Mountain trekking in Nepal. Heli-skiing in the Andes. Cheese rolling in Canada. Any of these appeal as a holiday activity? Whether you’re planning an adventure holiday like these, or thinking about trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Piccu, cruising Antarctica, or zip-lining in Thailand, you’re in the right place to find out what’s covered with an Adventure Holiday Travel Insurance Policy – and what’s not.
Before deciding on your holiday, it’s wise to research what Travel Insurance covers and what it doesn’t. If you are unlucky enough to be injured while on your adventure of a lifetime, medical costs can mount up very quickly into the thousands of dollars in some countries. For example, according to SmartTraveller:
- Daily hospitalisation costs in South-East Asia regularly exceed $800.
- A stay in a general ward in Noumea's main hospital costs a minimum of $1,500 per day. Daily charges in the Intensive Care Unit start at $4,000.
- DFAT has handled medical evacuations from nearby Bali in which costs have exceeded $60,000.
- The return of a deceased person's remains from Europe can cost in excess of $10,000.
- The cost of medical evacuations from the United States regularly range from $75,000 to $95,000, and sometimes up to $300,000.
You should read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) of any policy you’re planning on taking out to find out what’s not covered and what your obligations are – you can read Worldcare Travel Insurance’ PDS here.
Some examples of activities that are covered in this PDS are Scuba Diving, provided you hold a valid Open Water Diving License, mountain trekking, provided you are not using climbing gear, and racing, provided its only on foot. So diving on the Galapagos may be OK, provided your license is valid, but being an assistant driver on a Formula One qualifier is probably not. (By the way, DFAT advises to check the location of any decompression chambers close to your destination before you go). It’s likely that you would also be covered if you’re trekking in mountainous terrain, but not if you’re actually climbing the mountain using climbing gear. Chasing the Cheese in Canada would probably be OK though, provided you take due care. But if you’re planning on running with the bulls in Pamplona this year, probably best to check this one first.
Some activities that are definitely not covered are ballooning, parachuting and hang gliding. So hanging ten off the Grand Canyon is probably not a good idea – along with jumping out of an aircraft or, unfortunately, a round the world hot air balloon trip.
It’s also important to know what pre-existing medical conditions may affect your claim. So entering the Wife-carrying Championships in Finland may possibly be OK – but not if you have a history of back pain.
Whatever you’re planning, it’s wise to check the PDS and discuss your plans with your Travel Insurance provider first. That way you’ll enjoy your Base Camp trek, your Sherpa Adventure trail or your week-long Yukon kayak trip with peace of mind.
For more adventure holiday suggestions, visit adventure travel.com, or intrepid travel.
Disclaimer
Any advice here is general only and does not take into account your specific needs or circumstances. Pre-existing Medical Conditions exclusions may apply. Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement to consider whether our products are right for you and for details of policy benefits, limits and exclusions. Any medical advice here is general only and you should always seek advice regarding your specific situation from your medical professional. Mondial Assistance does not endorse the content of linked websites nor comments by contributors or the content of websites linked by contributors.