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Informational content — no offer yetLong-Stay Travel Insurance
Long-stay travel insurance covers an extended stay abroad without a permanent move — more complete than standard travel insurance limited to short-stay emergencies, but lighter than expat health insurance designed for a settled everyday life over the long term.
Who it’s for
- Long-term travellers away for several months, on a world tour or travelling continuously
- Those taking a gap year or a long assignment with no plan for permanent expatriation
- People whose return to France is already scheduled for a set date
Who it’s not for
- Those settling long-term abroad with no fixed return date — see expat health insurance
What sets this cover apart from standard travel insurance
Standard travel insurance is calibrated for a short stay, generally a few weeks, and most often limited to unforeseen emergencies. Long-stay travel insurance, on the other hand, is designed for an extended stay running over several months: it remains a fixed-term travel contract, paid for the covered period, and not a renewable contract designed to follow a settled life abroad. It also doesn't assume affiliation to a local social security scheme or to CFE: it's a travel contract, not an expatriation arrangement.
What it generally covers
The core of it covers emergency medical costs, unforeseen hospitalisation and repatriation and assistance in case of medical necessity — see the definition of medical repatriation. It does not, however, cover — barring a specific option — routine medical follow-up (routine consultations, chronic illnesses, maternity): that everyday follow-up is precisely what expat health insurance is for, not a travel contract.
How to choose between this product and true expat insurance
The central question is your return date. A stay with a set end date, with no lasting settlement or affiliation to a local scheme, points towards long-stay travel insurance. A departure with no fixed return date, with a life project on-site, points towards expat health insurance. The status diagnostic helps clarify this situation before choosing.
Frequently asked questions
Is long-stay travel insurance enough for an expatriation visa?
Rarely: most visas for a lasting move require coverage designed for on-site residence, not a fixed-term travel contract. See your destination country's page and expat health insurance for this case.
What happens if my stay runs longer than the covered period?
A long-stay travel contract remains taken out for a period fixed in advance. If the stay runs longer, or if a plan for a lasting move takes shape along the way, you need to check the contract's extension conditions or switch to expat health insurance suited to a settled presence.
Written by Expavy