply for a GHIC on the NHS website free of charge.

Check that your EHIC/GHIC card is up to date, since some insurance policies are based on your having a valid EHIC/GHIC.

WHAT IS THE EHIC/GHIC?

The EHIC/GHIC is a reciprocal agreement, which entitles citizens to:

• The same level of State healthcare as a local NOT the equivalent to what you would get in the UK
• In the countries under the agreement (i.e. not everywhere!)
• Treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home, which may be basic temporary care rather than specialist treatment.

EHIC/GHIC is NOT a replacement for travel insurance because:

• You may not get the same standard of care as in the UK, and it may not be free.
• It covers only emergency medical expenses, NOT cancellation, public liability, lost luggage etc.
• It does not cover private healthcare or the costs of repatriation due to medical necessity or death.
• It is not valid in some countries, such as Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You’ll need travel insurance with healthcare cover.
• Which treatments are covered by the agreement varies between countries, and can include ambulances – in some countries, ambulance services are run privately.

NHS Treatment and ‘Ordinary Residence’

Free NHS treatment is a residence-based system, available to those who are ‘Ordinarily Resident’ in the UK. (Emergency treatment is free for visitors to the UK.)

You may be surprised to learn that having British nationality, a British passport, an NHS number, property, or paying tax or NI (National Insurance) in the UK does not necessarily make you ‘ordinarily resident’. Expats have to pay for NHS treatment.

If you spend long periods out of the country, you may lose your entitlement to free NHS treatment, and can be charged shockingly large amounts for complex care, such as cancer treatment. It’s a bit of a grey area. I’ve examined some cases and it seems that the duration of an absence is less important that the reason for the absence. For example, a court deemed that a subject who left with no discernible intent of returning ceased to be ordinarily resident at that point. Yet a woman who was abroad for 15 months had remained ordinarily resident since her absence was temporary.

Citizens who return to the UK on a settled basis will be classed as ordinarily resident and will be eligible for free NHS care immediately.

Vehicle Insurance

A UK registered vehicle must be taxed and MOT’d for it to be legally insured and road legal abroad. This requirement means we have to return to the UK annually. We have sought various solutions, (see below Insuring Without An MOT). Note that although Gibraltar is a British territory, the Gibraltar MOT is only for Gibraltar-registered vehicles.

You will need an address to register your vehicle and get insurance. An understanding relative or friend may help. Some mail forwarding companies such as Boatmail can provide a UK street address, but check that the address provided is acceptable for use with insurance and other official entities. 

POLICY PITFALLS TO AVOID:

• Are you covered for the full duration of your trip and for all the countries you plan to visit? Some insurers offer only 90 days European cover, and may not cover you in some countries.
• Does the European cover offer the same level of cover as in the UK? i.e. fully comprehensive? Some policies only give third party cover while abroad, although some offer paid upgrades to fully comprehensive.
• Do you need a green card for your vehicle (and caravan if towing)? Some insurance companies charge extra for a green card, and some countries still require a green card.
• Does your cover include transport of you, your family, your vehicle and/or caravan back to the UK? What happens if your caravan is damaged, but the tow vehicle okay – will they transport the caravan back? If both vehicles are damaged, will they transport you, your family and pets home?
• Would your insurance provide a replacement tow car or replacement vehicle in case of a severe accident or breakdown?
• Are you covered if you plan to go off road?
• Are you covered for the cost of the mandatory private recovery on French motorways?

NOTE ON FRENCH MOTORWAYS:

French Motorways are privately owned. If you break down, only certain authorised companies can remove you from either the carriageway or motorway service areas. The companies are mandated to remove you only to a ‘safe place’, although they may drop you at a municipal campsite if you ask nicely and there is one close by. You have to inform them at the time the length of your outfit, and if you have a caravan, they will tow that behind the trailer. This is the case no matter whose insurance or breakdown cover you have. Ensure that the costs associated, which can amount to several hundred euros, are included in your insurance/breakdown cover.

Extended European Cover

Insurance for extended periods abroad is difficult to come by. Note that compliance with the Schengen 90/180 rule is a requirement if it applies to you. Note also that some countries e.g. Greece, will not allow your vehicle to stay longer than 6 months without being registered in that country.

BEST PROVIDERS:

We have used the following providers:

• Adrian Flux – We really struggled to insure our Beast because it has a 10-litre engine. Only Adrian Flux would cover an engine of that size, although it was remarkably cheap. Our truck, all 16 tonnes of her, costs under £400 per year fully comp with 180 days extended European cover, but we are old gits (60-ish!). 180 days foreign travel is as much as you’ll get with most insurers (many only do 90 days). See Hacks to Extend Foreign Cover on Vehicle Insurance below.

