Travel Insurance Benefits for Trips With Adventure Sports and Activities
US Residents may be covered for 250+ adventure sports and activities while on a trip
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At a glance
- World Nomads offers plans that include travel insurance benefits and non-insurance services for 250+ adventure sports and activities
- The Epic and Explorer plans cover even more activities and adventures
- If you get seriously injured while traveling and participating in covered activities, you may be reimbursed for things such as x-rays, a hospital visit, and prescription medication
- Why should you consider travel insurance that may cover adventure sports and activities?
- What May Be Covered for 250+ Adventure Sports and Activities
- Important to Know
- Maximum Benefit Amounts for Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses
- What activities are included?
- Questions to ask when choosing a plan
- FAQs
Why should you consider travel insurance that may cover adventure sports and activities?
Whether you’re going rafting in Costa Rica, hiking in Iceland, or taking on the epic bike trails of New Zealand, the more you do to prepare for your adventure, the more enjoyable your trip is likely to be. There are some things you can’t always plan for, though, like a trip getting canceled because of a hurricane or fracturing a rib while mountain biking. Because of these unexpected situations that can happen while traveling, you may want to consider getting a quote for a single-trip or annual travel protection plan that includes travel insurance benefits for activities and adventure sports.
What May Be Covered for 250+ Adventure Sports and Activities
- Emergency medical expense coverage
- Trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay coverage
- Stolen, delayed, or lost baggage
- Access to non-insurance services, including one that lets you have access to your portable health records when traveling
Important to Know
- You can’t participate in any sport on a professional basis
- Damage to any sports or activity equipment while in use is not covered
- Only trips more than 100 miles from your home may be covered
- Some adventure sports are excluded or have special conditions, so check the list of covered adventure sports
Maximum Benefit Amounts for Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses
| Standard Plan | Explorer Plan | Epic Plan | Annual Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to $125,000 per person Get a quote |
Up to $150,000 per person Get a quote |
Up to $250,000 per person Get a quote |
Up to $100,000 per trip Get a quote |
What activities are included?
All plans, including the Standard and Annual Plans, cover more than 250 activities, sports and experiences, and the Explorer and Epic Plans cover even more than that. Some examples of adventure sports and activities travel insurance benefits may cover include:
- Skiing
- Kayaking
- Cycling
- Scuba diving
- Surfing
- Bungee jumping
- Camping
- Hiking
- Rock climbing
- Sailing
- Safaris
- Pickleball
- Live Action Role Playing (LARP)
- Volunteering
The Explorer and Epic Plans offer coverage for more adventurous activities as well, like high altitude hiking or cliff diving. The full list of 250+ activities can be found here. If you’re not sure if an activity is covered, you can contact us and ask.
Questions to ask when choosing a plan
It may be tempting to consider the cheapest coverage option without reading the plan wording. However, you’ll want to pick the plan that has the best travel insurance benefits for the specific activities you’ll be participating in.
When deciding which plan is best matched to your adventures you might want to ask yourself:
- What kind of activities will I be doing on vacation?
- What activities are my travel companions planning?
- What coverage do the different plans offer for these activities?
- What exclusions might apply?
You’ll want to familiarize yourself with all the benefits, limits and exclusions before you buy a plan that includes travel insurance benefits for adventure sports and activities. Contact us if you have any questions about what activities are covered by each plan.
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions about cover for adventure activities. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Help Center or you can ask the customer service team.
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What adventure sports and activities may be covered by travel insurance benefits?
All plans, including the Standard and Annual Plans, cover more than 250 activities, sports and experiences, and the Explorer and Epic Plans cover even more than that. A few examples of activities that may be covered include: Skiing, Kayaking, Cycling, Scuba diving, Surfing, Bungee jumping, Camping, Hiking, Rock climbing, Sailing, Safaris, Pickleball, Live Action Role Playing (LARP), and Volunteering. Make sure you familiarize yourself with all the benefits, limits and exclusions, and if you have any questions about what activities are covered, you can contact us.
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Can I purchase a plan after my trip starts?
Yes. If your trip has already started, World Nomads can still offer you coverage. You can buy a plan that includes travel insurance coverage for adventure sports and activities online anytime, from anywhere in the world. World Nomads Travel Insurance for U.S. residents takes effect at 12:01 a.m. local time the day after you purchase your plan. If you’re already traveling and want to get coverage for a particular activity, you’ll need to buy your insurance at least the day before you need coverage.
