Adventure Travel Insurance - Do You Need Specialty Travel Insurance for an Adventure or Extreme Sports Holiday?

(Note - The above is for Travel Insurance if you live in the United States. If you live in the UK then click here instead to get our travel insurance pick for UK residents.)

Just as everyone looks forward to their vacation and having a break from the daily merry go round of work and home, so some people look forward to adventure during their holiday period. You can go pony trekking, wind surfing, gliding, mountain climbing, skiing and snowboarding and scuba diving. These are all active and sometimes dangerous sports and if you engage in them in a country other than your own and you have an accident then this could prove incredibly expensive.

It is always advisable when you go abroad to have travel insurance, you should also check just exactly what eventualities the policy covers, and you should keep the policy with you while you are away. Adventure holidays however, may require a certain type of travel insurance as most policies do not cover accidents that are the result of extreme sports. Some companies also have exclusion clauses for accident and third person liability that happen as a result of driving in a foreign country. The majority of insurance policies do not cover existing conditions, particularly if you have suffered from them in the six months or so before your trip. Many companies also have age limitations on their policies. So check with your travel agent and your insurers but you should also make sure that you always read the small print on any insurance documents.

Mountain and rock climbing can be quite hazardous and so can pony trekking in certain types of terrain. Just like skiing and snowboarding, if you have an accident then you might need rescue services and an air ambulance. These things can be prohibitively expensive if you don’t have fully comprehensive cover. Adventure holidays can be great fun, but besides the usual cover for lost or stolen luggage and currency, primary medical care and dental pain relief you may also need the following:

• Cover for rescue services
• Air ambulance cover
• Water rescue services
• Riding, driving cover
• Third party cover
• Insurance against claims for civil or criminal damage unwittingly caused by you
• Insurance against site closure
• Equipment and classes

Some extreme sports such as wind surfing, scuba diving and skiing/snowboarding may also need further cover for a company specializing in that particular area. Water sports in particular often require specialist companies because they understand what might be involved. You may also want to consider insurance in case you have to cancel your trip as a result of a death or something happening to your home. You may also want cover for an economy ticket back if you have to stop your holiday early.

Insurance for adventure holidays is best dealt with by companies which specialize in these type of policies as they will be able to help you with insurance that is tailored to your individual needs. It is worth having a look at companies dealing with activity holiday insurance. If you put that in as a search time then you will find numbers of companies working in this area and you can compare what is on offer.