For information relating to policies purchased before 27 June 2024, please check HERE for the list of covered activities.

For policies purchased from 27 June 2024, please see below for information:

Adventure Sports and Activities

For many Irish travellers the need to go exploring the great outdoors and seek some adventure activities is a must when on a holiday. While it’s exciting to try out new adrenaline-pumping activities that you don’t get to do back home in Ireland you should also consider travel insurance when preparing for your next adventure.

• Adventure sports, travel insurance and what’s covered by our plans
• What activities are covered?
• What level of sports and activity cover do I get?
• What’s not covered
• Questions to ask when choosing a plan
• List of Adventure, sport and activities covered

Adventure sports, travel insurance and what’s covered by our plans

Whether you’re picking up a new sport or you’re a seasoned outdoors adventure person, World Nomads offers cover (up to the policy limits) for the following:

Activities and sports cover: travel and outdoor adventures go hand-in-hand, that’s why our policies offer cover for more than 150 sports, experiences, and activities. While some activities are considered less dangerous, other types of activities such as rock climbing require an insurance upgrade and payment of an additional premium.

Emergency medical and evacuation coverage overseas – if you unexpectedly get sick or injured at any time during your holiday, seek medical assistance straight away. Contact our 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance team to advise them of your situation and sort out any further care requirements. They can contact the hospital where you’re staying to arrange payment for your accommodation, treatment, and medications. We may also cover the cost of your repatriation back to Ireland if your injury or illness is serious enough. However, this must be determined by your treating doctor in consultation with our Emergency Medical Assistance team. Exclusions, and in some cases, excesses apply.

See Travel insurance tip 2 below, if you have private medical insurance (PMI) in Ireland.

Baggage and valuables coverage – if any of your luggage or personal items are lost, stolen or damaged, then you may be covered for the costs of replacing these. Make sure you have your receipts as you’ll need to submit these when you claim. Always report any stolen belongings to the local police and request a police report. If there were any witnesses to the incident, then ask them to accompany you to the police station to give their statement. Witness statements should be included with your other supporting documentation.

Extended stays – if you’re having the time of your life on holiday and don’t want to return home to Ireland just yet, then you may extend your travel insurance policy accordingly. Extensions for Single Trip policies can be approved for up to a maximum of 12 months from the starting date listed on your Certificate of Insurance. Applications for policy extensions must be made prior to 11:59pm IST/GMT on the date that your existing policy expires, however we suggest not waiting to the last day to submit your request.

Trip cancellation costs – few things in life are more disappointing than having to cancel a long-awaited holiday due to unexpected sickness or a last-minute injury. Should you or one of your travel companions become injured or sick after making your holiday arrangements, and need to cancel your trip, then we may cover your non-refundable travel expenses such as accommodation and flights. You will need to provide medical evidence to substantiate your claim.

What activities are covered?

While many Irish live and breathe their Gaelic games, rugby, and soccer, we also know that our travellers have a vast range of sporting preferences. That’s why we offer cover for over 150 different sports, activities, and experiences. While the list may seem long, by no means do we cover every single sport or activity.

Always make sure that any planned sports and activities that you’ll be doing are clearly stated. If you’re injured playing a sport that we do not cover, then any claim you submit, may not be approved.

World Nomads offers two travel insurance plans, the Standard Plan and the Explorer Plan. These plans both offer cover for expenses in connection with hospitalisation, lost luggage, repatriation, and more. However, the Explorer Plan costs more than the Standard Plan as it offers higher policy limits and more benefits.

Always read through the Policy Wording to decide which plan is best suited for the activities and sports that you have planned. If you’re not sure if something you’re planning on doing while on holiday is covered, please contact us.

What level of sports and activity cover do I get?

Our travel insurance plans categorise sports and leisure activities into four separate levels. Travellers are covered for all sports and activities listed under the level of cover they select, as well as those leisure pursuits assigned to any lower levels. The following is just a small selection of the sports we cover. Please check below for the full list of the sports and activities we cover.

Level 1

• Camping (to a maximum of 3,000 metres)
• Cricket
• Dance (ballet, ballroom, capoeira, salsa, and interpretive dance)
• Roller skating

Level 2

• Rock climbing
• Rugby (League/Union)
• Running (marathons)
• Water skiing (barefoot)

Level 3

• Mountain biking (downhill)
• Skiing/snowboarding

Level 4

• Mountaineering (to a maximum of 6,000 metres)
• Skiing/snowboarding (terrain park in resort; outside resort boundaries; back country; helicopter/snow; alpine touring) 
• Snow rafting
• Triathlon (full distance)

Travel insurance tip 1: several of our covered activities and sports are listed on multiple levels to reflect the varying degrees of difficulty or intensity. Always check before you go that you have the right level of cover for your desired activities, as you cannot upgrade to a higher level or add any other sports after you buy your policy.

