Thankfully, at the moment, there’s a lot of competition with big banks (for example Santander travel insurance) mixing it up with more traditional suppliers of insurance. This is great news, because it means there are deals out there to be found, but sometimes you have to do a little digging to find it.

These days, most people start their search with a comparison website, but these aren’t always a great idea. First of all, they don’t always have every deal on the market, and secondly, they often get paid through commission from the companies who sell policies through them, those commission fees are likely to come straight out of your pocket when you get round to buying the policy.

That’s not to say that comparison websites don’t have merits, just that if you’re prepared to put in a little extra leg work, you can turn a good deal into a really great one. Use the prices that you get from comparison websites as benchmarks to try and get under when you start negotiating.

The next thing to do is go to some of the companies directly, see whether they are offering special deals for comparison websites, or if they’re willing to negotiate with you directly, you might find that you get a real bonus.

Also, head into high street banks, sometimes it can be a little awkward negotiating with someone, but if you’ve found a better deal elsewhere, don’t be afraid to say so. If they can’t offer you a better deal, then there’s no harm in saying that you’ve found better elsewhere.

That said, with travel insurance, quality is important. So for that reason you might want to take a look at the Defaqto website. Defaqto is an independent body which certifies the quality of all things financial from credit cards to insurance. So, if you want really high quality cover, a good idea is to head to the Defaqto website and look for insurance policies which have four or five stars. That way you can be sure that you’re paying for quality cover.

Ultimately, getting a really good deal involves legwork and being prepared to negotiate, insurance is often flexible if you can talk to someone face to face. Most importantly, make sure that your policy covers you for everything you might want to do (and that you know what it covers you for), when it comes to insurance, quality is definitely more important than getting the lowest price.

You took a nice picture of you and your backpack somewhere cool in New Zealand? You could win a Kelty Tahoma daypack offered by 100% Pure New Zealand!

Anyone can participate. You can submit as many photos as you want as long as we can see “You and your backpack somewhere cool in New Zealand”.

Images will be judged on overall photographic and artistic quality by Mathieu from mytravelbackpack.com and Eric Hansen (representing 100% Pure New Zealand).

Important: It most be one of YOUR photos and you must agree to let us publish it on mytravelbackpack.com. ; )It’s free! It’s time to: Submit your photos.

Please add this info for each photoYour name :
Your backpack brand :
Your backpack model and capacity :
The location where you took the picture :
The number of days this trip represented :
A url to your own blog, photo album, flickr account, it’s like you want :
A description of your trip, adventure, hike :

About New Zealand, the youngest countryNew Zealand’s awesome landscapes, lush forests, amazing wildlife and pleasant climate make it a haven for many outdoor activities, and a great place to unwind. New Zealand society is diverse, sophisticated, and multicultural, and the honesty, friendliness, and openness of Kiwis will impress you. And the great advantage of New Zealand is that all of its diverse physical, cultural, and artistic landscapes are so close to each other.100% Pure New Zealand official website

The contest ends April 1^st. Enter the contest : Submit your photos.

This cool picture taken at Arches National Park (Utah, United States) features a Salewa Backpack (from Polan). Read more: Maciej Hiking at Arches National Park, Utah.

Maciej will receive 3 books from Europe From a Backpack.

Thanks everyone! Keep sending your pictures! : )

Take a look at all these great pictures:
Beth Enjoying Her Honeymoon Trip in Sequoia National Park
Heather’s feet in the Sand in New Zealand
Heather Climbing Near Durango
Daniel’s Wife Carrying a Doite Backpack and Her Baby in Chile
Mariola Trekking to Cho La Pass and Everest Base Camp
Luciano on his Way to a Rock Climbing Spot in Argentina
Ben Enjoying the Scenery of Bighorn Park
Maciej Hiking at Arches National Park, Utah
Daniel and Friends Discovering Nevados de Chillan
Marieke Camping with Kids at Lake District, Ullswater, England
Buck Approaching Forester Pass
Sheri Exploring Mallorca (Spain)
Ian Employed a Local Porter in Nepal
Samuel Taking an Audio Tour at the Colosseum
Nicolas Walking on the Beach in Chile

The winner will receive 3 books from Europe From a Backpack. Mark Pearson (Europe From a Backpack) and I (My Travel Backpack) will decide which traveller is the winner in the next few days. Thanks Mark for this great prize!

- how to buy a backpack
- where to buy a backpack
- what backpack to buy

If you have suggestions, please comment!

Sorry for my silence since a couple of days, I’m currently at SXSW (Austin, Texas) and I do not have a lot of time to post.

Anyway, I’m trying to post something in next few hours. ; )

Keep submitting pictures to the contest!

If you’re at SXSW, send me an email:
mathieu/aaat/radaron.com

Enter the first mytravelbackpack.com Photo Contest and you could win 3 books from Europe From a Backpack.

Anyone can participate. You can submit as many photos as you want as long as we can see “You and your backpack somewhere cool on the planet!”.

Images will be judged on overall photographic and artistic quality by Mathieu from mytravelbackpack.com and Mark Pearson from Europe From a Backpack. Important: It most be one of YOUR photos and you must agree to let us publish it on mytravelbackpack.com. ; )

It’s free! It’s time to: Submit your photos.

Please add this info for each photo
Your name :
Your backpack brand :
Your backpack model and capacity :
The location where you took the picture :
The number of days this trip represented :
A url to your own blog, photo album, flickr account… it’s like you want :
A description of your trip, adventure, hike… :

About Europe From a Backpack
Better than guidebooks, these first-person accounts paint vivid pictures of a traveler’s experience in Europe. Like familiar music and favorite scents, they’ll awaken a taste for adventure in those who have yet to travel, and bring back memories for those who have. Romance, surprise, discovery and wisdom all bubble through these authors’ inviting pieces. Europe From a Backpack

The contest ends March 20^th. Enter the contest : Submit your photos.

I’ve built this site three weeks ago and I already got 13 pictures of you around the world! By the way, they are all AWESOME!

Reading your stories make me realize how many things this world as to offer to travellers.

Keep submitting your backpacking pictures!

Mathieu
Cerrotorre Gecko 55L ; )