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Travel Insurance for Brazil

Hemmed by Amazon Rainforest and golden arcs of sand with tempo-filled cities at its core, Brazil is abuzz with experiences.

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Essential travel tips for Brazil

The beat of Brazil is unlike anywhere else. Nature-filled experiences abound, and a life-loving energy fills the air. To travel here is to experience the world at its best. From eating your way through the culinary creations of the country to finding your rhythm at Carnival Brazil is a destination for every traveler.

But before you pack your bags and hop on a plane to South America’s largest country, there are a few things to consider when it comes to staying safe in Latin America. Here’s how World Nomads travel insurance can bolster your time in Brazil.

Aerial view of Ipanema, Arpoador and Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro.
Aerial view of Ipanema, Arpoador and Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro. Photo credit: Getty images / Giordano Cipriani

What’s covered

Heading to Brazil without travel insurance is like riding in a car without a seatbelt - it can be risky business. We offer two levels of cover, Standard and Explorer. Depending on your Country of Residence and the level of cover you need, our travel insurance may cover you for:

  • Baggage and personal effects
  • Extended stays
  • Overseas medical emergencies and hospital expenses
  • Unexpected trip cancellation
  • Travel delays and trip interruption
  • A wide variety of sports, activities and experiences.

Make sure that you’ve selected the right travel insurance plan for your specific needs. With World Nomads you can get a quote, make a claim, or extend your policy instantly online, even while traveling.

Note: all travel insurance plans are different, and cover will vary, depending on what's happened, your Country of Residence, the plan you choose and any options or upgrades you buy.

What’s not covered

Travel insurance is not blanket cover-all and there are some things we do not cover. It’s important to read your policy wording carefully to ensure you fully understand what is and isn’t covered, but some of the common claims we see which we do not cover include:

  • Cancellation costs if you simply change your mind
  • Traveling to, planning to travel to, or choosing to remain in a country or region that is subject to a ‘Do Not Travel’ warning issued by your Country of Residence.
  • Participation in a sport or activity not listed in the policy wording or agreed by World Nomads where you haven’t paid the required additional premium.
  • Incidents resulting from reckless behavior

If you’ve got any questions, or are unsure if something is covered, please contact us for more information.

Health and safety while in Brazil

While Brazil is considered a relatively safe country to travel in, like anywhere, there are health and safety concerns that have a penchant for ruining your jaunt. Exercise a certain level of caution when traveling here and keep your guard up for the following common complaints:

Crime in cities

Muggings and other opportunistic crimes can be an issue in major cities. Be aware of your surroundings in places like markets, tourist hotspots, ATMs, and on public transport, particularly at night. Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo can be hotspots for crime. Pay particular attention in places like Ipanema beach, Christ the Redeemer statue, and Sao Paulo Cathedral.

Keep an eye on your gear 24/7

It’s very important that you NEVER leave your valuables out of sight. There’s always the chance that you might end up being pickpocketed or being victim of a scam in many top tourist hotspots. When in crowded areas always maintain a sense of awareness of your surroundings. You should also make copies of all key documents you’ll be traveling with — passport, ID, travel insurance, receipts, vouchers, addresses, transportation tickets — and keep them separate from the originals while abroad so you’ll have backups and proof of purchase if anything happens.

Swimming safety

Brazil’s beaches are brilliant, but many have turbulent seas. Strong rips are a common issue on popular beaches like Ipanema and in Fortaleza. Sharks can be found in the water here too and shark attacks have happened. Practice caution and always heed warning signs posted on beaches.

Mosquito-borne diseases

The Amazon Rainforest is an insect’s paradise and insect-borne diseases are a real threat particularly in the wet season. Zika virus, malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever are all insect-borne diseases that may be contracted in Brazil, not just the Amazon. It’s important to know the signs and symptoms of viruses such as Zika before you go. Cover up and use insect repellent to reduce your risk of being bitten.

