Complete guide to Working Holiday Visa insurance

Have you received confirmation that you’re going abroad with a Working Holiday Visa or thanks to the Youth Mobility Aggreement between your country and your dream destimation? Congratulations! 🥳 Living for a year or more in another country is such an enriching experience! But even if you plan to combine work with tourism, you must take the time to choose good WHV insurance. Ouch… After having scrutinized all the best round-the-world insurance options, we know how tedious this can be.

To help you with this unpleasant administrative task, we’ll detail what we consider the best WHV insurance. Then, we’ve established a comparative table of the best insurance options for going on a Working Holiday Program with peace of mind, as well as a guide with essential guarantees to find the right coverage. Whether you’re going to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, South America, or elsewhere, you’ll find in this dossier all the information that will answer all your questions. Happy reading!

What is the best travel insurance for a WHV?

Let’s start with the heart of the matter. If you don’t have time to read the complete article and study the comparison, here’s a summary for subscribing to the best WHV insurance for EU residents, citizens of UK, US and Canada.

The WHV insurance with the best value for money

According to us, it’s Chapka that wins the match with its CAP Working Holiday formula:

• Optimal medical coverage with 100% of actual costs in the destination country, 1 million euros for urgent medical expenses in your country of residence, compensation if you’re hospitalized, dental and optical expenses in case of accident…
• Top-notch foreign assistance and life and disability insurance with coverage for repatriation, early return…
• Solid private civil liability with a high ceiling (for bodily damage, 4 million euros for Chapka).
• Useful rental civil liability in case of damage to your accommodation (100,000 euros for Chapka).
• In case of definitive return at least 3 months before the end of your contract and no claims during your stay, Chapka reimburses unused months.
• Telemedicine: Chapka offers 2 teleconsultations for the entire stay with an English-speaking doctor 24/7.
• Pregnancy: Yes, we don’t necessarily think about it, but some insurers don’t cover medical expenses related to pregnancy! Chapka covers 75% of actual costs up to 7,500 euros for all destination countries, except Canada.

You can’t go wrong choosing Chapka, it’s solid!

Small bonus for you if you go through the links below, Chapka offers a 5% discount to Novo-monde readers. Pretty nice, right?

The cheapest WHV insurance for European citizens

The price of travel insurance depends on several factors: destination, country of origin, guarantees and their limits, as well as your lifestyle or desires (extreme sports, for example).

Is your budget tight, but you want reasonably priced insurance to leave with peace of mind? Then, we recommend AVI coverage, the cheapest on the market but with solid guarantees! Indeed, medical expenses are covered up to 1 million euros in your destination country, but also worldwide, in case you want to travel or return to your country of origin for vacation. Moreover, AVI doesn’t distinguish between private life/professional life for accidents and payment of possible permanent disability compensation. Therefore, you’re perfectly covered medically speaking for all your future activities (leisure, woofing, volunteering, odd jobs…). Regarding foreign assistance, AVI insurer also offers solid services with the best ceilings in our selection.

It’s the private civil liability that presents a negative point. If you cause material or bodily damage unintentionally to a third party, you’ll be covered up to 750,000 euros for bodily damage and 450,000 euros for material damage. It’s a good sum but in our opinion, it’s not sufficient when going abroad for 6 months or 2 years.

The best insurance for a Working Holiday Visa in Canada

Although all insurers presented in the comparison cover you for any country that has signed a Working Holiday Visa agreement, some insurance formulas are better than others if you’re going to Canada. Indeed, it’s the only country where the WHV has a maximum duration of 2 years (without conditions, unlike Australia).

In our opinion, the best WHV insurance for Canada is ACS with its :

• Its price is very attractive for this country;
• ACS reimburses unused months in case of definitive return (if at least 2 complete months remain in your contract);
• Your medical expenses are fully covered, as well as repatriation and early return;
• The possibility to consult a doctor through telemedicine by phone or video, 24/7;
• For personal liability, ACS covers you up to 4.5 million euros for bodily damage;
• You’re insured for ice hockey practice, very useful in Canada ;).

