Yes. If your trip involves high altitude, remote locations or multi-day trekking, standard travel insurance may not provide adequate cover. Trekking travel insurance is designed to include risks such as emergency evacuation and mountain rescue.
0333 003 3161
Where do you live
All persons to be insured must reside at a permanent address in the United Kingdom.
Can I take out this insurance if I am already travelling?
If you purchase cover after leaving the United Kingdom having started your trip, a 48-hour waiting period applies before your policy becomes active. For cover to be valid, the “Already Travelling” extension must be shown on your Booking Invoice or Validation Certificate. Illness that develops during this 48-hour period will not be covered, as it will be treated as a pre-existing medical condition. However, if you suffer a serious accident during this time, you’ll be covered straight away, provided it is independently witnessed and confirmed by a medical professional.
IMPORTANT
Please be aware that once you’ve started travelling,
the 14-day cooling-off period no longer applies and premiums are non-refundable.
family
family
Definition of a couple
A couple is defined as 2 adults who have been permanently living together at the same address for more than six months, who intend to travel together.
If you do not qualify as a couple, please select individual(s)
Annual Multi-Trip Durations
Annual Multi Trip policies are designed for multiple short holidays leaving from and returning to your home country.
Annual Multi Trip trip limits:
Standard policy - 35 days
Premier policy - 90 days
If you need continuous cover for a year (home visits allowed on policies over 4 months long) select Single Trip or One Way. You can travel around as much as you like, to as many different countries as you like, with a Single Trip or One Way policy.
Important Notice
Important Information
By selecting the "one-way" travel option or traveling without a pre-booked return ticket to your home country, note the following exclusion:
Curtailment, Section D: Return travel expenses to your home country will not be covered in the event of a curtailment claim if you do not have a valid return ticket to your home country.
Trip Type
Select the type of policy most suitable for your needs.
A flexible policy designed for travellers going abroad on a continuous trip, whether short-term or long-term. Suitable for backpacking, long stays and multi-country travel. There is no requirement to hold a return ticket at the time of purchase. Where a policy is longer than four months, temporary return visits to your home country are permitted in line with the policy terms.
Single Trip (IEC Canada):
This option is for travellers going to Canada on an International Experience Canada (IEC) visa (Working Holiday, Young Professionals or International Co-op). It is designed to meet IEC insurance requirements and should only be selected if you are travelling on an IEC visa. IEC visas are available to applicants aged 18–35, so this option is intended for travellers within that age range. If you are travelling to Canada but do not meet the IEC age criteria, please select the standard Single Trip option instead.
One Way Trip:
This option is suitable if you are emigrating to a new country where you intend to live permanently, or if you are returning to your home country on a permanent basis. Cover will end upon arrival at your final destination. Please note that there is no cover for emergency return travel expenses if you do not already hold an original return ticket.
Annual Multi-Trip:
This policy covers an unlimited number of trips within a 12-month period of insurance. Each individual trip has a maximum duration depending on the level of cover selected. For Standard policies, the maximum length of any single trip is 35 days, and for Premier policies the maximum length of any single trip is 90 days.
If you are already travelling, it is not possible to purchase an Annual Multi-Trip policy.
Geographical Areas
Europe:
Europe means the continent of Europe West of the Ural Mountains, and includes the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Iceland, Jordan, Madeira, the Canary Islands, the Azores and Mediterranean Islands as well as all countries bordering the Mediterranean.
Australia & New Zealand:
a) For any period of cover purchased, a 48 hour stop-over anywhere in the World for both outward and return travel will be included.
b) If the period of cover purchased is two months or more, a stop-over of 7 days/nights anywhere in the World will be included.
Worldwide excluding North America & Mexico:
(North America means the USA, Canada & Mexico.)
a) For any period of cover purchased, a 48 hour stop-over anywhere in the World for both outward and return travel will be included.
b) If the period of cover purchased is two months or more, a stop-over of 7 days/nights anywhere in the World will be included.
Worldwide including North America & Mexico:
Worldwide means anywhere in the World including the USA, Canada & Mexico.
To
Automatic Trip Extension
If the Insured Person is prevented from completing their travel before the expiration of this Insurance as stated under the Period of Insurance on the Booking Invoice or Validation Certificate (as applicable) for reasons which are beyond their control, including ill health or failure of public transport, this Insurance will remain in force until completion but not exceeding a further 31 days on a day by day basis, without additional premium.
In the event of an Insured Person being hijacked, cover shall continue whilst the Insured Person is subject to the control of the person(s) or their associates making the hijack during the Period of Insurance of a period not exceeding twelve months from the date of the hijack.
Please ensure you arrange cover for the entire duration of your travel
Policy Duration Error
The maximum allowable policy duration is 731 days. Please adjust your travel dates to proceed.
Where you normally reside
Where do you normally reside? Where do you normally reside?
Please use the drop down box to choose your country of residence. Note we can only insure residents of the United Kingdom.
Can I take out this Insurance if I’m already abroad?
If you are normally a resident of the UK Country and your insurance has run out, you may take out cover online with us. This is on the understanding that nothing has occurred at the time of taking out the cover which has led to a claim or may lead to a potential claim. Note you cannot take out our Multi-Trip Insurance if you are already abroad.
Do you have minimum residency requirements?
No. If you are, for example, a British Passport holder and have right of abode in the UK, we are not concerned as to how many months in the past year you have been in the UK provided at the time of arranging this insurance you have a UK residential address.
Age Restriction Error
We are unable to quote, Please ring our Offices on 0333 0033 161 for further assistance.
Medical & Repatriation
Medical Cover is the most important part of your travel insurance. Our Premier policy covers up to £10m for hospitalisation, medical and repatriation expenses, up to £5m for our standard and up to £2m for our budget policies.