Botafogo bay, Rio de Janeiro
Botafogo bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo credit: Getty Images / Andre Pinto

Traveling in the Amazon

Covering more than 1 billion acres and spanning 9 countries, the Amazon is the Earth’s most grand rainforest. With approximately 60 percent of the rainforest located in Brazil, there’s much to see and do here. Home to lengthy winding rivers (some of the longest in the world) and an impressive array of species, it’s rich in biodiversity and there are countless ways to experience it all. From jungle tours to cruising the river tributaries, bird spotting to scaling the towering canopy in the name of adrenaline there’s no shortage of ways to spend your time - nor ways things can possibly go sideways. Stay safe and healthy while exploring the jungle with our guide on how to prepare for your first time in the Brazilian Amazon.

Wondering how to stay safe when traveling around the rest of Brazil? Check out our tips for getting around safely here.

Access to our 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team around the clock

World Nomads travelers have access to 24/7 Emergency Assistance. If something goes wrong and you need help, contact our team. They can help get you find local medical facilities if needed, provide local consular details and information and in the worst-case scenario, help get you home if you’re seriously injured or ill and need to be repatriated. When you call (free from anywhere in the world), make sure you have your policy number and a contact number for where you are so we can help.

FAQ’s

Is Zika virus an issue in Brazil?

Yes, you can contract Zika virus while in Brazil. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquitoes, a type of mosquito found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including Brazil.

What are the recommended vaccinations for Brazil?

There are no mandatory vaccinations for people entering the country; however, we recommend you consult a healthcare professional well in advance of traveling to Brazil. To help maintain your health while in South America, consider certain vaccinations irrespective of Brazil’s entry requirements.

Travel insurance doesn't cover everything. All of the information we provide is a brief summary. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions of the plans described. Coverage may not be the same or available for residents of all countries, states or provinces. Please carefully read your policy wording for a full description of coverage.

About World Nomads

World Nomads polices are designed by travelers for travelers to provide simple and flexible travel insurance – and it’s often cheaper than you might think. Featuring coverage for more than 150 activities, quotes are fast and can be done online at www.worldnomads.com. All the information we provide about travel insurance is a summary only. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, and termination provisions of the travel insurance plans described. Coverage may not be available for residents of all countries, states, or provinces. Please carefully read your policy wording for a full description of coverage.

Get a quote 24/7

With World Nomads you can buy travel insurance before you land in Brazil, or while you're already traveling around Brazil. Fill out the quick quote form below and get an instant quote today.

Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you

Trip Cancellation

Been working hard for your trip?

We'll work hard to protect it.

Trip Protection
  • Unexpectedly hospitalised?
  • Travel buddy unfit to travel?
  • Close relative suddenly dies?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Expenses

Feeling fit and healthy? What if you get sick or injured?

Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.

Emergency Medical Insurance
  • Need meds quick?
  • Accidentally injured?
  • Suddenly sick?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Transportation

Know where the nearest hospital is?

Don’t stress, we’ll get you there quickly.

Evacuation and Repatriation
  • Banged up abroad?
  • Need a hospital urgently?
  • Medivac home?

Help starts here.

Protect your gear

Love photography, filming or sport?

Cover your bags, tech or gear.

Protect your gear
  • Passport or tech stolen?
  • Airline lost your gear?
  • Bags delayed?

Help starts here.

  • Emergency Overseas Medical & Dental Expenses
  • Emergency Medical Evacuation & Repatriation
  • Trip Cancellation or Interruption
  • 24-Hour Assistance Services
  • Baggage
  • And more (depending on your country of residence)
*This is a general summary only. Restrictions, exclusions and limitations will apply. Coverage may not be available for all countries, states or provinces. Benefit limits may vary depending on the plan chosen. Get a quote for full details.

24/7 emergency assistance

Whether you need medical assistance or emergency evacuation, our teams are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.

Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?

Contact the team
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What to do if you have to cancel your trip due to illness or injury

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1. Rearrange or cancel your bookings

As soon as you know that you won’t be able to use any pre-booked or pre-paid accommodation, transport or tours, you must try to rearrange them, or if necessary, cancel.

Just remember, if you decide to rearrange, we’ll only pay up to the amount it would have cost you to cancel those arrangements. If you don’t rearrange or cancel straight away, we won’t cover any additional rearrangement or cancellation costs that arise as a result. But you should only cancel arrangements when it’s absolutely necessary. For example, if your doctor says you can’t fly for two days, but you cancel a three week trip, rather than putting it back by two days, we’ll only cover cancellation of two days’ worth of accommodation, not the entire booking.