The best WHV health insurance for Canadian and US citizens

Being Canadian or American, the choice of specific insurance for going on Working Holiday is quite limited. Indeed, most insurers that we know in Europe only cover citizens of the European Union. As a result, you often have to turn to private insurance companies and that’s where the shoe pinches. It’s expensive, very expensive even! And honestly, in terms of coverage, it’s not ideal either since it never covers all the essential criteria… In our opinion, opting for ACS and its Globe WHV contract is the best compromise: it’s cheaper than private insurance or traditional travel insurance and you’re sufficiently insured to deal with daily mishaps in your new country:

• ACS reimburses unused months in case of definitive return (if at least 2 complete months remain in your contract);
• Your medical expenses are fully covered, as well as repatriation and early return;
• The possibility to consult a doctor through telemedicine by phone or video, 24/7;
• For private civil liability, ACS covers you up to 4.5 million euros for bodily damage.

The best WHV insurance for UK citizens

Many travel insurance policies are specific to British citizens. We can mention Go Walkabout and Outbacker among the cheapest ones. Among the more popular companies, True Traveller and ACS also include UK residents in their general terms and conditions. But then, which one should you choose?

In our opinion, ACS offers a very solid formula, Globe WHV. Working and traveling in Canada will cost you 330 pounds sterling per person per year. For all other countries accessible to British citizens, the insurance contract costs 370 pounds sterling. The advantage is that it’s specific to travelers with a WHV in hand. As a result, it offers more coverage compared to classic travel insurance like True Traveller. We can mention unlimited health costs (hospitalization, repatriation…), pregnancy costs reimbursed up to a certain limit, a much higher ceiling for private civil liability…

The best WHV insurance for a couple

Are you going abroad as a couple and don’t know which working holiday insurance to choose? Then, it all depends on your partner’s status.

A couple with 2 WHVs

If you’ve both obtained the precious visa, then the question doesn’t arise. You subscribe to the same contract to have the same guarantees. We refer you to the best WHV insurance or to the comparison to make your choice :).

A couple with only 1 WHV

You probably know this if you’re at the insurance research stage: you can go as a couple even if only one has a WHV and not the other. This could be due to exceeding the age limit or not obtaining the permit. In the latter case, we’re mainly thinking of Canada, where authorities organize invitation rounds (quotas) to draw the lucky ones. Being married or common-law partners, you’ll simply have a different status than those with a working holiday permit. Conditions vary according to the country.

In any case, you must both be insured before leaving.

For Canada, where the notion of common-law partner is recognized, ACS’s Globe WHV formula includes the spouse and children.

For other countries, it’s case by case. Most of the time, the one who isn’t eligible will have to subscribe to classic travel insurance. If you’re hesitating to take one, we advise you to read the section What is travel insurance for.

The best WHV insurance for a family

For a family, it will depend on your destination country. Roughly, according to status:

• your child can be attached to the country’s social security: in this case, no need to include them in your WHV insurance (unless you want coverage outside medical expenses). However, note the deadlines for completing procedures and having the necessary documents. It might be worth subscribing for a few weeks to classic travel insurance so your children are covered just in case (illness, injury…).
• your child can be attached to your WHV insurance contract: you’ll then have to subscribe to a family contract or a contract per family member, adult or child. In this case, the best insurance for a family WHV remains Chapka.
• your child is neither eligible for the country’s social security nor for your WHV insurance: in this case, you’ll have no choice but to subscribe to travel insurance for your offspring.

Working Holiday Visa insurance comparison

For clarity, we haven’t included WHV insurance from SafetyWing and World Nomads companies. Indeed, their plans are overpriced – the coverage you get doesn’t match what you pay for.

To compare the guarantees of the best WHV insurance in 2025, according to us, here’s a summary table. Result of long research work, we hope it will help you find the best coverage for your Working Holiday Visa!

Last update: 2025

How to use our WHV insurance comparison?

