Globelink International eligibility rules
The one that still says yes when you left months ago and you are 72. Every row below is taken from Globelink International's own policy wording, FAQ or terms, with the date we last checked it.
The rules in full
| Rule | Answer | What the wording says | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can buy it | Specific countries only | UK, all EU countries and the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway). Also covers Australian, New Zealand and South African passport holders temporarily resident in the EU. Switzerland is not EEA, so check with them. | verified |
| No fixed country of residence | No | Requires UK, EU or EEA residence. | verified |
| Buying after you have left home | Yes | Dedicated Already Travelling policy, buyable from anywhere in the world. Two-day claim waiting period (waived for a serious medical emergency or witnessed accident), no-claims declaration required, and you must have been abroad no more than 18 months (under 65) or 6 months (66 to 74). | verified |
| Maximum age | 89 | 89 on single trip, around 84 on annual, but 74 on the Already Travelling policy and under 70 for winter sports. | verified |
| One-way and open-ended trips | Yes | No return-ticket requirement; cover ends 72 hours after you leave immigration control at your final destination. | verified |
| Longest trip | 15 months, renewable | Backpacker single trip runs to 15 months and can be extended while abroad to 18 months total; annual plans offer 17 to 120 days per trip. | verified |
| Pre-existing conditions | With conditions | No screening and no surcharge: a fixed No Screen Conditions list is covered as standard, and anything outside it is excluded. Check the list rather than assuming. | verified |
| Cover in the USA | Yes | Worldwide options include the USA, but winter sports are not covered there. | verified |
| Schengen visa certificate | Not verified | No visa-letter or certificate service found on their site. | low |
| Winter sports | With conditions | Available under 70 only, and excluded in the USA. | verified |
| Scuba diving | With conditions | Part of the 60-plus activities included at no extra cost; check depth limits on their activity list. | partly |
| High-altitude trekking | With conditions | Within the included activity list; unlisted activities are assessed by email. | partly |
| Scooters and motorbikes | With conditions | Up to 250cc, with a full licence from your home country, a helmet, and recognised roads only. No off-road or racing. Over 250cc by email assessment. | verified |
| Working abroad | With conditions | Administrative and clerical work including voluntary work is covered; manual work only at ground level with hand tools. | verified |
| Trip cancellation | Yes | Single trip: cancellation cover from the day you book. Annual: from the policy start date. | verified |
| Families | With conditions | Individual policies; family and group options marketed but not verified. | partly |
Who underwrites it
HDI Global Specialty SE (reported; certificates prefixed HDI since Nov 2023). The carrier matters more than the brand: it is the entity that actually pays your claim and the one whose regulator you would complain to.
Our commercial relationship
We may earn a commission if you buy through our link to Globelink International. That is disclosed on every link, and it never changes where they appear or in what order. Progressive 10% to 20% of premium excluding IPT, 90-day cookie.
Sources: globelink.co.uk, globelink.co.uk. Checked 2026-08-03. This is information about published eligibility rules, not advice, and not a guarantee of cover.