How can participating in certain sports affect you travel insurance plan? Just as traveling to certain countries can be riskier and increase your travel insurance costs, participating in certain risky or...
Just as traveling to certain countries can be riskier and increase your travel insurance costs, participating in certain risky or dangerous sports or activities can also increase the costs of your travel insurance. One of the trends in travel in recent years has been more "adventure vacations" which involve participation in dangerous sports or pastimes. Many cruise excursions offer bungee-jumping, kayaking or similar activities as part of their package.
Certain sports are known in the insurance industry as "hazardous sports" and are well known to be more dangerous - skiing, diving, mountaineering and kayaking come to mind. Perhaps the most risky sporting activity is skydiving, and there are sports listed on insurance policies that most of us wouldn't dream of trying - big game hunting and ice speedway are officially recognized dangerous sports.
Some travel insurance policies include such things that were once reserved for the adventurous but are now more commonplace - scuba diving, white water rafting or riding on elephants. And companies providing travel insurance for visitors to Australia routinely include coverage for the climb to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. These days, the more exotic or isolated a destination is, the more it tends to appeal to adventurous travelers who want to get off the beaten track.
One pastime that is virtually impossible to find coverage for - and if you do, it can be extremely expensive - is flying your own aircraft. A standard exclusion in most insurance policies might be worded something like 'flying other than as fare-paying passenger in a fully licensed aircraft'.
Surprisingly, statistics show that most accidents and injuries while traveling actually occur in hotels rather than on the ski slope or in a remote or an isolated location. Many accidents actually occur in hotel rooms!
As with all insurance policies, it is important to read the fine print before you sign, but particularly so perhaps with policies that cover hazardous sports insurance. Most insurance companies won't allow you to add dangerous sports coverage to your policy once you are actually there - you need to do it beforehand.
Many of these policies include emergency evacuation which you may have more chance of needing and not surprisingly, this type of policy tends to be more expensive than other travel insurance policies.
If you take out a regular travel insurance policy that doesn't specifically address these hazardous sports, and then you are injured while participating in such an activity, you may find it more difficult to claim on your travel insurance. Likewise, if you have no intention of participating in dangerous sports, don't be persuaded to purchase insurance for these activities as you are paying for something you don't need.
Finally, even policies that do cover hazardous sports or activities generally have exclusions - always read the restrictions and exclusions on your policy carefully, or check with your travel agent. Don't be baffled by the small print - always ask to have it explained to you in easy to understand terms.
