For many travellers, the nature of a holiday break is changing. More and more of us are picking sea sports over sunbathing and hiking in the mountains over ambling round a busy town. This means the nature of holiday insurance is changing too. If you’re preparing for an adventure holiday this year, then you should consider what type of cover you’ll need.
This article will explain why single trip travel insurance is the ideal way to ensure you are covered for whichever pulse-raising activities you choose to take part in.
Why Ordinary Insurance Isn’t Enough
For any ordinary trip – two weeks on the beach, a family holiday in the sun or camping in a shady forest – ordinary travel insurance is perfectly adequate. It provides basic cover for low risk activities, such as swimming, camping and easy hiking. It also covers valuables, such as phones and cameras, against damages and theft. Some sports are covered, but often there are strict restrictions which necessitate the attendance of qualified instructors at all times.
Anyone wanting to experience a little more excitement on holiday – and more independence as well – will need to take out specialist adventure sports single trip travel insurance. This will provide comprehensive cover for a one-off adventure.
Adventure Travel and Extreme Sports
We know what it’s like. For many, a holiday means the opposite of sunbathing by the pool. A holiday means adrenaline, challenge, high speeds and honing skills. If your ideal trip includes skiing, trekking, jet skiing, scuba diving, climbing or white-water rafting, you probably need a specific policy to cover your thrill-seeking activities. The higher the risk, the less likely it is that a normal policy will cover the activity. A specialist policy will cost more than ordinary single trip travel insurance; however, it is certainly worth it.
Many ordinary policies cover some extreme sports, but only to a certain level. Perhaps you are covered for scuba diving… if you stay above 30 metres. You may be covered out on the slopes… if you stick to the piste. If you want to push yourself a little further, specialist single trip travel insurance is a must.
Tips for Making the Most of Your Adventure Travel Insurance
•Let your providers know in advance which activities you are planning to do. Err on the side of caution; if there is a possibility you might do a bungee jump or go paragliding, add it on before you leave.
•If you can’t predict your adventures, try to find a company which will allow you to ring up and add extras whilst you’re away. Be aware that many providers do not allow this, so try to plan ahead.
•Never rely on a company’s own insurance. Often a dive school or activities provider will ask you to sign a disclaimer before you start agreeing that they have no responsibility towards you. Therefore, you need to have your own insurance in case something goes wrong.
Now you know just what an adventure travel policy covers, you can decide whether it is the right option for your next trip.
Ethan Bailey is an experienced adventure traveller and insurance expert with the team at Let's Go Insure. Ethan’s passion is to inspire his clients to go just that little bit further, deeper and higher on their travels and his expertise in providing the ideal insurance cover allows them to do just that. If you're looking for the best single trip travel insurance Let's Go works with the most experienced underwriters, intermediaries and insurers to offer a range of competitive insurance without compromising on cover.
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