What actually matters in a policy here - and the two exclusions that catch travellers out.
5Networks compared24 hrReply time
In short
Travel insurance for Cambodia should cover medical evacuation above all else: care outside Phnom Penh is very limited, hospitals expect cash up front, and serious cases are flown to Bangkok. The two exclusions that catch people out are riding a motorbike without the licence your policy requires, and adventure activities not named in the policy.
Medical evacuation is the part of a Cambodia policy that actually earns its money. Care outside Phnom Penh is very limited, hospitals commonly want payment before treatment, and serious cases are flown to Bangkok. An evacuation can run into tens of thousands of dollars, so check the evacuation limit rather than the headline medical figure.
What to check first
The medical evacuation and repatriation limit, not the headline medical number
Why it matters here
Serious cases are stabilised in Phnom Penh and flown to Bangkok or Singapore for treatment
Outside the cities
The Australian government advises there are almost no facilities able to handle an emergency outside Phnom Penh
Payment
Hospitals and clinics commonly require cash up front, even in an emergency
Cambodian law lets you ride a motorbike under 125cc without a licence; at 125cc and above you need one. Travel insurers set their own rule, and most require you to hold a licence valid for that machine in your home country. Riding without it is the most common way travellers find themselves uninsured after a crash.
Cambodian law
Under 125cc, no driving licence is required. From 125cc upward, a licence is required
Minimum age
15, for the under-125cc category, carrying identification
What insurers require
Their own standard, usually a licence valid for that class of machine at home - regardless of what Cambodian law allows
International Driving Permit
Guidance is inconsistent. The UK advises carrying the 1949 IDP with your home licence; the Australian embassy states international licences are not accepted
Standard travel policies cover sightseeing, not adventure. Diving, ziplining, kayaking, rock climbing, quad biking and off-road motorcycling are usually either excluded or sold as a paid add-on. Check that the specific activity is named in your policy, and note any depth or height limits attached to it.
How cover is usually sold
A base policy for ordinary travel, with an adventure or sports pack added on
Diving
Normally needs a named add-on, often with a maximum depth and a requirement to be certified or accompanied by an instructor
Ziplining and canopy tours
Often listed separately from general sightseeing
Kayaking and paddleboarding
Usually fine inshore, sometimes limited by distance from shore
Bag snatching from passing motorbikes happens in Phnom Penh and, less often, Siem Reap. Baggage sections of travel policies are strict: most require a police report within a set window, cap individual items well below the headline figure, and exclude anything left unattended or in an unlocked room.
Most common incident
Bags and phones snatched by a passing motorbike, usually at night and usually near the riverside in Phnom Penh
Police report
Nearly every policy requires one, often within 24 hours. Get it before you leave the country
Single-item limit
The per-item cap is what pays for your phone or camera, not the overall baggage figure
High-value items
Laptops and cameras often need to be declared separately
Before buying a Cambodia policy, check six things: the medical evacuation limit, the motorcycle clause, the named activity list, the single-item baggage limit, how pre-existing conditions are handled, and whether the dates cover your whole trip including transit days.
Evacuation limit
Listed separately from the medical limit. This is the number that matters most in Cambodia
Motorcycle clause
What licence the insurer requires, and whether a helmet is a condition of cover
It is not a visa requirement, but it is the one thing we tell every guest not to skip. A medical evacuation to Bangkok costs many times the price of a policy.
Are hospitals in Cambodia any good?
Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have private international clinics that handle most traveller problems well. For anything serious, the standard route is stabilisation here and evacuation to Bangkok.
Will the hospital bill my insurer directly?
Often not. Expect to pay and claim back, so carry a card with enough headroom on it, and call your insurer's emergency line before you commit to major treatment if you possibly can.
What if I am travelling in a remote province?
Getting to care is the delay, not the care itself. Roads are slow and air evacuation is not instant. This is the argument for a policy with a strong evacuation limit rather than the cheapest one.
Can I ride a scooter in Cambodia without a licence?
Under Cambodian law, yes, for a machine under 125cc. Your travel insurer may still require a licence to cover you, and those are two separate questions.
Will my travel insurance cover a scooter accident in Cambodia?
Only if you met the policy's conditions - typically a valid licence for that class of bike, plus a helmet. Read the motorcycle clause specifically; it is where most Cambodia claims fail.
Is an International Driving Permit enough?
It depends whose advice you follow, which is itself the warning. UK guidance suggests the 1949 IDP with your home licence; the Australian embassy says international licences are not accepted. If you intend to ride, resolve this with your insurer before you travel.
What about riding pillion on a tour?
Being a passenger is usually treated differently from riding, but not always, and some policies exclude off-road riding entirely. If you have booked a dirt bike trip, check the activity by name.
Free, no-obligation enquiry
Tell us about your trip
Enquiry received
Thank you — a local specialist will be in touch within 24 hours.