What’s not covered

Here are just a few of our travel insurance exclusions. For the entire list, please check your Policy Wording.

• If your behaviour was reckless, or your actions were in violation of the laws of that country.
• Being intoxicated by alcohol or prohibited substances.
• Unattended belongings and luggage that is stolen, lost, or damaged.
• Pre-existing medical conditions unless otherwise expressly stated in your policy.
• Dental treatment that is not undertaken to alleviate any constant pain or discomfort. An example could be an implant procedure to replace a tooth that had been extracted in a surgery that you had years ago.

Questions to ask when choosing a plan

Before selecting a plan, it’s best to know what types of sports and activities you and your travel buddies will be enjoying when you’re travelling. These are just some of the questions for you to consider when picking a travel insurance plan:

• What sports and activities will I be engaging in on my holiday?
• What sports and activities do my friends have planned? Make sure you ask them about their holiday plans to be certain that they don’t have any surprise activities up their sleeves. A spur of the moment decision to play a sport that you’re not covered for might be fun, but would you really want to take such a risk?
• What types of equipment, footwear, or protective clothing will you need for your preferred activities?
• Do you need a licensed tour guide or instructor for any of your leisure activities? If so, have you checked that the person is in fact certified?
• What are the depths of my dives, altitudes of my hikes, or distances of my walks? These types of details all need to be established before choosing your plan.

Travel insurance tip 2: Irish travellers, if you require any medical treatment during your trip while outside of Ireland (and as soon as you're medically able to do so) you’ll need to contact your private medical insurance (PMI) provider (if applicable) and follow their emergency medical procedures and claims procedures. Where your PMI provider cannot provide assistance, get in touch with our 24-hour Emergency Medical Assistance Team as soon as reasonably possible before incurring medical costs, and also please provide us with details of your PMI provider to help us coordinate your care. For more information on what to do please refer to Section 8 Medical Sections of Cover in your Policy Wording.

Overseas adventure activity tips to help you have a safer experience

Are you fit enough for that?

Holidays offer a selection of leisure activities, many of which you may not have ever tried. Before you go trying new experiences, think about your fitness and plan your activities accordingly. Whatever you’re planning, make sure it’s something you’re physically capable of.

The right gear

When participating in a sport or activity, always wear safety gear. For example, you must wear a helmet when cycling or riding a scooter. Before embarking on that mountain-climbing adventure, ask yourself if you have the right equipment required for such an undertaking.

Your activity operator should be certified/accredited

Make sure operators are certified and/or accredited by the appropriate body. For example, diving instructors should be registered with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). 

Keep a watch on your sporting equipment

Nothing beats the feeling of elation that comes from being victorious in a game of sport. Yet before you rush off to hit the bar with your teammates, it’s a good idea to lock up any sporting equipment first. All too often valuable sporting gear and bags are left unattended or even worse, forgotten about.

Opportunistic thieves can take advantage of these situations. No matter how safe you think your sporting gear is, never leave it unattended. If you can’t take your equipment with you or back to your hotel, then place it in a locker or keep it locked in a room.

This is a summary only. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the plans described. Please refer to the Policy Wording for complete details of cover and exclusions. If you are unsure of your level of travel cover, please contact us for help.

For information relating to policies purchased before 27 June 2024, please check HERE for the list of covered activities.

For policies purchased from 27 June 2024, please see below for information:

Adventure Sports and Activities

For many travellers, one of the most exciting parts of planning an overseas holiday is deciding what activities and sports to play during their trip. Overseas holidays present the perfect chance to indulge in all your favourite sports; or try a new adrenaline pumping activity that you don’t get to do back home in the UK.

No matter whether you’re packing your cricket bat or that expensive pair of hiking boots, it might be worth considering travel insurance when preparing for your trip.

• Adventure sports, travel insurance and what’s covered by our plans
• What activities are covered?
• What’s not covered
• Questions to ask when choosing a plan
• List of Adventure, sport and activities covered

Adventure sports, travel insurance and what’s covered by our plans

Whether you’re picking up a new sport or you’re a seasoned outdoors adventure person, World Nomads offers cover (up to the policy limits) for the following:

Activities and sports cover: travel and adventure go hand-in-hand, that’s why our policies offer cover more than 150 sports, experiences, and activities. While some activities are considered less dangerous, other types of activities such as rock climbing require an insurance upgrade and an additional premium.

