At a loose end? Consider a grown-up gap year

Have you noticed the increase in people in their 30s and 40s throwing themselves off bridges lately? This is a consequence of the economic turmoil, but not in the way you’d think.

Taking a gap year is no longer the exclusive pursuit of school or university leavers. As redundancies rise, more and more people in their 30s and 40s are embarking on gap years.

Whether it’s teaching English in South Korea or bungee-jumping off the highest bridge in the southern hemisphere, people are turning an unscheduled career break into an opportunity for travel and adventure.

“A number of those who have been made redundant are making the most of the situation and hope their chances of finding a job will be better upon return,” says Thamsanqa Ndebele, Regional Travel Manager at AIG South Africa.

A survey in the UK indicates that gap year travel is becoming increasingly popular among the over -30s. The figures suggest that as many as 90 per cent of those planning on embarking on gap year travel in the UK are aged over 30.

Despite the fact that gap year travel later in life is likely to be on a more comfortable budget, especially if you have received a reasonable pay-package from your erstwhile employer, Ndebele warns that people are still tempted to skimp on travel insurance.

“Travel insurance should be a priority for people embarking on long-term travel, regardless of age” says Ndebele. “People in their 30s or 40s may have more assets and means, but they also have more to lose if anything goes wrong.”

For those wanting to step off the corporate treadmill, specialised websites and travel agencies have sprung up offering a variety of options to make their gap year a rewarding experience. Some specialised trips include teaching abroad, voluntary work, adventure travel and learning a language. But whatever you choose to do on your year abroad make sure you are covered for all eventualities.

“You know that mortgage you’ve just paid off? You don’t want to have to remortgage your house to pay for medical costs you incur in an overseas hospital,” warns Ndebele.

AIG offers the following tips on what to look out for in your year-abroad insurance policy:

• Ensure you have adequate medical cover. Overseas medical expenses and related repatriation costs can be astronomical, amounting to millions of rands
• If you’re planning on working while travelling, even as a volunteer, make sure your policy covers working abroad. Many policies don’t
• Ensure all those adrenalin-pumping sporting activities are not excluded in the fine print
• Also check what pre-existing medical conditions are excluded and take the necessary precautions to provide for these
• You may be travelling for an extended period, but be careful what you pack and check the baggage cover limit. If you are travelling with all sorts of expensive gadgets, you may need separate insurance for these items
• Ensure you are covered for trip cancellation. If you have to cancel your trip or cut it short for any reason, you don’t want to be stuck paying for all those pre-booked flights and activities