The table below is interactive and helps you compare the WHV travel insurance we’ve selected for you. Here’s how to use it:

• Check the WHV insurance you want to compare.
• You can erase all lines of guarantees that don’t interest you by clicking on the crosses and hide guarantees by criteria by clicking on subtitles.
• To reset the comparison, just refresh the page.

If you have suggestions or remarks, don’t hesitate to leave us a comment!

Comparative table of PVT insurances

	Subscribe	Subscribe (-5%)	Subscribe	Subscribe
Price / year
Solo traveler	€428/year (Canada: €382/year, €764 for 2 years)	€432/year (Canada: €398/year, €796 for 2 years)	€396 (€792 for 2 years)	Australia NZ (€386), Canada (€592), World (€493), Europe (€243)
Insurance contract details
Country of residence	Worldwide	EU, French Polynesia, New Caledonia	EU	EU + UK
Refund of unused months	Yes in case of permanent return (if at least 2 full months remain)	Yes (if at least 3 full months remain and you had no claim during the stay)	No	No
Insurance policy language	French & English	French, English, Italian	French, English, Spanish	French
Medical Coverage
Medical expenses abroad (max per person/year)	100% actual costs, no limit	100% actual costs, no limit	100% actual costs up to €1,000,000	100% actual costs up to €10’000’000
Deductible	no deductible	no deductible	no deductible	€90 (option to reduce to €0)
Emergency medical expenses in your country of residence	€15,000 for up to 30 days/year	€1,000,000 hospitalization costs (€15,000 non-hospital)	€1,000,000 (after repatriation or for stays up to 30 days during holidays)	No
Medical expenses in other countries	€150,000/year	Yes (maximum 90 consecutive days)	Yes, included in €1,000,000	Yes, 100% actual costs up to €10’000’000
Medical expenses after permanent return	not included	not included	covered for 3 months following early return	not included
Hospitalization	100% of actual costs	100% of actual costs + €30/day from day 6 to day 10	100% of actual costs + €30/day from day 3 (max 15 days)	100% of actual costs + €20/day max €360
Teleconsultation	No, except for Canada: 100% covered, 7d/7, 24h/24	2 teleconsultations per trip	1 call before departure	No
Pregnancy and related health costs	All countries except Canada: 90% up to €5,000	All countries except Canada: 75% of actual costs (max €7,500)	75% of actual costs (max €3,500) with 180-day waiting period from enrollment date, max age 30 at enrollment	No
Optical expenses	No	€200 in case of bodily accident	€400 if following an accident	No
Emergency dental expenses	€300	€500/year	€500/year	€420
Dental expenses due to accident	€600	€440 per tooth (€1,300 per claim)	€500 per tooth and per person	€420
Assistance Abroad / Repatriation
Medical Repatriation – Emergency Medical Transport	100% of actual costs	100% of actual costs	100% of actual costs	100% of actual costs
Repatriation in case of Outbreak	100% of actual costs	100% of actual costs	100% of actual costs	100% of actual costs
Return of accompanying policyholders	not included	return ticket	return ticket	return ticket
Presence of a relative in case of hospitalization	if hospitalization > 7 days, round-trip ticket + €80 per night (max 8 nights)	Round-trip ticket + €50 per night per person (max 10 nights)	If hospitalization > 5 days, round-trip ticket (max €2000), €75/night for hotel (max 7 days)	Round trip ticket plus accommodation costs
Permanent disability compensation	€30,000 (private accident)	€50,000 (private accident)	€75,000 (private or professional accident)	€18’000 (private or professional accident)
Accidental death / repatriation	Body repatriation (100% actual costs), €1500 funeral expenses, €1000 death benefit (except Canada), €8000 accidental death benefit	Body repatriation (100% actual costs), €2000 funeral expenses, €10,000 accidental death benefit	Body repatriation 100% actual costs, €2000 funeral expenses, €15,000 accidental death benefit	Repatriation of the body (100% of the actual costs) and €12’000 accidental death benefit
Early return in case of death or hospitalization of a parent	Round-trip ticket (max 21-day stay)	Round-trip ticket, max €10,000 per insured	Return ticket or round-trip ticket if stay > 5 months	Return ticket (round trip as an option)
Search and rescue costs	€3,000	€5,000 per insured, €25,000 per event	€20,000	€18,000
Legal Expenses	€3,000 lawyer and €7,000 bail advance	€3,000 for lawyer fees	€10,000 lawyer, €10,500 bail advance	€18,000
Personal Liability
Bodily injury	€4,500,000	€4,000,000	€750,000	€2,000,000
Property damage	€450,000	€450,000	€450,000	€2,000,000
Deductible	€100	€80	No	€90
Tenant Civil Liability
Tenant civil liability	None	€100,000 per event (deductible of €80)	None	None
Luggage
Theft, loss or destruction	€1,150 (during the round-trip journey and as a supplement to the transport company)	€2,000 per insured person (deductible of €25)	€2,000 max	as an option
Reimbursement for valuables	No	€1,000 max	€300 per item	as an option
Delayed baggage delivery	not included	€150 per insured person for > 24h delay on outbound flight	€175 / person	as an option
Loss of ID papers, payment methods, or travel tickets	max €700	No	max €1,000	as an option
Included / Excluded Activities
Motor vehicles 2 wheels < 125cm3	yes	yes	no	yes (option for more than 125cc)
Trekking / Hiking	yes	yes up to 4000m	yes	yes up to 3000m
Mountaineering	no	no	no	optional
Surf	yes	yes	yes	yes
KiteSurf	yes	yes	yes	yes
Rafting / Kayaking	yes	no	yes	yes
Diving	yes	yes (<40m)	yes	yes (<18m)
Skydiving	no	no	no	optional
Paragliding / Hang gliding	no	no	no	optional