Emergency medical and evacuation coverage – if you suddenly become sick or injured at any time during your holiday, seek medical assistance straight away. Contact our 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance team to advise them of your situation and sort out any further care requirements. They can contact the hospital where you’re staying to arrange payment for your accommodation, treatment, and medications. We may also cover the cost of your repatriation back to the UK if your injury or illness is serious enough. However, this must be determined by your treating doctor in consultation with our Emergency Medical Assistance team. Exclusions, and in some cases excesses, do apply. These medical transport and repatriation benefits are payable, subject to our approval, for up to a maximum of 12 months from the date the sudden illness first manifested or the injury happened.

Baggage and personal belongings coverage – if any of your luggage or personal items are lost, stolen or damaged, then you may be covered for the costs of replacing these. Make sure you have your receipts as you will need to submit these when you claim. Always report any stolen belongings to the local police and request a police report. If there were any witnesses to the incident, then ask them to accompany you to the police station to give their statement. Witness statements should be included with your other supporting documentation.

Extended stays – if you’re having the time of your life on holiday and don’t want to return home to the UK just yet, then you may extend your Single Trip travel insurance policy accordingly. Extensions can be approved for up to a maximum of 12 months from the starting date listed on your policy certificate. Applications for policy extensions must be made prior to 11:59pm GMT/BST on the date that your existing policy expires, however we suggest not waiting to the last day to submit your request.

Trip cancellation costs – few things in life are more disappointing than having to cancel a long-awaited holiday due to unexpected sickness or a last-minute injury. Should you or one of your travel companions become injured or sick after making your holiday arrangements, and need to cancel your trip, then we may cover your non-refundable travel expenses such as accommodation and flights. You will need to provide medical evidence to substantiate your claim.

What activities are covered?

While many Brits live and breathe their football and cricket, we also know that our travellers have a vast range of sporting preferences. That’s why we offer cover for over 150 different sports, activities, and experiences. While the list is long, by no means do we cover every single sport or activity.

Always make sure that any planned sports and activities that you’ll be doing are clearly stated. If you’re injured playing a sport that is not listed in your Policy Wording, then any claim you submit, may not be approved.

World Nomads offers two travel insurance plans, the Standard Plan and the Explorer Plan. These plans both offer cover for expenses in connection with hospitalisation, lost luggage, repatriation, and more. However, the Explorer Plan costs more than the Standard Plan as it offers higher policy limits and more benefits.

Always read through the Policy Wording to decide which plan is best suited for the activities and sports that you have planned. If you’re not sure if something you’re planning on doing while on holiday is covered, please contact us.

What level of sports and activity cover do I get?

Our travel insurance plans categorise sports and leisure activities into four separate levels. Travellers are covered for all sports and activities listed under the level of cover they select, as well as those leisure pursuits assigned to any lower levels. The following is just a small selection of the sports we cover. Please check below for the full list of sports and activities we cover.

Level 1

• Camping (to a maximum of 3,000 metres)
• Cricket
• Dance (ballet, ballroom, capoeira, salsa, and interpretive dance)
• Roller skating

Level 2

• Rock climbing
• Rugby (League/Union)
• Running (marathons)
• Water skiing (barefoot)

Level 3

• Mountain biking (downhill)
• Skiing/snowboarding (includes cross country, Nordic on marked trails)

Level 4

• Skiing/snowboarding (terrain park in resort; outside resort boundaries; back country; helicopter/snow; alpine touring)
• Snow rafting
• Mountaineering (to a maximum of 6,000 metres)
• Hiking (to a maximum of 6,000 metres)
• Triathlon (full distance)

Travel insurance tip 1: several of our covered activities or sports are listed on multiple levels to reflect the varying degrees of difficulty or intensity. Always check before you go that you have the right level of cover for your desired activities, as you cannot upgrade to a higher level or add any other sports, after your trip has begun.

What’s not covered

Here are just a few of our travel insurance exclusions. For the entire list, please check your Policy Wording.

• If your behaviour was reckless, or your actions were in violation of the laws of that country.
• Being intoxicated by alcohol or prohibited substances.
• Unattended belongings and luggage that is stolen, lost, or damaged.
• Pre-existing medical conditions unless otherwise expressly stated in your policy.
• Dental treatment that is not undertaken to alleviate any constant pain or discomfort. An example could be an implant procedure to replace a tooth that had been extracted in a surgery that you had years ago.

