TL;DR
Setting sail on a long-term cruise is the adventure of a lifetime. But while you’re planning your dream itinerary, it's crucial to consider the practicalities of healthcare. As experienced private medical insurance brokers in the UK, we at WeCovr know that the right health cover is the most important provision you can make.
Key takeaways
- Trip Duration Limits: Most policies have a maximum trip duration, often 31, 60, or 90 days. A long-term cruise will quickly exceed this limit, voiding your cover.
- Emergency Focus: Travel insurance is for unforeseen emergencies. It's designed to patch you up and get you home. It will not cover routine check-ups, ongoing monitoring, or elective treatments you might need while away for a year or more.
- "Return to Home" Clauses: A core condition of many travel policies is that for any significant treatment, you must agree to be repatriated to the UK. This is impractical and undesirable when you're mid-voyage.
- UK-Centric: A standard UK PMI plan is designed to give you access to private healthcare within the United Kingdom.
- Limited Overseas Cover: While some plans include an "overseas emergency" feature, it's typically limited to a few weeks per trip and has a low financial cap (e.g., £100,000). This is insufficient for serious medical events in countries with high healthcare costs, like the USA.
Setting sail on a long-term cruise is the adventure of a lifetime. But while you’re planning your dream itinerary, it's crucial to consider the practicalities of healthcare. As experienced private medical insurance brokers in the UK, we at WeCovr know that the right health cover is the most important provision you can make. This guide provides a definitive checklist for choosing the perfect International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) plan for your 2026 voyage.
A practical checklist for choosing an IPMI plan when you're cruising long-term — including excess choices, outpatient limits, exclusions and renewability
Choosing the right IPMI plan can feel as complex as navigating the high seas. To ensure you have complete peace of mind, your policy must be robust, flexible, and specifically designed for a global lifestyle. This checklist breaks down the essential features you need to scrutinise before committing to a plan. We'll explore each point in detail, giving you the confidence to select cover that works for you, wherever your journey takes you.
Why Your Standard Travel Insurance or UK PMI Is Not Enough
Many aspiring world cruisers make a critical error: assuming their annual travel policy or their UK-based private medical insurance will protect them. This is a dangerous misconception that can lead to financial and medical disaster.
Standard travel insurance is designed for short holidays, not long-term living at sea.
- Trip Duration Limits: Most policies have a maximum trip duration, often 31, 60, or 90 days. A long-term cruise will quickly exceed this limit, voiding your cover.
- Emergency Focus: Travel insurance is for unforeseen emergencies. It's designed to patch you up and get you home. It will not cover routine check-ups, ongoing monitoring, or elective treatments you might need while away for a year or more.
- "Return to Home" Clauses: A core condition of many travel policies is that for any significant treatment, you must agree to be repatriated to the UK. This is impractical and undesirable when you're mid-voyage.
UK Private Medical Insurance (PMI) is geographically restricted.
- UK-Centric: A standard UK PMI plan is designed to give you access to private healthcare within the United Kingdom.
- Limited Overseas Cover: While some plans include an "overseas emergency" feature, it's typically limited to a few weeks per trip and has a low financial cap (e.g., £100,000). This is insufficient for serious medical events in countries with high healthcare costs, like the USA.
International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) is the only appropriate solution. IPMI is specifically designed for expatriates and global nomads, including long-term sailors. It provides comprehensive, renewable medical cover across the globe, functioning like a portable version of the best UK private health cover.
The Core Components of a Sailor-Friendly IPMI Plan: Your 2026 Checklist
When comparing IPMI policies, focus on these five key pillars. Getting them right is fundamental to your safety and financial security.
1. Geographical Area of Cover: Don't Get Caught Out at Sea
This is the most crucial element for any traveller. Insurers typically offer tiered geographical options, which directly impact your premium.
- Worldwide: The most comprehensive option, covering you everywhere on the planet.
- Worldwide Excluding USA: This is the most popular and cost-effective choice for many. It provides global cover but excludes the United States, where healthcare costs are the highest in the world.
- Europe Only: A cheaper option, but only suitable if your cruise is strictly confined to European waters.
Insider Adviser Tip: Choosing a "Worldwide excluding USA" plan can reduce your premium by as much as 40-50%. However, be meticulous about your itinerary. Many Caribbean cruises include stops in US territories (like Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands) or use Miami as a hub for emergency medical evacuations. If your route even might involve the USA, you need a full "Worldwide" plan.
| Geographical Zone | Best For... | Typical Cost Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | Cruisers with US/Caribbean ports of call or those wanting ultimate flexibility. | Highest Premium |
| Worldwide ex. USA | Transatlantic, Pacific, Asian, and European voyages that steer clear of the US. | Significant Saving |
| Europe | Mediterranean, Baltic, or Norwegian Fjord cruises only. | Lowest Premium |
2. Medical Evacuation and Repatriation: Your Lifeline
For a sailor, this is a non-negotiable, high-priority benefit. You could fall ill or have an accident hundreds of miles from the nearest capable hospital.
