Do I Need Travel Insurance for Africa from the UK?

Regardless of where you’re travelling from, if you’re travelling to Africa, travel insurance is a must. This is no exception for those travelling from the UK, who need to ensure that they have selected the best travel insurance for Africa for the duration of their trip. This should also cover any activities planned and offer suitable protection in the event of an unforeseen circumstance, such as luggage going missing or a medical emergency occuring. 

It is especially important that Brits travelling to South Africa select a travel insurance plan with adequate health and medical cover as, unlike countries in Europe, for example, there is not a reciprocal agreement for providing healthcare between the UK and South Africa. This means that, if you require medical care or emergency treatment, you will be relying on your insurance to cover any expenses incurred.

What African Countries Are Covered with Travel Insurance?

Depending on where you’re going in Africa, your travel insurance can cover you for just one country or can cover you for multiple if you’re planning on travelling around the continent. For example, if you only plan on travelling to South Africa, you could select a policy that only offers you cover in this country and specify your particular requirements to determine the extent of the cover that you need for your visit here.

The countries covered by travel insurance in Africa aren’t necessarily all of the countries within the continent, however, as those covered by Africa travel insurance policies are often in line with FCDO recommendations on travel. This means that if the UK government deems a particular country in the continent as unsafe to travel to then those travelling there will be exempt from receiving insurance cover. 

This is subject to change and travellers should be conscious of FCDO recommendations when choosing where they want to travel to in Africa, or anywhere else in the world for that matter. These recommendations are in place in order to protect travellers’ wellbeing and you would be advised to take these into consideration when planning a trip to Africa.

What if You’re Travelling to More Than One Country in Africa?

Some policies can offer you cover for the whole continent, offering you comprehensive Africa travel insurance that provides you with the freedom to travel to multiple countries and adequate cover as you explore its vast horizons. 

Equally, with other policies, you are able to select multiple destinations if you know the specific countries in Africa that you will be travelling to on your next adventure, ensuring that you have an Africa travel insurance policy that covers every inch of your travel route and itinerary. 

What is Covered With our Travel Insurance to Africa?

Depending on the Africa travel insurance policy you choose with us, this will determine the type of cover, and level of cover, you have for your trip to the continent or any one of its countries. We’ve outlined a selection of our policies below and what they cover so that you can determine which policy may be the best travel insurance for Africa for you. 

Like any standard travel insurance policies, you will be covered, in most cases, for:

• Baggage loss, damage, or theft
• Trip cancellation and delays
• Medical and emergency repatriation

Navigator Standard, Enhanced, Prime & Supreme

If you select any one of our Navigator Standard, Enhanced, Prime, or Supreme policies, these have options for short stays of up to 62 days in length, annual multi-trips of up to 45 or 62 days per trip, and long-stays for up to 18 months for those in the UK and EU/EEA. Motorcycling touring is also covered on these travel insurance policies for a maximum of 31 consecutive days per trip.

It is also possible to upgrade your cover to include a variety of extreme activities and sports, should you be planning on partaking in these during your travels. However, it’s worth noting that depending on the type of policy you choose, the age limits vary, so we’d strongly advise that you check the age restrictions of each individual policy before purchasing one with us. Action plus options can be added to policies for those looking for extended and additional cover during their travels.

Gaining a quote for our Navigator Standard, Enhanced, Prime & Supreme policies is quick and easy to offer a price tailored to your trip itinerary and travel plans whilst in Africa.

High-Risk Voyager

This policy is largely applicable to those who study or travel for work. Leisure trips are possible with this policy, but only for up to 31 days. This can be a useful business travel insurance for Africa as working trips can be covered for up to 12 months in length. You’ll also find this policy to be valid for travel that goes against FCDO advice, should you need to travel to any of the destinations deemed unsafe by the FCDO. 

With this policy, baggage, loss of pasport, cancellation, or any other cover that isn’t medical and repatriation is classed as an optional extra so needs to be added as an additional cover when receiving your initial quote. This policy also has a maximum age of 69 years.

Picking our High-Risk Voyager policy may be right for you if you’re travelling for work and are in search of business travel insurance for Africa, with a quote easily accessible from us in our online portal.

Longstay & Backpacker 

Our Longstay and Backpacker policy covers those who are travelling longer term, offering cover for up to 18 months in length. This policy also covers a range of higher-risk activities and sports, as well as work responsibilities such as working with machinery or wild animals. This covers people up to 69 years of age in its worldwide cover, which includes Africa. You can get a quote for our Longstay and Backpacker policy on our website. 

To learn more about the range of policies that we have on offer here at Navigator Travel, you can visit our policy overview page where you’ll find further details to help you come to a decision as to which one is right for you.

How Do I Get Emergency Assistance When in Africa?

With our policies here at Navigator Travel Insurance, we offer 24-hour medical assistance for those who are faced with an accident or medical emergency on their travels and need expert advice on what to do in these situations. 

You should also call the phone number for emergency medical services in the country you are in. If you are travelling to Africa, before you are to depart on your holiday here be sure to note down the emergency medical number for each country that you are visiting. For example, 112 is the nationwide emergency response number for South Africa, and a few other African countries.

Summary

Much like travelling to any corner of the globe, ensuring that you have sufficient travel insurance cover is a must. And when it comes to selecting Africa travel insurance in particular, you want to make sure that every aspect of your trip to this beautiful continent will be covered to offer you the peace of mind you need so that you are protected at every moment during your adventure.

We hope that this article has shed some light on the options available to you so that you can choose the best travel insurance for Africa to suit you, bringing you one step closer to being prepped and ready for your next holiday to this magical continent.

If you have any queries or need assistance with quotes or booking, please do not hesitate to call us on 0161 973 6435 or email sales@navigatortravelinsurance.co.uk