Questions to ask when choosing a plan

Before selecting a plan, it’s best to know what types of sports and activities you and your travel buddies will be enjoying when you’re overseas. These are just some of the questions for you to consider when picking a travel insurance plan:

• What sports and activities will I be engaging in on my holiday?
• What sports and activities do my friends have planned? Make sure you ask them about their holiday plans to be certain that they don’t have any surprise activities up their sleeves. A spur of the moment decision to play a sport that you’re not covered for might be fun, but would you really want to take such a risk?
• What types of equipment, footwear, or protective clothing will you need for your preferred activities?
• Do you need a licensed tour guide or instructor for any of your leisure activities? If so, have you checked that the person is in fact certified?
• What are the depths of my dives, altitudes of my hikes, or distances of my competitions? These types of details all need to be established before choosing your plan.

Travel insurance tip 2: Where urgent medical assistance is required, get in touch with our 24-hour Emergency Medical Assistance Team as soon as reasonably possible before incurring medical costs. For more information on what to do please refer to the section titled, ‘Health conditions & your policy’ in your Policy Wording.

Overseas activity tips to help you have a safer experience

Are you fit enough for that?

Overseas holidays offer a selection of leisure activities, many of which you may not have ever tried. Before you go trying new experiences, think about your fitness and plan your activities accordingly. Whatever you’re planning, make sure it’s something you’re physically capable of.

The right gear

When participating in a sport or activity, always wear safety gear. For example, wear a helmet when cycling or riding a scooter. Before embarking on that mountain climbing expedition, ask yourself if you have the right equipment required for such an undertaking.

Your activity operator should be certified/accredited

Make sure operators are certified and/or accredited by the appropriate body. For example, diving instructors should be registered with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). 

Keep a watch on your sporting equipment

Nothing beats the feeling of elation that comes from being victorious in a game of sport. Yet before you rush off to hit the bar with your teammates, it’s a good idea to lock up any sporting equipment first. All too often valuable sporting gear and bags are left unattended or even worse, forgotten about.

Opportunistic thieves can take advantage of these situations. No matter how safe you think your sporting gear is, never leave it unattended. If you can’t take your equipment with you or back to your hotel, then place it in a locker or keep it locked in a room.

This is a summary only. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the plans described. Please refer to the Policy Wording for complete details of cover and exclusions. If you are unsure of your level of travel cover, please contact us for help.

Get a quote today and find out if our policies are right for you.

When planning an overseas holiday, it’s not always easy to decide on the types of activities you’re going to do. This is why we’ve designed our travel insurance plans to offer cover for more than 220 adventure sports and activities from hiking, zip lining, dog sledding, scuba diving, snow skiing, white water rafting and more.

Your coverage will vary according to whether you choose a Standard or an Explorer plan, so its important to take the time to understand what activities you are likely to do, and the difference between our plans.

• Adventure sports, travel insurance and what’s covered by our plans
• What activities are covered?
• What’s not covered
• Questions to ask when choosing a plan

Adventure sports, travel insurance and what’s covered by our plans

The following is a small sample of what World Nomads plans offer (up to the benefit limits):

Emergency medical and evacuation coverage: if at any time during your trip, you or any of your travelling companions becomes sick or injured, then you’ll need to contact our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team right away. They can help to locate the nearest hospital or medical centre and will facilitate your repatriation back to New Zealand if your treating doctor believes this to be medically necessary.

Trip cancellation coverage: if you or anyone in your party gets sick or injured and you need to cancel your holiday plans, we may cover the non-refundable travel expenses. Please note, travellers must have already been issued with a Certificate of Insurance from World Nomads to have cancellation coverage available to them. 

Coverage for extended stays: if you’re having an awesome time on your trip and choose to delay your return home to New Zealand, then you may be eligible to extend your travel insurance policy. You must not have had any change to your health, submitted a claim or intend to and are 69 years old or younger at the time to be eligible to extend. This must be done prior to 11:59pm on the return date that is listed on your policy. The policy may be extended for a total of 12 months from the start date that is indicated on your Certificate of Insurance.

Coverage for baggage and personal belongings: if your baggage or personal items are lost, damaged or stolen, then you’ll need to submit receipts, along with police reports or statements from your carrier (if the belongings were lost in transit).