Is travel insurance mandatory for a WHV?

You’re about to leave for an unforgettable adventure of 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, or even more. So, why is spending several hundred euros to protect against unforeseen events really worth it?

Countries where travel insurance is mandatory

Simply because subscribing to WHV travel insurance is mandatory before leaving! Whether you’re American, Canadian, or British, you must be insured to obtain your Working Holiday Visa to:

• Australia;
• Canada;
• New-Zealand;
• South Korea.

Note: for Americans wishing to do a WHV, there are 6 destination countries: Australia (with a Work And Holiday Visa, a little different from the classic WHV), Austria, South Korea, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore (Work Holiday Programme).

For UK citizens, the countries that have signed an agreement are: Andorra, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, Monaco (Youth Mobility Scheme), New Zealand, Singapore (Work Holiday Programme), South Korea, Taiwan and Uruguay.

Finally, for Canadian citizens, the choice is vast, thanks to the International Experience Canada program, which offers you the chance to go to Europe, Oceania, America or Asia! Find the list of countries and all useful information on the government website (they forgot to mention South Korea ;)).

For all these countries, proof of insurance will be requested when you prepare your WHV application file or upon entry to the country. In the latter case, immigration services will validate your visa. We’ll talk about it more later, but your insurance must cover you for the total duration of your permit!

Japan, Monaco and Singapore exception

Only Japan, Monaco and Singapore don’t ask for insurance proof, but is this a reason to skip health coverage? Yes, you’re young, in perfect health, and no problems so far. And why would something happen to you when you’re always careful when playing sports, driving, in the street…? You’re changing countries, so regulations are new (unless you already know local rules). Moreover, illness and road accidents happen quickly! Also, you might simply find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, in your destination country or in a neighboring country you want to visit.

In case of an incident (serious or not), do you want to dig into the money set aside to make the most of your Work Holiday in Japan, Monaco and Singapore to pay health bills with several figures? Leaving with a light mind is better, right? Our advice: better safe than sorry, especially when leaving for a new life in the unknown. Unforeseen events, we can tell you there will be some during your stay ;).

Other coverage

Check whether your country has set up a special fund for citizens abroad. For example, in France, the fund covers you up to a certain amount, as would the health social system, for check-ups (gynecologist, dentist, dermatologist, ophthalmologist…) and also for the common exclusions (abortion, chronic illness, contraception…).