Get Cover If Already Travelling
You don't need to be in your Home Country to get cover, you can buy a policy from anywhere in the world, as long as you're residential status is still in the UK. Just follow the Quote form to get a price and complete your purchase.
Missed Flight Connections
Specially designed for when flights from Lukla to Khatmandu are cancelled due to bad weather. Cover up to £1,000 for the cost of reasonable extra accommodation and travel expenses to allow you to carry on with your trip if you arrive at your international or final departure point too late to board your booked scheduled public transport.
Cancellation & Baggage
Cover
24 hour Emergency
Helpline
Up to £10m Medical
Cover
Claim while you're
Travelling
Travel Insurance for Trekking in Nepal
If you are thinking of trekking in Nepal this year it is doubly important to secure travel insurance to cover this activity. This is because many leading insurers are now refusing to provide cover due to a massive surge in the number of fraudulent helicopter rescues occurring in Nepal.
Big Cat is not among that number, and we are committed to continuing to providing insurance for trekkers to Nepal
through our Nepal Trekking Activity pack. But as always there is a price to pay to cover the additional risk that such fraud imposes, so regrettably we have been compelled to increase the excess to £500 in the event that a helicopter rescue is necessary.
Getting cover through our Nepal Trekking Activity pack will ensure that in the event that you sustain an injury which requires hospitalisation or you suffer acute mountain sickness (AMS) which cannot be remedied by descending to a lower level, then you will receive the prompt attention of a helicopter rescue and any necessary hospital treatment as a consequence.
Big Cat wants you to enjoy the incredible experiences that Nepal offers the trekker. And with our Nepal Trekking Activity pack, you can rest assured that you're fully covered. There is no cover for self guided trekking in Nepal.
Key Features of our Nepal Trekking Insurance Cover.
- Worldwide cover for trips up to 24 months.
- Emergency Medical and Repatriation Expenses up to £10 million.
- Personal Liability up to £2 million.
- Cancellations up to £5,000.
- Baggage & Personal Effects up to £2,000.
- Gadgets & Valuables up to £6,000.
- Legal Expenses up to £15,000.
- Personal Money up to £500.
- Tickets up to £1,000.
- Passport and Visa up to £300.
- Missed Flight Connections up to £1000.
- Cover if you wish to undertake light-manual or volunteer work.
- Facility to arrange or extend Insurance when already travelling.
- Money-back 14-day cooling off period if you decide to cancel prior to departure.
FAQ's
Trekking travel insurance is typically based on altitude limits. Policies may cover routes up to 2,500m, 4,600m or higher depending on the level selected. You should choose a policy that matches the highest point of your trek.
Yes. Trekking travel insurance can include emergency evacuation and helicopter rescue when it is medically necessary, for example if you are injured or become seriously ill and need urgent transport to appropriate medical care and is subject to a £500 excess to a helicopter evacuation in Nepal.
Yes. If you have a Big Cat policy with the Nepal Trekking Activity Pack, you are covered for trekking to Everest Base Camp.
The pack covers trekking in Nepal up to 7,000 metres, including emergency medical expenses, repatriation and medically necessary helicopter rescue. A £500 Nepal evacuation excess applies.
In many cases, no. Standard travel insurance often excludes high altitude trekking or limits cover to lower elevations. Specialist trekking travel insurance or an activity pack is usually required.
If you go above the maximum altitude stated in your policy, you may not be covered for any claims related to your trek. It’s important to select the correct level of cover before travelling.
Yes. You can arrange trekking travel insurance while already abroad, although cover may not start immediately and specific conditions will apply. You can get more details by visiting our Already Travelling Insurance page.
Yes, travel insurance can cover trekking, but the level of cover depends on the altitude, location and type of trek you are undertaking.
With Big Cat Travel Insurance, trekking up to 2,500 metres is covered as standard. If your trek exceeds 2,500 metres, you will need to add the appropriate Activity Pack or Extreme Activity Pack, depending on the maximum altitude reached and the activities involved.
Cover can include emergency medical expenses, emergency evacuation, repatriation and cancellation cover, subject to the policy terms, conditions and exclusions. Treks in certain regions, such as high-altitude trekking in Nepal, may require a specific trekking add-on.
Always check the maximum altitude of your planned trek and ensure you have selected the correct level of cover before you travel.
The Nepal helicopter evacuation excess helps reduce fraudulent rescue claims that have become a significant issue in the trekking industry. Investigations by the Nepalese government and insurers uncovered cases where trekkers were pressured into unnecessary helicopter evacuations, and in some instances were even made ill deliberately. These rescues often resulted in excessive medical bills charged to insurers, with commissions allegedly shared between trekking companies, helicopter operators and hospitals. It is estimated that around one-third of helicopter evacuations were unnecessary, costing insurers millions of pounds. As a result, the Nepalese government introduced stricter controls over rescue operations, while many insurers introduced a £500 helicopter evacuation excess to discourage unnecessary evacuations and help keep travel insurance premiums affordable for genuine trekkers who require emergency medical assistance.
Yes. You can add optional Natural Disaster Cover to your Big Cat Travel Insurance policy for additional protection if certain unforeseen events, such as earthquakes, floods, wildfires, hurricanes or volcanic eruptions, disrupt your trip. Cover limits depend on your chosen policy level, and the event must not have been known or foreseeable when the cover was purchased. Please refer to the policy wording for full terms and exclusions.
Big Cat Travel Insurance is a trading name of Flynow.com Ltd (registration No.FRN 1022075) who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. You may check this on the Financial Services register at www.fca.org.uk or by contacting them on (0) 800 111 6768. © 2026 Big Cat Travel Insurance Services. All rights reserved.