The features and benefits described are a summary of cover only. Cover is subject to the full terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions outlined in the Policy Document.

What activities are covered?

Kiwis are well known around the world for their love of the outdoors, sports and trying new experiences. During your holiday, you may wish to try activities and sports that aren’t commonly done back home in New Zealand. 

Before purchasing your travel insurance policy, check your Policy Document to make sure that all the sports and activities that you intend to do are covered. World Nomads provides travel insurance for 220+ activities, sports and experiences. While this list might seem immense, it doesn’t cover everything. That’s why you should never take for granted that your preferred activities will be covered.

The following are only some of the many sports and activities covered under our policies:

• Kayaking
• Hiking
• Surfing
• Sandboarding
• Snorkelling

An upgrade for certain sports may be required and terms and conditions apply for each sport. Check your policy for details or contact us if you have questions.

Questions to ask when choosing a plan

When hunting around for a travel insurance policy, you might be tempted to take the most cost-effective cover without reading through the Policy Document first. There are different policies to cover different types of holidays, and although reading this document can be a tedious task, it’s best to familiarise yourself with all the benefits, policy limits and exclusions before you purchase your cover.

World Nomads offer two travel insurance plans, the Standard Plan and the Explorer Plan. Both plans may offer protection for many of the same types of risks and can cover the costs associated with hospitalisation, repatriation, replacing lost baggage, as well as other unplanned for expenses.

However, the Explorer Plan offers a wider level of cover, with a greater range of benefits, and higher policy limits. For instance, you might wish to include cover for hiking or diving on your trip. Therefore, when choosing between the two plans, you would need to know the exact altitudes of your hiking trips and the depths of your planned dives.

As with many of the other activities that we cover, there are different levels of cover for hiking. For example, thinking rips to an altitude of 2,000 metres is classed as Level 1. Hikes to an altitude of 6,000 metres are listed as Level 3. While there is no cover under our policies for hiking expeditions that exceed an altitude of 6,000 metres.

Before choosing the right type of cover for your holiday, you need to research the details of any activities, sports, and tours you will be participating in, to make sure you make you have an adequate level of cover.

When deciding which policy is best suited to your adventures you might want to consider:

• What kind of activities will I be doing on holiday?
• What activities are my travel buddies planning?
• What cover do the two different plans offer for these activities?
• What exclusions might apply?

Note: It’s important you choose your policy carefully as you can’t upgrade from a Standard Plan to an Explorer Plan mid-trip.

What’s not covered

Here are just a few examples of what is not covered under our plans. Please refer to your policy for the complete list.

• Existing medical conditions: cover is usually not offered for existing medical conditions. Although, there's automatic cover for over 40 existing medical conditions when certain criteria are met. Please check your PDS for the full details.
• If you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• If you do not use a professional qualified and licenced guide or operator where required.
• Any search or rescue operations to find or rescue you from a life-threatening situation.
• If you refuse to be repatriated or evacuated for further treatment on the reasonable recommendation of the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team.
• Damage to sporting equipment while in use.
• Unattended baggage or personal items.
• You are behaving in a reckless manner, or your actions are in breach of the local laws.
• If you participate in any sport or engage in any activity on a professional basis during your overseas holiday.

Overseas adventure activity tips to help you have a safer experience

Here are some general tips for New Zealand travellers to keep in mind.

Be careful with valuables - wallets poking out of back pockets or unzipped handbags displaying the contents inside are irresistible attractions for pickpockets and muggers. Keep all valuable items safely concealed on your body, or securely locked away in your hotel room when you don’t require them.

Listen to local news updates - during your stay in any country, make sure you pay attention to local news broadcasts, including weather updates. If a violent storm is expected to blast the region in the coming days, then it’s probably wise to postpone any outdoor activities or adventures you had planned until a later date.

Only work with qualified and licensed instructors - if you are planning to participate in any activities that require an instructor, then you should investigate whether that instructor has received the right training. They must be qualified and licenced to lead hiking, diving, abseiling, or other types of tours and be registered with the governing association for their recreational activity.

There may be specific terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions that apply depending on what you'll be doing. Of course, always read the full terms, conditions limitations and exclusions in the plan you choose so there’ll be no surprises if you need to use it. If you are unsure of your level of travel cover, please contact us for help.

The information provided is of a general nature and is provided for information purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice in any form, and should not be relied on as a substitute for obtaining professional advice that is specific to your circumstances. You should seek advice from a financial advice provider if you would like further information about whether a particular product is appropriate for you and your circumstances.