• SAGA – we used SAGA in our caravan touring days, but they would not insure our panel van. They offer an unlimited stay abroad but you have to be over 50.
• LV – offers 180 days fully-comp European cover. We used LV for our van. Our policy for The Beast via specialist insurance broker Adrian Flux is underwritten by LV.

From the various forums, I have heard that the following companies are helpful, but I haven’t checked the information or used them myself:

• Brentacre – modified and specialist insurance brokers offer customisable policies.
• CaravanGuard offer caravan and motorhome insurance with an optional European extension
• Comfort – specialist caravan, motorhome & ‘quirky’ campervan insurer whom I’ve heard offer 365 days of continental use.
• Ripe Insurance – I met this company at the Campervan Campout show. They offer flexible insurance, including DIY and self build campervan conversions and offer extended European cover for up to 90 days in one trip or 180 days in the year. If you CLICK THIS RIPE INSURANCE REFERRAL LINK, it offered a 15% discount.
• Safeguard – specialist caravan, motorhome & ‘quirky’ campervan insurer whom I’ve heard offer 365 days of continental use.
• Sterling Insurance – I’ve heard also offer 365 days in Europe. They offer straightforward insuroance, or,”We’ll cover your VW camper or motorhome, your vehicle if you’re driving abroad and even participants of banger rallies.”
• Stuart Collins offers annual European insurance/breakdown policies, which are not affected by the period out of UK. The geographic limits of our policy ARE wider than the 29 EU states. 
• Towergate offers caravan and motorhome insurance.

Military Vehicle Insurance

The Military Vehicle Trust has an insurance officer who can help with insurance queries. They also recommend the following suppliers:

• Adrian Flux
• Cherished Vehicle Insurance – members of the Military Vehicle Trust (MVT) get a 30% discount. Offers heavy military vehicle breakdown policies and free 90 days comprehensive EU driving cover.
• Graham Sykes – members of the Military Vehicle Trust (MVT) get a 30% discount.
• Lancaster Insurance

Hacks to Extend Foreign Cover on Vehicle Insurance:

• Cancel the Policy and Take Out a New One – Unlike personal travel insurance, vehicle policies can start while you’re abroad, so a hack we have used is simply to cancel one policy when our 180 days are up, and start another with a different insurer. There is usually a small penalty for this, about £40 last time we did it with LV. We consider it a worthwhile expense for our freedom! 
• Border Insurance – We were away for 9 months last year, and overcame the issue by getting border insurance in each of the Balkan countries. Our insurer didn’t cover us in the Balkans, so the time we spent there did not count towards our 180 days cover with them.  Border insurance is almost always 3rd party. I’m not sure if you can pay to upgrade, but we’ve never bothered. The amount we’ve paid for our truck has varied from 160 euros for 1 month in Albania and about the same in Bosnia. In Montenegro we got lucky and were charged 40 Euros for 3 months, which is the price for a small camper. In Kosovo, we got 15 days for 15 Euros.  

Insuring Without An MOT

• Specialist insurers, such as Dutch company, Alessi, will insure you outside your country of registration. They are not cheap, but are a useful contact, since they will provide insurance in some far-flung countries not covered by most insurers. They will also continue cover if your home country MOT runs out abroad, so long as a local garage inspects the vehicle for road-worthiness and provides a receipt for the works carried out. Upon returing to your country of registration, you would not be covered. It is legal to drive a vehicle with no MOT directly to a testing station, so an MOT appointment would be required as soon as the vehicle re-enters the UK.
• MOT Dover – Husks offers Class 4,5,& 7 MOTs. They are on the main A2 to London, between Canterbury and Dover.

European Breakdown/Recovery Policies

Insurance is not necessarily the same as breakdown recovery. We didn’t bother with recovery – if we needed it, we could sort it out with our favourite company, Crouch Recovery. However, we found our latest policy from Adrian Flux includes recovery. We haven’t tested it yet, but they know what we’re driving!

POLICY PITFALLS TO AVOID:

• There are lots of questions to ask, such as do they have English speaking assistance abroad, are you covered for recovery from French mororways, onward travel, emergency accommodation if your mobile home is rendered unusable, and repatriation of caravans.  For advice on what to look for in a breakdown/recovery policy, check out this post.
• Is repatriation of pets included (see Red Pennant below)?