- Medical Evacuation: This covers the cost of transporting you from your location (e.g., a small island port or even from the ship itself via helicopter) to the nearest centre of medical excellence. This could be a hospital in a different country.
- Medical Repatriation: This covers the cost of returning you to your home country (the UK) for treatment or recovery if medically necessary.
Scenario: Imagine suffering a serious cardiac event while cruising the remote islands of French Polynesia. The local clinic is not equipped to handle it. Your IPMI plan would coordinate and pay for an air ambulance to a specialist cardiac unit in Tahiti or even as far as Australia or New Zealand. The costs for this can easily run into the six figures.
Action Point: Look for a plan with a very high or, ideally, unlimited benefit for medical evacuation. Do not compromise on this.
3. Inpatient and Day-Patient Cover: The Non-Negotiables
This is the heart of your health insurance policy, covering the most serious and expensive medical treatments.
- Inpatient Treatment: When you are admitted to a hospital and stay overnight or longer. This includes surgery, accommodation, nursing care, drugs, and tests.
- Day-Patient Treatment: When you are admitted to a hospital for a planned procedure but do not stay overnight (e.g., a minor surgical procedure or endoscopy).
Your policy should always provide full cover for these costs. This includes cancer treatment, which is often listed as a specific inpatient benefit. Skimping here is a false economy.
4. Outpatient Cover: Balancing Cost and Convenience
Outpatient care includes any medical services where you are not admitted to a hospital. This covers a wide range of common needs:
- GP or specialist consultations.
- Diagnostic tests (blood tests, X-rays, MRI scans).
- Physiotherapy and other therapies.
- Prescription medications.
Insurers offer different levels of outpatient cover, which is a key way to manage your premium.
| Outpatient Level | Description | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|
| Full Cover | All eligible outpatient costs are covered in full. | Those wanting maximum convenience and no surprise bills. |
| Capped Cover | A fixed annual limit, e.g., £5,000 or £10,000. | A good compromise. Covers most routine needs without the premium of a full cover plan. |
| No Outpatient Cover | You pay for all outpatient care yourself. Inpatient is still covered. | The most budget-conscious, healthy individuals who are happy to self-fund smaller costs. |
Practical Advice for Cruisers: While on board, you will likely pay the ship's doctor for minor consultations and claim the cost back. In port, you may need to see a specialist or get a scan. A mid-range outpatient cap (e.g., £7,500) often provides the perfect balance of security and affordability for a long-term sailor.
5. Understanding Excesses and Co-payments: Managing Your Costs
An excess (also known as a deductible) is the amount you agree to pay towards a claim before the insurer starts paying.
- How it Works: If you have a £500 excess and receive a £3,000 hospital bill, you pay the first £500, and your insurer pays the remaining £2,500.
- The Trade-Off: A higher excess leads to a lower monthly or annual premium.
- Per Year vs. Per Claim: An annual excess is usually preferable. You only have to pay it once per policy year, regardless of how many claims you make. A "per claim" excess can become very expensive if you have several separate health issues.
Sailor's Tip: Selecting an annual excess of between £250 and £1,000 is a smart strategy to make a comprehensive IPMI plan more affordable. You are unlikely to claim for very small amounts, so you are effectively self-insuring for minor costs in exchange for a significantly lower premium.
The Fine Print That Matters: Exclusions, Underwriting, and Renewability
The devil is in the detail. Understanding these three areas is essential to avoid nasty surprises when you need to make a claim.
Pre-existing and Chronic Conditions: The Golden Rule of Insurance
This is the most misunderstood aspect of private medical insurance.
A standard IPMI policy is designed to cover new, unforeseen, and acute medical conditions that arise after your policy has started.
It is not designed to cover:
- Pre-existing conditions: Any illness, injury, or symptom for which you have received medication, advice, or treatment before your policy began.
- Chronic conditions: Long-term conditions that require ongoing management but cannot be cured, such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, or arthritis. Standard IPMI does not cover the routine management of these conditions.
When you apply, the insurer will assess your medical history. This is called underwriting. There are two main types:
- Moratorium Underwriting: This is a quicker way to get cover. The insurer doesn't ask for your full medical history upfront. Instead, any condition you've had in the 5 years before the policy start date is automatically excluded for the first 2 years of the policy. If you remain completely symptom-free, treatment-free, and advice-free for that condition during those 2 years, it may then become eligible for cover.
- Full Medical Underwriting (FMU): You provide a detailed declaration of your medical history. The insurer's medical team reviews it and gives you a definitive decision before your policy starts. They will state clearly what is covered and what is permanently excluded. They may also offer to cover a condition for an increased premium (a "premium loading").
Adviser's Take for Cruisers: For the certainty needed when you are thousands of miles from home, Full Medical Underwriting is almost always the better choice. You set sail knowing exactly what is and isn't covered. There are no grey areas or potential disputes two years down the line. A specialist broker like WeCovr can be invaluable in helping you complete the FMU forms accurately.
