The decisions on where to go, how to get there and how to fund the trip have been in the planning for months
. And getting the right backpacker travel insurance is just as important as choosing the right destination.
With British Airways strikes and Icelandic volcanic ash causing disruption to thousands of people in recent months, getting the right cover has never been more important.
There are so many destinations and activities to choose from and travellers are being encouraged to make sure they get the right policy for their chosen holiday.
Activities and Extreme sports like diving, bungee jumping and white water rafting are popular with people on a gap year, so it's best to get a policy that provides the right level of cover. Many insurance policies do not cover accidents or incidents relating to these types of activity as standard. Cover can be provided and it won't cost a lot more to get the right policy.
Travellers are warned not to over indulge in alcohol or take illegal substances when on holiday as any claim as a result of taking an illegal substance or from being intoxicated would be excluded from cover by any travel insurance policy.
People also need to make sure they have adequate cover for all of their gadgets. Most people travel with a few electronic essentials and phones, laptops, cameras and mp3 players are often commonly reported as being stolen or damaged. Standard travel insurance policies have a limit for valuables. The average cover for backpackers' policies is 1000 in total and cover for individual items at about 200. It's normal for a camera and its lens to be considered as one item. Extra insurance might well be required if a digital SLR, laptop or iPad are being taken on holiday.