BEST PROVIDERS:

Some banks accounts offer breakdown cover as a benefit, but again, check what’s included. The following providers come out well on the forums:

• The Caravan & Motorhome Club’s Red Pennant. I heard that Red Pennant is the only breakdown cover to assure repatriation of pets back to the UK. All other policies get your pet back to Calais then you go on a ferry as a foot passenger. On most ferries, foot passengers can’t take a pet.
• Green Flag Mayday (UK only) or Europe is another offering developed in association with The Caravan & Motrohome Club.
• RAC Arrival caravan and motorhome recovery developed through the Camping and Caravan Club (C&CC).
• Stuart Collins offers annual European insurance/breakdown policies, unaffected by the period out of UK.
• Crouch Recovery is our favourite lorry recovery company.

Insurance for Full-Time & Self Build/Modified Vehicles

Not all insurers will cover self-built vehicles, or living in the vehicle full time. Sometimes there are also stipulations such as how long you can leave your van unattended, so if you want to go off backpacking or visiting, make sure you’re covered. If you have a wood burner in your vehicle, you must disclose it to your insurer. They may still insure you, but not for incidents related to the log burner.

Here are some recommendations I’ve found on forums:

BEST PROVIDERS:

• 2GETHER Insurance – specialists in niche vehicles and motor breakdown cover, 2GETHER is one of the UK’s largest independent specialist insurance brokers, covering anything from kit cars, to heavily modified 4×4’s.
• Adrian Flux was the only broker who could find insurance for our Beast and her 10 litre engine.
• AIB – offers both standard and non standard insurance. Vehicle types covered include Motorhome, camper & RV, 4×4 or Off Road Vehicle, Modified Car, Classic or Vintage, Standard Car, High Performance Supercar, Imported Car, Kit Car.
• A-Plan offers Modified Vehicle Insurance
• Brentacre insurance in Swansea. “They specialise in modded vehicles and self build vans, and you can get an agreed value based on the work you’ve done. Bentacre are the best firm I have dealt with, including helping to sort a claim.”
• JustKampers Insurance – One of the UK’s Leading Campervan Insurance Specialists & VW Experts offers Self Build Campervan Insurance.
• Ripe Insurance offers DIY and self build campervan conversions. If you CLICK THIS RIPE INSURANCE REFERRAL LINK, it offered a 15% discount.

Hacks to Get The Best Deal on Renewing Your Vehicle Insurance

The UK consumer body Which recommends renewing your insurance 26 days before it is due to get the best financial deal. It also gives some haggling tips to get the best deal from your insurer. You can read their article The Cheapest Day To Buy Car Insurance HERE.

Pet Insurance

We don’t bother to insure The Fab Four, since policies are expensive and offer limited cover. We’ve found that compared to the UK, veterinary care is significantly cheaper abroad. If we’d insured them, we would have paid tens of thousands of pounds more in insurance premiums than we have spent on veterinary care in the last 10 years.

Unoccupied House Insurance

We rent out our property to fund our travels, so this is not an issue for us. Some travellers employ house sitters, but if you leave your home unoccupied for a period of time, this is not included in your normal house insurance. There may be stipulations such as turning off the water, leaving the heating on, etc.

This article from Money Supermarket explains everything you need to know about Unoccupied House Insurance and allows you to browse quotes.

I hope you find my post helpful. If you have any tips yourself, please add them in the comments!

In Conclusion

• Read the small print and ensure you have adequate cover:
  • For the full duration of your trip
  • For all the countries you plan to visit
  • For all activities you plan to undertake, including driving off road
  • For all members of your party – including repatriation for pets and vehicle
• Make sure all your documents are up to date and remain valid for the duration of your trip, including your photo card driving licence, passport and EHIC/GHIC card.
• Travel & health insurance is essential in addition to your current EHIC/GHIC card. Travel insurance will likely require you to have a valid EHIC/GHIC card.
• Disclose everything to your insurer, even if you’re not sure it’s relevant. If you don’t, they may find grounds to refuse to pay up in the event of a claim. With two different insurers, we have had to fight to get them to pay up even with a perfectly just claim!
• Confirm in writing anything unusual you have agreed with your insurer.
• Comply with all local rules and regulations, including Schengen restrictions
• Specialist insurers are experienced in their field and will likely offer better and more suitable cover.
• In insurance terms, cheaper is not necessarily better!

If you are travelling full-time and looking to fund your adventures, remote job opportunities can be a great way to earn extra income. To perfectly balance between work and travel, explore flexible hour jobs on platforms like Jooble: https://uk.jooble.org/jobs-flexible-hours/Remote.

Happy Travels!

Image credits Pixabay and Rawpixel.