Travel insurance is a specialised type of insurance that can protect you from risks that you might be subject to against whilst travelling. Travel insurance can cover you for medical expenses, loss, theft, liability and cancellations or amendments to your trip. Travel insurance is of vital importance because it can protect you from any expenses you might incur due to incident or accident. Some travel insurance providers also offer international help lines which can be useful to those visiting countries where English is not commonly spoken. Every travel insurance policy offers a different level of cover and help, so check the terms and conditions of yours thoroughly and be sure that you are happy before you agree to them.

There are many different types of insurance available so it is important to know what policy will suit your needs. Single trip travel insurance is one of the most popular types of travel insurance and is ideally suited to holidaymakers and travellers making one or two trips a day.

Annual or multi-trip travel insurance is designed to cater for individuals who travel many times over the year, offering cover that will last for 12 months without the need to arrange policies for each separate journey you might make. These types of policies, however, often carry certain restrictions with them so be sure to check your policy details thoroughly. Your trips will most likely only be able extend to a certain period of time, so check the terms and conditions and compare them to your own needs.

The term 'backpacking insurance' is fairly self-explanatory and is designed to provide extended cover for those embarking on worldwide travel for a long period of time. These policies are tailor-made to cater for your situation and cover you for all risks. Travel insurance is of vital importance to backpackers who are likely to be travelling through a great variety of countries with different healthcare systems. Insurance can protect you against unexpected and crippling medical bills. This type of insurance is also often referred to as 'worldwide travel insurance'.

If you are participating in extreme sports or dangerous activities then you can obtain specialist insurance to cover you whilst you are abroad. Winter sports and skiing will require specialist insurance, as will other extreme sports such as abseiling, rock-climbing or white water rafting. Regular insurance policies will not cover you for these sorts of activities so it is important that you take out specialist insurance before you go, and make your insurance provider aware of exactly what activities you plan to participate in whilst you are away.

Like most insurance products travel insurance can be arranged for individuals, couples, families and businesses.