Harnessing the thrill of extreme sports and matching it with the joy of travel is a great way to spend a holiday and having the right travel insurance means you can enjoy your high octane adventures without too many worries.
What is extreme sports travel insurance?
Each insurance provider will have their own set of definitions and it’s important to check your policy meets your needs. There will be some common ground, so we’ve put together a quick round-up of what extreme sports travel insurance might cover.
High adrenaline activities
These are the things that spring to mind when you think of extreme sports and might include
• bungee jumping
• rock climbing
• white water rafting
• hang gliding
• sky diving
Other less obvious activities might also be considered extreme by your travel insurance company
• tubing
• banana boat ride
• swimming with dolphins
• horse riding
What may seem every day to you could be considered high risk by your insurer, so if you think you may do these kinds of activity it’s important to check you’re covered.
Other sports have dedicated policies, things like golf, water sports and winter sports need cover that allows for damage to essential kit, as well as increased risk of personal injury.
What sort of thing are covered by extreme sports travel insurance?
Again, this will vary according to your provider, but you’ll generally find the following inclusions
• Medical expenses – costs of treatment, hospital stays and ambulance fees
• Repatriation – to get you home in the case of medical necessity, or if you’ve missed your flight because of your treatment
• Personal injury – if you are left permanently disabled a lump sum may be payable
• Personal liability – to cover compensation costs if you damage property by accident or injure somebody by accident
I’m the spontaneous type – what should I do if I decide to do something extreme while I’m away?
If you’re not sure what activities you’ll be doing it’s a good idea to have your full policy document with you so you can check what is or isn’t included. If your chosen adrenaline fix isn’t on the list, a quick call to your insurer should get you covered, so you can amend your travel insurance and enjoy your thrills with complete peace of mind.