Generally speaking, you’ll have to pay to join, depending on your age and situation. It’s up to you to decide whether it’s really worth it in your case 😉

Guarantees: what is WHV insurance for?

You know it, to claim a Working Holiday Permit in all countries that have signed a WHV agreement, you must subscribe to specific insurance. Well, Japan is an exception among these countries because WHV insurance isn’t mandatory during registration. However, we strongly recommend taking one before departure!

In this part, we’ll see what WHV insurance is for and what guarantees are included. Depending on formulas, this specific insurance contract includes a mix of the following points:

Medical expenses and hospitalization abroad

Private life accident

No need to travel far to see that a health problem happens quickly: a sprain, a bad fall, a serious injury (cut, burn…), or a bad flu. So many situations that can happen on the Tongariro Trail in New Zealand, in Torres del Paine Park, on an Australian beach, or simply at home. And health problem means consultation, medications, analyses, surgical operations and hospitalization according to severity. Without adequate coverage, the bill can quickly climb! To give you an idea, in Canada, a day of hospitalization costs 2,400 Canadian dollars, or 1,540 euros. In Australia, an appendicitis operation costs no less than 4,000 Australian dollars, or 2,280 euros!

Therefore, opt for a company that offers reimbursement of these expenses with the highest ceiling to be at ease. Except AVI and True Traveller, all those we mention reimburse 100% of actual costs, from the first euro. In all cases, you’re covered from the first euro. In case of hospitalization, some formulas include daily allowances (often 30 euros) for a maximum duration to help you financially (since you’re unable to work).

Most classic travel insurance includes a deductible (excess) for medical expenses, a sum you must pay to unlock reimbursement for remaining expenses. For these WHV insurance, no deductible is required, even in countries where healthcare costs the most.

With this visa, traveling to neighboring or more distant countries is very common, as is returning home for vacation and filling up on things dear to you (loved ones but also food, culture…). Make sure you’re covered during your adventures outside the destination country.

Finally, in case of hospitalization, these coverages also guarantee the presence of a loved one at your bedside. Plane tickets and accommodation expenses on site are covered, so a loved one can be by your side.

Work accident

The Working Holiday Program is the ideal opportunity to work abroad while enjoying life on site. Whether it’s an office job, the same job as before departure, woofing, volunteering, or fruit picking, you must also be insured at your workplace!

But no worries: all insurance we’ve selected covers medical expenses in case of a work accident, whether you’re an employee, woofer, or volunteer.

However, look carefully at the general conditions if companies indeed pay you capital in case of permanent incapacity following an accident occurring in private life, but also following a professional accident.

For example, Chapka will pay permanent disability capital only for private accidents, while AVI makes no difference.

Pregnancy

You’re going to live for at least 6 months in a new country and might face pregnancy. Unlike long-term travel insurance, formulas specific to WHV cover part of health expenses related to pregnancy (care, delivery), check the ceiling amount and waiting periods. Keep in mind that voluntary pregnancy terminations aren’t covered.

Private civil liability

Private civil liability is probably the second most important point to look at when comparing different contracts. In fact, it covers material or bodily damage caused unintentionally to a third party in everyday life or during an internship. This then includes repair costs, your possible care costs, or possible legal procedure costs. Depending on severity, this can quickly add up! For this reason, the guarantee ceiling must be even higher than for medical expenses. Also, keep in mind that insurers often apply a deductible to private civil liability coverage, between 0 and 100 euros.

In our selection, ACS and Chapka stand out for their bodily damage ceiling.

Warning: this doesn’t cover you in case of damage caused when driving a motor vehicle (except scooters under 125 cm³). If you rent a car or motorcycle, you’ll have to take additional insurance! In case of an accident, the latter will cover the material costs of your vehicle and the one hit, as well as the medical costs of the person you might have injured.

Moreover, distinguish private civil liability from professional civil liability! We develop this point in the common exclusions.

Rental civil liability

Rental civil liability intervenes when damage is caused to your rental accommodation in case of fire, explosion, or water damage. It then covers material damage caused to the accommodation (premises and owner’s furniture), building, and neighbors.