2. Get it in writing

To support your claim, you’ll need to get the following:

  • Doctor (or other medical practitioner)’s report, confirming what happened and the nature of the illness or injury.
  • Hospital Admission report (if the person was admitted to hospital)
  • Ambulance report (if they were involved)
  • Police report (if they were involved)
  • Any other relevant documentation related to what happened.

3. Keep your itineraries and receipts

You’ll need to keep your receipts, itineraries and booking and cancellation confirmations including details of any refunds received for any affected transport and accommodation.

Our suggestions should help you avoid unnecessary costs, gather the right evidence and help keep your claim hassle free.

Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you

Trip Cancellation

Been working hard for your trip?

We'll work hard to protect it.

Trip Protection
  • Unexpectedly hospitalised?
  • Travel buddy unfit to travel?
  • Close relative suddenly dies?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Expenses

Feeling fit and healthy? What if you get sick or injured?

Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.

Emergency Medical Insurance
  • Need meds quick?
  • Accidentally injured?
  • Suddenly sick?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Transportation

Know where the nearest hospital is?

Don’t stress, we’ll get you there quickly.

Evacuation and Repatriation
  • Banged up abroad?
  • Need a hospital urgently?
  • Medivac home?

Help starts here.

Protect your gear

Love photography, filming or sport?

Cover your bags, tech or gear.

Protect your gear
  • Passport or tech stolen?
  • Airline lost your gear?
  • Bags delayed?

Help starts here.

  • Emergency Overseas Medical & Dental Expenses
  • Emergency Medical Evacuation & Repatriation
  • Trip Cancellation or Interruption
  • 24-Hour Assistance Services
  • Baggage
  • And more (depending on your country of residence)
*This is a general summary only. Restrictions, exclusions and limitations will apply. Coverage may not be available for all countries, states or provinces. Benefit limits may vary depending on the plan chosen. Get a quote for full details.

24/7 emergency assistance

Whether you need medical assistance or emergency evacuation, our teams are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.

Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?

Contact the team
Photo © VichoT/IStock

Travel Insurance for mountain biking

Whether you’re a hobby mountain biker or serious fiend, travel insurance for mountain biking can stand you in good stead when the mountain wins.

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Nothing beats heading down a mountain or cross country with your lunch in your backpack and your feet peddling you onwards. World Nomads love mountain biking, which is why it’s on our list of covered adventures. Before you head off into the great outdoors, read our tips to make the most of your travel insurance.

What types of mountain biking adventures are covered? 

As long as you’re not doing anything stupid, like riding without a helmet or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, World Nomads offers cover for mountain biking (on and off road, cross country, or downhill) for different elevations up to 6000 meters. Please be aware that the availability to cover different mountain biking altitudes will vary by Country of Residence and will vary depending on the plan you have chosen.

Note: There are specific terms and conditions, limits and exclusions that apply to mountain biking, so be sure to check the exclusions section of this article, and also check your policy wording carefully. If you’re not sure whether something is covered, contact us.

Choosing the right policy for you

We offer two plans – Standard and Explorer – each of which offers different levels of coverage. It is up to you to choose what plan has the right level of coverage to meet your travel needs and that matches your specific mountain biking plans.

When buying a policy you may want to consider upgrading your cover if you want to be covered to go mountain biking up to 6,000m in altitude. You can’t upgrade your policy after the cooling-off period so choose carefully. Check out your policy wording and contact customer service if you’re unsure what your cover includes.

What’s actually covered when you go mountain biking?

  1. If you’re injured or have an accident whilst biking

It’s not nice to think about, but if you suffer an injury or accident on your ride, our emergency medical coverage may cover you for emergencies that require: 

  • Hospitalization
  • Day surgery and out-patient treatment
  • Visits to registered medical practitioners
  • Prescribed medicines
  • Ambulances

If you need medical treatment, it’s essential that you get in touch with our Emergency Assistance team as soon as possible so they can support you.

  1. If you need to be evacuated or repatriated

You might be riding in a remote area, far from medical assistance, so our policies include coverage if you need to be evacuated to a medical facility.