Common Exclusions to Watch For
Every policy has a list of general exclusions. It's vital you read and understand them. Common examples include:
- Cosmetic surgery
- Routine pregnancy and childbirth (though complications are often covered, and full maternity cover can be bought as an add-on)
- Treatment for addiction or substance abuse
- Professional or hazardous sports (you may need to declare sailing as a primary activity)
- Self-inflicted injuries
Cruiser-Specific Check: Review the policy for any clauses relating to sailing in specific regions known for piracy or political instability. Ensure your planned activities (e.g., scuba diving) are not excluded.
Renewability and Age Limits: Planning for the Long Haul
What happens to your cover after a year, especially if you've made a claim?
- Guaranteed Renewability: This is a critical feature. It means the insurer guarantees to offer you a new policy each year, regardless of your age or how many claims you've made. They can (and will) increase the premium due to age and medical inflation, but they cannot refuse to cover you.
- Lifetime Cover: Most quality IPMI plans are "lifelong," meaning the guaranteed renewability applies for the rest of your life.
- Age Limits: Be aware that most insurers have a maximum age for new applicants, often around 74 or 79. If you are an older sailor, it's vital to secure a lifelong plan while you are eligible.
Comparing Top IPMI Providers for UK Sailors
The global IPMI market is served by several major, reputable insurers. While the "best" plan is always personal to your needs and itinerary, here are some of the key players you will likely encounter. An independent broker like WeCovr can help you compare their specific offerings for 2026.
| Feature | What to Look For in a Plan | Example: Insurer A (e.g., Bupa Global) | Example: Insurer B (e.g., Cigna Global) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geographical Area | "Worldwide" or "Worldwide ex. USA" option | Clear regional tiers available | Flexible options, including custom areas |
| Medical Evacuation | High or unlimited benefit | Covered up to the overall plan limit | Separate high limit (e.g., £2m+) |
| Outpatient Limit | A range of options to tailor cost | Multiple levels from £0 to Full | Tiered plans include different limits |
| Underwriting | FMU option for certainty | Both Moratorium and FMU offered | Both Moratorium and FMU offered |
| Renewability | Lifelong and guaranteed | Lifelong guaranteed renewability | Lifelong guaranteed renewability |
This table illustrates how leading providers structure their plans. The key is to work with an adviser who can match the fine print of each policy to your specific cruise plans and health profile.
The Claims Process: What Happens When You Need Help?
Knowing the claims process provides immense peace of mind. It's generally very straightforward with major IPMI providers.
- Carry Your Details: Always have your digital or physical insurance card with you, containing your policy number and the 24/7 emergency assistance phone number.
- For Minor Issues (Onboard or in Port): For a simple consultation, you will often pay the doctor or clinic directly. Keep all receipts and paperwork. You then complete a claim form (usually online via a portal or app) and are reimbursed by the insurer.
- For Major Issues (Hospital Admission): Your first call should be to the 24/7 assistance line on your insurance card (or have a family member call). They will:
- Advise you on the best local hospital within their network.
- Arrange a "Guarantee of Payment" directly with the hospital, so you do not have to pay large sums upfront.
- Coordinate medical evacuation if the local facilities are inadequate.
How WeCovr Makes Choosing Your IPMI Plan Simple
Navigating the complexities of international health insurance while planning a life-changing adventure can be overwhelming. This is where an expert, independent broker like WeCovr becomes your most valuable crew member.
- Whole-of-Market Comparison: We are not tied to any single insurer. We compare plans from the UK's leading IPMI providers to find the one that best fits your voyage and your budget.
- Specialist Expertise: We understand the unique needs of long-term travellers and sailors. We know which questions to ask and which policy features are non-negotiable for your situation.
- No Cost to You: Our advisory service is completely free for you. We receive a commission from the insurer you choose, which is already built into the premium. You get expert, unbiased advice without paying a penny extra.
- Application Support: We guide you through the application process, helping you complete complex Full Medical Underwriting forms accurately to ensure you get the best possible terms.
- Exclusive Benefits: As a WeCovr client, you also get complimentary access to our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app, CalorieHero, to help you stay healthy on your travels. Plus, you can access discounts on other insurance products like life or travel cover.
Do I need to declare my cruising plans to the insurer?
Can I get IPMI cover if I have pre-existing conditions?
Is dental and vision cover included in IPMI plans?
How far in advance should I arrange my IPMI policy before setting sail?
Your health is your most precious asset, especially when you are far from home. Investing in a comprehensive IPMI plan is the foundation of a safe and worry-free voyage. By following this checklist and seeking expert advice, you can ensure you're protected against the unexpected.
Ready to set sail with complete peace of mind? Contact the friendly experts at WeCovr today for a free, no-obligation quote and specialist advice tailored to your cruising adventure.