Be careful not to confuse it with home insurance! When moving in, you’ll have to subscribe to home insurance to cover your goods. In some countries, subscribing to home insurance is optional (we think of Canada and Australia, notably). In this case, insurance covering your rental civil liability can be interesting, but your landlord can also ask for an insurance certificate. Otherwise, classic home insurance will cover you for your goods and also material damage in case of claim or theft. Often, ceilings of this type of insurance are very high for peace of mind. In short, we strongly recommend taking one!

The only insurance coverage offering rental civil liability is CAP Working Holiday from Chapka.

Legal assistance and criminal bail advance

We don’t wish it for you, but you might very well be confronted with justice during your stay abroad! In case of involuntary infraction and criminal prosecution against you (a trial following an accident or altercation, for example), travel insurance covers lawyer fees. And if you’re in prison or about to be and bail is necessary, insurance will advance the necessary money, but you’ll have to reimburse this sum later.

Repatriation and early return

In case of emergency, you absolutely must have insurance that covers the costs of possible medical repatriation or early return:

• Following an accident or illness, and if your condition allows, you’re transferred or repatriated to be operated on or continue treatment in the nearest hospital, even in your home (or in your country of residence), because care cannot be performed on site.
• If you’re repatriated, coverages includea return ticket for insured companions, i.e., people traveling with you and naturally insured.
• You must return to your country of domicile because a close family member is hospitalized or deceased, the round-trip ticket is covered.
• You’re hospitalized in your WHV country and one of your loved ones wants to be by your side. In addition to the plane ticket, most insurers also cover hotel expenses with a limit between 50 and 80 euros per night.

COVID-19 or any other epidemic

COVID-19 disrupted all experiences of living abroad and being covered in case of an epidemic is essential. Here, no bad surprises, all compared insurance guarantees repatriation and associated health costs in case of an epidemic.

Death

It’s difficult to consider the worst that could happen when preparing to live the expatriation experience… Generally, in case of death, the insurance company:

• covers body repatriation;
• pays death benefit (accidental or not) to your loved ones (spouse, children…);
• covers coffin costs or funeral expenses up to a certain limit.

Baggage insurance (theft, loss, or destruction)

In the context of a WHV, guaranteeing baggage is a bit less vital compared to a round-the-world trip or long-term travel. Here, companies mainly compensate you in case of theft, loss, or destruction of baggage during your outbound journey to your destination country. Some also include compensation if an incident happens to your baggage during your definitive return to your country of residence. Finally, Chapka and AVI pay you compensation in case of baggage delivery delay.

Cash advance in case of theft or loss of administrative papers

In case of theft or loss of identity papers, means of payment, or transport tickets, the insurance company advances you a certain sum of money to help you get by. You’ll have to reimburse this cash advance to your company within a well-defined timeframe.

The most frequent exclusions

After seeing what Working Holiday Visa insurance is for, let’s move to exclusions! So yes, reading the fine print of insurance company general conditions is extremely tedious, but at least you’ll be quite at ease leaving with full knowledge!

Note: this list isn’t exhaustive and there are differences depending on insurance, but we tried to highlight the most important exclusions.

Pre-existing diseases

Insurance specific for leaving with a Working Holiday Permit doesn’t cover any disease or accident before your departure. When subscribing, you’ll have to fill out a medical declaration to attest to your health status.

Bodily and material damage caused by driving a vehicle

One important thing to remember is that damage caused by driving a motor vehicle isn’t covered. So, in case of an accident while driving a motor vehicle, your WHV insurance will cover your medical expenses, but not costs related to vehicle damage itself, another vehicle involved, or medical costs of another person involved in the accident. Also, check if your Visa or Mastercard bank card offers this guarantee, or subscribe to car insurance. Some insurance companies offer complementary coverage for these cases.

Damage caused while driving a motorized vehicle over 125 cm³

This point is especially important if you’re going to Southeast Asia or South America. Generally, WHV participants prefer to move by public transport or rent/buy a car on site. Nevertheless, if you decide to wander around with hair in the wind on a scooter or motorcycle, don’t forget you’re not covered in case of accident if the vehicle’s engine size is over 125 cc, whether the damage is bodily or material. You’ll then have to subscribe to separate car insurance.