  1. Emergency Assistance Team available 24/7

Having an emergency in a foreign country can be overwhelming but buying a World Nomads policy means you’ll have access to our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team. Our Emergency Assistance team can help with a range of services in whatever part of the world you’re traveling, can speak multiple languages, and they’re available 365 days a year.

  1. Cancellation of your ride

If your ride is cancelled or interrupted due to an unforeseen event, you may be able to recover your unused/additional travel expenses. This includes if your ride is affected by a natural disaster, or your travel destination is affected by an extreme weather event.

  1. Rental Car Excess

If you’ve hired a car to take you to go on your rides and you suffer a car breakdown, traffic accident or your vehicle is broken into, some World Nomads plans may offer damage collision waiver (also called insurance excess) coverage, depending on your Country of Residence and your choice of a Standard or Explorer plan.

Note: keep in mind that all plans are different depending on the plan chosen and your Country of Residence. Terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions apply. Read the policy wording carefully to choose the right plan and/or adventure sport option for your trip. If you’re not sure about anything, contact us.

What’s not covered when mountain biking? 

While we can offer coverage for mountain biking, there are also things we just won’t cover. These include, but are not limited to:

  • No matter how safe you are, we won’t cover any mountain biking on the infamous Death Road – otherwise known as Yungas Road in Bolivia. 
  • We only cover mountain biking that is incidental to your holiday – that means you only plan to cycle or go mountain biking for a day or two here and there and you’re not using a bike as your main mode of transport while on your travels.
  • Riding at altitudes over 6,000 metres
  • Participation in a sport or activity not listed as covered in the policy wording or agreed by World Nomads, or where you haven’t paid the required additional premium.
  • Working or participating professionally in any activity or sport.
  • If you travel against medical advice or neglect to adhere to government ‘Do Not Travel’ warnings issued prior to departure.
  • Any pre-existing medical condition unless otherwise expressly stated in your policy.

World Nomad’s handy tips for your mountain bike adventures

  • Make sure your bike is set up correctly before you ride – check the saddle, pedals , handlebars and tyre pressure.
  • Put your safety first: only go riding with professional, qualified, licensed and reputable operators. If you don’t, your cover may be void. If something doesn’t feel right, then don’t go.
  • Keep your body loose and springy and be prepared to stand up on the bike – doing this moves you with the bike and can help you avoid injury and accidents.

Need some inspo for your next mountain biking adventure?

Check out our handy guides and insider travel tips on the best places to go mountain biking:

This is only a summary of cover and does not include the full terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the policy. You should read your policy wording in full, so you understand what is and isn’t covered. That way there won’t be any surprises if you need to use it. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you

Trip Cancellation

Been working hard for your trip?

We'll work hard to protect it.

Trip Protection
  • Unexpectedly hospitalised?
  • Travel buddy unfit to travel?
  • Close relative suddenly dies?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Expenses

Feeling fit and healthy? What if you get sick or injured?

Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.

Emergency Medical Insurance
  • Need meds quick?
  • Accidentally injured?
  • Suddenly sick?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Transportation

Know where the nearest hospital is?

Don’t stress, we’ll get you there quickly.

Evacuation and Repatriation
  • Banged up abroad?
  • Need a hospital urgently?
  • Medivac home?

Help starts here.

Protect your gear

Love photography, filming or sport?

Cover your bags, tech or gear.

Protect your gear
  • Passport or tech stolen?
  • Airline lost your gear?
  • Bags delayed?

Help starts here.

  • Emergency Overseas Medical & Dental Expenses
  • Emergency Medical Evacuation & Repatriation
  • Trip Cancellation or Interruption
  • 24-Hour Assistance Services
  • Baggage
  • And more (depending on your country of residence)
*This is a general summary only. Restrictions, exclusions and limitations will apply. Coverage may not be available for all countries, states or provinces. Benefit limits may vary depending on the plan chosen. Get a quote for full details.

24/7 emergency assistance

Whether you need medical assistance or emergency evacuation, our teams are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.

Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?

Contact the team
Photo © Alexander Gorbunov/Stock

What's covered

World Nomads travel insurance has been designed by travellers for travellers, to cover your trip essentials.

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Understand the key parts of World Nomads travel insurance