Don’t Get Caught Out: Common Mistakes That Can Invalidate Your Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is there to protect you when things don’t go to plan. However, many travellers don’t realise that simple oversights can make a policy invalid, leaving them without cover when they need it most. Travel nightmare!

Here at Go Walkabout, we believe in clear communication and helping our customers avoid these pitfalls before they travel.

Here’s what you need to know to stay properly protected throughout your trip. Avoid these common mistakes that can invalidate your travel insurance in a heartbeat.

1. Not Declaring Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

If you’ve got a pre-existing medical condition, even if it’s well managed, you must declare it. Otherwise, you risk invalidating your policy altogether.

Some pre-existing medical conditions are covered at no extra cost, for example, acid reflux, cataracts, or PCOS. For others, a small additional premium might apply. Whenever you buy travel insurance, you will be asked to complete a quick medical screening. You’ll know straight away if your condition is covered or if any extra premium is needed.

You can complete your medical screening for all Go Walkabout travel insurance policies either online at gow.millstreamonline.com or by calling us on +44 330 660 0563

2. Already Being Abroad When You Buy

Go Walkabout travel insurance policies are only valid for UK residents starting and ending their trip in the UK (unless you’ve bought an emigration policy). Most insurers will only cover individuals for the full travel period away from the UK.

One of the most common mistakes that we see is opting to buy your policy while you’re already abroad. Unfortunately, this will invalidate your policy.

Don’t leave it too late to buy your travel insurance. In fact, it’s good practice to secure your policy when you book your holiday. This means you will be covered for cancellation in the event of illness or accident leading up to your departure.

3. Not Covering Your Full Trip Duration

Sometimes, mistakes happen, and people get confused about the travel dates. Always double-check (maybe even triple-check!) your dates when buying travel insurance. If your policy doesn’t match the exact start and end dates of your journey, you may not be covered at all.

Remember, your travel insurance policy needs to include the dates of your travel.

For example:

• The departing flight leaves Heathrow on 13th October at 22:15 (GMT)
• Arrival in Perth, Australia on 15th October 00:40 (GMT+8)

Even though you reach the destination on 15th October, your travel insurance needs to cover you on the day you move through customs and border control – in this case, 13th October.

Now, if you’re going backpacking or taking a longer trip with no definite end, ensuring you’re covered throughout your travels can be challenging. Perhaps look into longstay backpacker travel insurance as a suitable option. Our ‘Walkabout Plus’ policy offers up to 2 years of cover.

4. Not Selecting the Right Cover for High-Risk Activities

This is one of the most common mistakes that can invalidate your travel insurance if you haven’t read the small print. Planning on riding a moped in Thailand? Skiing in the Alps? Trekking above 1,500m? Not all of these exciting and risky activities may be included in standard coverage.

How to check you have the right coverage and activity cover:

• Read the small print of the policy.
• Contact the insurer if you don’t see your activity mentioned.

When buying a travel insurance policy with us, you automatically get ‘Activity Pack 1’ included. You can easily check activities in each grading of the cover and upgrade to what you need if required. Need support or guidance? Give us a call, and we will happily guide you through it.

5. Ignoring Changes in Health Before Travel

When you first buy your travel insurance, you’re asked to declare any pre-existing medical conditions, and that’s a really important step in making sure you’re properly covered.

But here’s the part many travellers don’t realise: if your health changes after you’ve purchased the policy, but before you travel, you still need to let us know.

That includes things like:

• A new diagnosis
• A change in your medication
• A planned procedure or surgery
• A worsening of an existing condition

Even if you think it’s minor or you’re not sure it matters, it’s always best to check. If something happens on your trip that’s linked to an undeclared change in your health, it could invalidate your cover for that issue, meaning any related medical bills would come out of your pocket.

6. Assuming All Work Abroad Is Covered

Paid or voluntary work abroad can be covered by standard travel insurance. However, you do need to tell us what you’re up to. To start with, we’re a curious bunch and love to know what our policyholders are doing while working abroad!

Typically, bar work, waiting tables, shop or office work is included as standard in Go Walkabout long stay travel insurance policies. If you plan on working in a more “out there” industry, you may need to upgrade your insurance just as you would with the activity packs.

If in doubt, reach out and ask us about working holiday insurance. Don’t make these common mistakes that can invalidate your travel insurance.