Professional civil liability

As its name indicates, private civil liability covers you in a private context, outside your professional activity. As an employee or volunteer, it’s your employer/organization that handles your professional civil liability. If you break equipment at your office or if a colleague accidentally injures you, medical and material costs are covered by your employer/organization. Therefore, in case of work accident (office, volunteer, woofing, odd jobs), your insurance will cover you in addition to or after professional insurance intervention (via your employer or structure supervising your activity).

High-risk sports

For some, this experience is the opportunity to try new sports: surfing in Australia, parachuting in New Zealand, climbing in Mexico, ice hockey in Canada, etc. But insurance contracts often exclude risky sports. To be covered when practicing extreme sports, you can add this option when subscribing.

Other exclusions

The previous exclusions are the most frequent and most important in our eyes to consider. To complete this list, here are other exclusions to consider:

• non-urgent dental care and optical expenses;
• vaccination costs; equipment bought during travel;
• thefts without break-in (or objects not placed in a secure place);
• accidents caused under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
• damage caused voluntarily;
• damage following natural disaster, civil war, attack, nuclear catastrophe…

How to choose the best travel insurance for my WHV?

As with long-term travel insurance, there’s plenty to get lost among numerous companies offering adapted formulas. In the first part, we gave you the best WHV insurance, according to us. But in truth, there’s no perfect WHV insurance! The ideal coverage will vary according to your expectations and needs. To make it easier for you, let’s look together at points that will influence your travel insurance choice.

Your needs

• I’m going abroad alone, as a couple, or as a family: Some WHV insurance offers advantageous prices for couples and families. Find the best travel insurance for a family WHV, according to us.
• Small budget and minimal protection or big budget and global protection? Do you want to put as little money as possible in insurance and cover yourself for the most important points? Or do you want to put a bit more money and also cover your valuables, for example?
• Risky sports practice: As we said, you often have to pay extra to be insured in the practice of certain sports deemed risky. Do you plan to take full advantage of your professional and recreational experience to try extreme sports?

Essential guarantees

Even if you don’t have a huge budget to devote to your insurance, some guarantees are non-negotiable and essential. Any good WHV travel insurance must include the following points:

Medical expenses abroad

Your coverage must absolutely cover 100% of medical expenses abroad, whether emergencies or not. Even if you’re going to see a doctor for the flu, this must be covered. The guarantee ceiling must obviously be as high as possible.

Private civil liability

Material or bodily damage caused unintentionally to a third party generally costs very high. It’s therefore important to have a very high guarantee ceiling.

Repatriation and early return

In case of serious illness or accident, your insurance must cover the costs of possible medical repatriation, return of insured companions, early return in case of death or hospitalization of a loved one.

A 24/7 assistance number

Generally, when we need to contact insurance urgently, we don’t have time to wait 5 hours for customer service offices to open… Most travel insurance in this article is reachable 24/7, through an assistance number or application.

That’s the basics of good coverage. Your insurance must absolutely include these guarantees!

Secondary guarantees

Once you’ve checked these 4 criteria, other slightly less important points are to consider to help you in your choice.

Medical expenses related to pregnancy

WHV can be a springboard to settle permanently abroad. If you plan to have a child during this period, you might as well be covered because health costs and delivery costs are relatively expensive! Among our selection, it’s Chapka that offers the best coverage with a ceiling of 7,500 euros. However, if you decide to settle in Canada, only AVI covers costs up to 3,500 euros.

Medical expenses in other countries

A Working Holiday Visa often means adventure to the four corners of the country, where you’ll live, but also outside the borders. If you think about traveling to other countries during your WHV, think about looking at coverage in the rest of the world.

Also consider definitive return following emergency repatriation and temporary return (vacation or early return) to your country of domicile. With these insurances, medical expense guarantee following illness or accident is often extended for a stay of a maximum of 30 days.