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Are adventure sports and activities covered if I’m traveling in the United States?
Yes, you may be covered for trips within the United States, but only if you’re traveling more than 100 miles from your home. You’ll still need to make sure the activities you’re participating in are covered within your chosen plan too.
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What should I do if I get hurt while on my trip?
If you get hurt while participating in a covered adventure sport or activity, contact local authorities as soon as you’re able to do so for immediate attention. World Nomads Travel Insurance may reimburse the cost of medical treatment, hospital stays, or even emergency medical evacuation if needed (subject to approval.) Access to a 24/7 Non-Insurance Emergency Assistance team is also included for support anytime, anywhere when you purchase a travel protection plan.
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If the airline loses or damages my sporting gear, will it be covered?
Your travel insurance benefits for adventure sports and activities includes baggage and gear coverage. If your checked gear is lost or damaged by a common carrier, you may be reimbursed for certain items that you can prove you owned. You’ll want to speak to the airline about reimbursement first though. Your plan is considered secondary coverage, and your travel insurance benefits for baggage and gear may kick in after you’ve exhausted the benefits from the source of your loss.
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Do I get my money back for excursions and tours if my trip is canceled?
Trip cancellation coverage is offered by all plans offered by World Nomads, and you may be reimbursed for pre-paid, unused, non-refundable expenses that include tours, excursions, and activities if your trip is canceled for a covered reason. U.S. residents (except those that live in New York) also have the ability to add additional cancel for any reason coverage when certain World Nomads plans are purchased. Terms and conditions apply.
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 hospitalized?
- 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?
- Medevac 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)
Richard on assignment in Mongolia
Our Mongolia scholarship trip took Travel Photography Scholarship mentor Richard I’Anson to the far reaches of the Gobi Desert and into the colorful pageantry of the Naadam festival.
Scholarship mentor Richard I’Anson shares the highlights of his journey with Discover Mongolia, his thoughts on the benefits of our scholarships, and his tips for budding photographers.
1. How did you become a World Nomads Scholarship mentor?
I was fortunate to be invited by the World Nomads team in 2016 to become only the second Travel Photography Scholarship mentor. I was told the people in charge were aware of my work and interest in sharing my knowledge through my Lonely Planet travel photography book.
2. What makes Mongolia such a unique destination?
It’s a huge country with spectacular and varied landscapes including deserts, mountains, and vast steppes. Once you’re out of the capital city everywhere feels remote, so the sense of adventure is strong and enhanced by the long drives and encounters with Mongolia’s famous nomadic culture.
3. What makes World Nomads Scholarships such a fantastic opportunity?
The opportunity to travel on a private photography tour is amazing. The trips are 100 percent focused on capturing great photos, so it’s a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in an intense photography experience with people whose job is to get you to the right place at the right time and assist in all aspects of image creation.
4. What were the highlights of the Mongolia trip?
Every day produced memorable experiences and photography opportunities, but all three locations in the Gobi Desert and the regional Naadam festival at Kharakorim were the standouts for me.
5. What were the challenges of the Mongolia trip?
Nothing out of the ordinary. We covered big distances so the drives were long, but that was more challenging for our driver from Discover Mongolia. The biggest photography challenge was the long days. Because it was summer, sunrise was around 5am and sunset around 9pm. Thankfully, there was plenty of time to nap in the car on the long drives between locations.
6. You run a lot of photo tours around the world. What is the most common mistake beginner travel photographers make?
Not fully understanding the technical aspects of photography (shutter speed, aperture, and ISO) and how they relate not just to correct exposure (which digital cameras can do well automatically) but how they relate to creative photography where the photographer is in control (not the camera) of the settings to achieve the look and feel in their images that they have in their mind’s eye.
7. What advice can you give someone who wants to break into the industry?
Learn the technical stuff (see above) so that using the camera becomes second nature, so that you can concentrate on the creative aspects of great photography, namely subject selection, composition, and light, so that you maximize the chance of capturing fleeting moments, which so often produce the best pictures.
Educate yourself on what quality photography looks like by studying the work of established photographers. Learn to step back from your own work and assess it dispassionately. This is harder than it sounds so seek the opinion and guidance of professionals and teachers where possible.