7. Travelling to a Country Against FCDO Advice

It might not be the most exciting part of planning a trip, but checking the latest government travel advice is essential, especially if you want your travel insurance to be valid.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) issues advice for every country, and if they’ve advised against all or all but essential travel to your destination, your policy simply won’t cover you. That means if something goes wrong, whether it’s illness, injury, or a cancelled flight, you could be left footing the bill.

Sometimes the advice changes quickly, especially in response to political unrest, natural disasters, or public health concerns (we all remember COVID…).

So even if your destination looks good to go when you book, it’s important to keep checking right up until your departure date, and even while you’re away.

You can find the latest updates on the FCDO travel advice page. It’s easy to search by country, and they also offer email alerts so you can stay in the loop.

8. Overlooking Gadget Cover

Let’s be honest, most of us wouldn’t dream of going on a trip without our phone, tablet, camera or laptop. Whether you’re navigating with Google Maps, snapping epic sunsets, or catching up on Netflix during a long train ride, your tech travels with you.

But here’s the catch: standard travel insurance usually offers very limited cover for gadgets, and that includes our policies at Go Walkabout. If your mobile or other devices are lost, stolen, or damaged, you might be surprised by how little you’re able to claim.

This is where gadget cover comes in. Gadget cover is an optional upgrade that provides specialist protection for your tech, giving you peace of mind that if the worst happens, you won’t be left out of pocket (or offline!).

Important: This add-on must be added before you leave the UK. Once you’re abroad, we can’t apply it retroactively, no matter how much you beg us from a beach in Bali with a phone that’s taken an unexpected swim.

How far does Gadget Cover go?

It offers cover for things like:

• Accidental damage
• Theft
• Loss (in some cases)
• Breakdown outside of warranty

If you didn’t select it during purchase and realise you need it, get in touch with us before your departure date and we’ll help you get sorted.

Don’t Forget the Police Report

If your gadget is lost or stolen, it’s not just a case of letting us know. You’ll need to report the incident to the local police within 24 hours and get an official written police report. This isn’t us being picky. It’s a requirement for making a claim.

No police report = no payout.

We know it can feel like a hassle, especially if you’re in a busy tourist area or somewhere unfamiliar, but it’s a crucial step in protecting your claim. So if your phone disappears at a beach bar or your camera goes missing from your hostel locker, head straight to the nearest police station and ask for written confirmation of your report.

Quick checklist if your gadget is stolen:

• Report it to local police within 24 hours
• Get a written police report (not just a crime number)
• Keep any receipts, evidence, or witness details
• Let your network provider know if it’s a mobile device

9. Changing Your Plans Without Telling Us

Travel is all about spontaneity, and we love that. Maybe you fall in love with a destination and decide to extend your stay. Maybe your route changes, and you hop over to a neighbouring country. Or maybe someone suggests skydiving, and suddenly that becomes the plan for next weekend. All brilliant travel moments, unless you forget to update your travel insurance.

Your policy is based on the information you gave us when you booked. That includes your destination, trip dates, and planned activities. If any of those change, it could mean your existing cover no longer applies, and that could leave you footing the bill in an emergency.

The good news? We can usually help you adjust your cover to match your new plans — whether that’s:

• Extending your policy because you’re staying longer
• Updating your travel region if you’re adding a new country
• Adding a higher activity pack if you’re now planning to hike, sky dive, or ride a moped

But you must tell us before something happens. Once an incident occurs, whether it’s a claimable injury, theft, or cancellation, we can’t backdate cover changes.

Stay Covered, Stay Confident

We get it, travel insurance isn’t the most exciting part of trip planning. But it is one of the most important. Taking a few minutes now to double-check your details, declare medical conditions, and update us on any changes can make all the difference if something goes wrong later.

At Go Walkabout, we’re not here to trip you up with small print; we’re here to help you travel with confidence, knowing your policy is valid, your cover is complete, and you’re protected when it matters most.

Got questions or need to make changes? Just reach out to our friendly team. We’d always rather fix it now than see your claim declined later.

Ready to travel smart? Avoid these common mistakes that can invalidate your travel insurance and you’ll be heading in the right direction.

Buy your Go Walkabout travel insurance today and make sure your next adventure is protected from the start.