Based on all points mentioned above and your priorities, you should now have less trouble choosing insurance that suits you for your WHV. To go further, we’ve created a detailed comparison at the beginning of this guide and given our opinion on the best WHV insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would you choose a specific Working Holiday Visa insurance over long-term travel insurance?

You might read that some travelers have gone with a working holiday visa with round-the-world travel insurance. In theory, this could work, provided the policy meets the destination country’s requirements (adequate coverage, etc.). However, there are several compelling reasons to opt for Working Holiday Visa-specific insurance:

• Cost: Specialized insurance is generally more affordable than round-the-world coverage! We’re talking about an average of €430 per year compared to roughly €500 annually.
• Benefits and coverage limits: Coverage caps tend to be lower for round-the-world policies than for WHV insurance. Depending on the plan, medical expenses may be covered without limits for WHV-specific policies. Additionally, pregnancy is covered under certain conditions, unlike long-term travel coverage.
• Professional coverage: Unlike round-the-world insurance, these policies cover your work activities and expenses in case of workplace accidents (volunteering, casual jobs, etc.).
• Peace of mind: By going with specialized insurance, you can rest assured that you’ll meet all entry requirements. No need for complex calculations or guesswork ;).

Given all these advantages, we can only recommend choosing specialized insurance rather than opting for long-term travel insurance.

When should you subscribe to WHV travel insurance?

We wrote it at the beginning of the article: you must subscribe before departure, whether to validate your file or obtain your permit from the destination country’s immigration services. Depending on the latter, you’ll therefore have to subscribe when preparing your file, often a few months before departure, or a few weeks before arriving in your new country. In the latter case, we recommend choosing your WHV insurance once your file is validated.

Are you insured with your credit card?

You might have already heard that if you have a Visa or Mastercard credit card, you already have travel insurance. This is indeed the case, but it’s better to inquire a bit more to understand what your bank card covers in case of a problem.

The first thing to know is that if you have a classic Visa or Mastercard, your coverage is almost non-existent. You absolutely need a Visa Premier or Mastercard Gold to benefit from decent coverage.

Now, if you have a Visa Premier or Mastercard Gold, you’ll benefit from correct coverage for medical expenses, civil liability, cancellation, baggage, but with some disadvantages:

• Insurance is only valid during the first 90 days of travel.
• You must have paid for your trip with your credit card.
• Ceilings are less important than for standard travel insurance.
• There are plenty of nice little exclusions that depend on cards and banks that you need to be aware of (always read the general conditions).
• You’ll be reimbursed in addition to primary health insurance (so you’ll have to pay in advance and it involves additional paperwork).

For more precise information on the guarantees these bank cards provide, take a look at our special article on Visa Premier and Mastercard Gold travel insurance.

Are you insured if you rent a car or a motorbike?

As mentioned above, if you rent/buy a vehicle during your trip, only your medical expenses will be covered in case of accident and only if it’s a 2-wheel vehicle with an engine capacity under 125 cm³. Damage you could cause to the vehicle, as well as to a third party involved in the accident, isn’t covered.

For the damage you could cause to the vehicle, insurance offered by rental companies generally offers very high deductibles. If this is the case, you could subscribe to a deductible buyback with a specialized insurer like Rentalcover.

Regarding civil liability for medical costs related to bodily damage you could cause to a third party while driving your vehicle, we don’t know of long-term travel insurance that covers this kind of case. Inquire with your insurer if you want complementary coverage for this case.

What to do in case of a problem/claim?

What are the steps to follow in case of an accident or illness?

The first thing to do is call the assistance number or contact your insurance via the application. They’ll then detail procedures before paying anything: advice for finding a doctor, choosing a hospital… If you had to advance costs (in case of emergency), contact them to know the procedures to follow for reimbursement.

Tip: always keep the assistance number with you, in your phone and written somewhere in your wallet or backpack! In case of a claim, you’ll be able to contact your insurance as quickly as possible.

We hope this dossier answers all your questions on the subject! And you, which insurance have you chosen for your WHV?

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