This coverage addresses the needs of adventure travelers. It is typically in the form of an exclusion waiver because (except in a few instances) travel insurance plans always exclude coverage for adventurous activities and hazardous sports.
Contents (click to jump down) What does Adventure Activities cover? Important notes about this coverage What type of policy covers this? How much coverage does each company provide? Summary |
Let us tell you a story
Mike and Sylvia had long planned a Hawaii honeymoon and were looking forward hang gliding off the Makepu’u cliffs on Ohahu. Experienced hang gliders, they had each completed well over 50 jumps in a number of locations around the world.
On their third day of flying, Mike experienced some trouble with his glider and had to descend quickly. His forced descent meant he was far short of their intended landing zone and he landed in a bushy field instead of the cleared landing area. During landing, his foot caught in one of the higher bushes and he crashed to the ground. Sylvia witnessed the accident and drove with the other local hang gliders to where they had seen Mike fall. On the way, they called an ambulance and guided the paramedics to the location. Mike was unconscious when they arrived, but the paramedics cut him loose from the glider and transported him to the hospital. His leg was broken in two places and he had a concussion and some serious cuts, but he would survive. Once in the emergency room, Sylvia called their travel insurance company to let them know about Mike’s accident. She was re-assured after the representative confirmed they had purchased coverage that included adventurous sports and the insurance company would arrange for an advance payment to the hospital. Sylvia took a deep breath and focused on Mike’s treatment.
What does Adventure Activities cover?
All travel insurance plans specifically list adventurous (some call them ‘hazardous’) activities as specifically excluded from coverage, which makes it difficult for hang gliders, skiers, mountain climbers, bungee jumpers, SCUBA divers and others to find adequate travel insurance coverage for their trips. There are plans that cover these types of travelers, however.
In some plans, SCUBA divers who are PADI or NAUI certified are covered in the base plan without the need for an optional rider. For example, all of the Seven Corners’ Liaison plans allow for SCUBA diving activities in the base plan as long as the diver is appropriately certified.
In most cases, all other adventure activities are covered with an optional rider, which adds to the cost of the plan.
Those participating in adventurous activities are primarily interested in the following coverages:
- Medical and dental expenses
- Evacuation and repatriation expenses
- AD&D benefits
Some travel insurance plans provide a benefit amount for unused nonrefundable payments made separately from the vacation and related to sports activities, including ski lift tickets, green fees, equipment rentals and lessons, if you have to cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason. Specifically, Travel Insured International provides $1,000 for these nonrefundable costs with all their package plans:
- Worldwide Trip Protector Gold
- Worldwide Trip Protector
- Trip Protector
- Trip Protector Lite
Important notes about this coverage
- In all plans, participants in SCUBA diving activities need to be PADI or NAUI certified and diving with a certified instructor for coverage to be in effect
- If the activity a traveler is participating in is not listed in the policy as covered, it’s not covered
- No travel insurance plan will cover you while flying or learning to fly an aircraft – even with the hazardous sports or adventure activities option
- Some plans limit the adventure coverage to just a few activities
- When this coverage is an optional rider, it must be purchased with your travel insurance plan (it cannot be added later)
- All other plan restrictions, such as the requirement to be outside your home country and others, must be followed
- Even if your medical and evacuation expenses are covered, you cannot guarantee coverage for your sporting equipment with this coverage (see Sports Equipment coverage)
What type of policy covers this?
This type of coverage is available in some package plans (typically with an optional add-on). This coverage is also available with some medical plans.
How much coverage does each company provide?
Plan | Company | Medical limit | Medevac limit | AD&D (24-hour) |
---|---|---|---|---|
None | Allianz | |||
None | CSA | |||
TravMed International * *** | FrontierMEDEX | $1,000,000 | up to medical limit | $25,000 |
None | Global Alert | |||
Diplomat America * ** | Global Underwriters | $50,000 – $500,000 | $300,000 | $25,000 |
Diplomat International * ** | Global Underwriters | $50,000 – $1,000,000 | $300,000 | $25,000 |
Diplomat LT * ** | Global Underwriters | $500,000 or $1,000,000 | $300,000 | $0 |
None | HTH Worldwide | |||
Patriot Adventure * | IMG | $50,000 | up to medical limit | $0 |
None | M.H. Ross | |||
Liaison Continent * ** *** | Seven Corners | $50,000 – $1,000,000 | $300,000 | $50,000 |
Liaison International * ** *** | Seven Corners | $50,000 – $1,000,000 | $300,000 | $25,000 |
Liaison Majestic * ** *** | Seven Corners | $60,000 – $1,000,000 | $300,000 | $25,000 |
Liaison Worldwide * ** *** | Seven Corners | $50,000 – $500,000 | $300,000 | $25,000 |
Adventure Travel | Travel Guard | $25,000 | $500,000 | $10,000 |
Sportsman's Travel | Travel Guard | $25,000 | $500,000 | $10,000 |
Tee, Tour, and Travel | Travel Guard | $25,000 | $500,000 | $10,000 |
Visit USA HealthCare ** *** | Travel Insurance | $50,000 or $100,000 | $75,000 or $100,000 | $50,000 or $100,000 |
Voyager Annual ** *** | Travel Insurance | $5,000 – $500,000 | $25,000 – $500,000 | $25,000 – $500,000 |
WorldMed ** *** | Travel Insurance | $100,000 – $1,000,000 | $100,000 or $500,000 | $25,000 or $50,000 |
Worldwide Trip Protector Gold * ** | Travel Insured | $50,000 | $1,000,000 | $25,000 |
Worldwide Trip Protector * ** | Travel Insured | $50,000 | $500,000 | $10,000 |
Trip Protector Lite Expanded * ** | Travel Insured | $15,000 * | $100,000 | Available ** |
Trip Protector Lite * ** | Travel Insured | $10,000 * | $100,000 | Available ** |
Travel Select ** | Travelex | $75,000 | $500,000 | $25,000 |
None | TravelSafe |
* requires a deductible
** with optional rider
*** limited to certain activities
Summary
- Adventure sports – also called hazardous sports – are nearly always excluded from travel insurance plans
- Travel insurance coverage can be denied if a traveler participates in these sports without the adventure coverage
- Not all travel insurance plans provide options for adventure travelers and those that do typically offer the coverage as an optional rider
- Some activities such as learning to fly an aircraft are never covered by a travel insurance plan