Yes. Go Insurance is leisure travel insurance for Australian travellers, and a backpacking trip is simply a longer, more mobile version of that. You choose your travel dates, select the regions or countries on your route, pick comprehensive, budget or student cover, and tailor the modules you keep. Cover is available to permanent Australian residents and to people who have lived in Australia for at least the past three months, online for travellers up to age 75 at the time of travel.

In many cases, yes — but you must contact us before your current policy expires. Extensions are subject to eligibility and approval, and once a policy has lapsed we generally can’t extend it, which means buying fresh cover if you’re eligible at all. Set a calendar reminder a couple of weeks before your end date. Note that our Annual Multi-Trip policy isn’t the answer for one long trip: it covers each individual trip for up to 31 days, extendable to 50 or 60 days when you buy.

Yes, in many cases. Go Insurance offers already-overseas cover for eligible travellers who are already on the road when they buy. A waiting period and other eligibility requirements apply, the cooling-off period may not apply, and you’ll need a confirmed return ticket to Australia. If you’ve realised mid-trip that you’re uninsured, contact our team and we’ll explain your options.

Select Worldwide if your route crosses multiple continents, or choose the specific regions and countries you’ll visit if the trip is more contained. Selecting individual countries rather than a whole region can work out a better premium when you’re only visiting two or three, so it’s worth comparing both in the quote engine. The important part is that every country you’ll set foot in is inside your selection — including overland border hops and long stopovers.

They can be, under the Property module, but the conditions matter. Belongings left “unattended” in a public place — including a hostel common room, a bag on the beach, or an unattended vehicle or tent — are covered only up to a limited amount, so use lockers and safes. Per-item sub-limits apply, keep proof of purchase or your claim is capped at a much lower amount, and for electronics and valuables above the PDS threshold you’ll need a police report within 24 hours. High-value items checked into the luggage hold aren’t covered at all.

Many are automatically covered with no add-on to buy — but each activity has its own conditions. Self-guided trekking and hiking is covered on established or mapped routes up to a maximum height of 2,500m, rising to 4,000m when you’re with a licensed commercial operator, and some activities require a licensed operator or have participation limits. Snow sports need the Snow Sports extension added during your quote. Check your planned activities on our sports and leisure cover page before you go.

Only if you meet the conditions in the PDS. You must wear a helmet at all times regardless of local law, wear enclosed footwear and clothing with reasonable skin coverage, hold the right current Australian licence (a motorcycle licence for motorcycles up to 250cc, or a driver’s licence for scooters and mopeds up to 200cc), and hold a valid licence for the country you’re riding in. Passengers must wear a helmet too, with a driver who meets all of these requirements. Scooter accidents are among the most common and most expensive claims Australian backpackers face in South East Asia, so sort your licences before you leave.

Talk to our team before you buy. Go Insurance is leisure travel insurance, and paid work — particularly manual or hazardous work — sits outside what a leisure policy is designed for, so we’d rather set your expectations properly than have you discover it at claim time. Call 1300 819 888 or email sales@goinsurance.com.au with your plans and we’ll tell you straight what’s available. If something does go wrong overseas, contact our 24/7 assistance team on +61 7 3481 9880, and start any claim afterwards through our claims support page.