Here's a fun fact nobody mentions at the travel agent: most travel insurance assumes you're coming back. Buy a standard annual policy, move to Dubai or Spain, and you may find you're not covered for the very trip you bought it for.
Why ordinary policies often don't work
Standard travel insurance is designed for holidays. Policies usually require you to live in the UK, to start and end your trip there, and to stay away for no longer than a set number of days. The moment you become resident somewhere else, that cover may stop, sometimes without you noticing until you try to claim.
What a one-way policy does
One-way or emigration travel insurance covers the journey and the first weeks in your new country, typically from one to a few months. It's meant to bridge the gap until your local health insurance or public healthcare kicks in. Typical cover includes:
- emergency medical treatment and repatriation
- cancellation and missed departure
- lost or delayed luggage
- personal liability
Things to check before you buy
- Start and end dates: make sure the policy covers you until your new health cover starts, not just until you land.
- Pre-existing conditions: declare them. An undeclared condition is the fastest way to a rejected claim.
- Activities: if your new life involves diving in Dubai or skiing in the Sierra Nevada, check you're covered.
- Your belongings: travel insurance rarely covers the contents of a shipping container. That's a job for removals or transit insurance.
What about the GHIC?
The UK Global Health Insurance Card can help with state healthcare on visits to Spain and other EU countries, but it's meant for temporary stays while you're UK resident. It isn't a substitute for proper cover once you've moved, and it doesn't apply in the UAE at all.
Health cover after you arrive
In Dubai, residents must have health insurance, usually through their employer or visa sponsor. In Spain, you'll either join the public system through work or social security, use an S1 if you're a UK state pensioner, or take out private cover, which many visas require anyway. Our guide to health cover in Dubai and Spain explains the options.
Next steps
Sort travel insurance once your moving date is fixed, and line up your long-term health cover at the same time so there's no gap. If you'd like help comparing international health policies, Expat Confidant can introduce you to a vetted insurance broker.
This guide is general information, not insurance advice. Always read the policy wording before you buy.