Travel Insurance for Surfing
Discover travel insurance options for surfing adventures with World Nomads USA.
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For information relating to policies purchased prior to October 23 2024, please check the Policy Wording provided with your purchase. You can contact us if you need this sent to you again. For plans purchased after October 23 2024, please see below.
- Why buy travel insurance for surfing?
- Travel insurance for surfing
- Besides surfing, World Nomads may also cover
- What travel insurance for surfing does not cover
- Travel tips for surfing
Why buy travel insurance for surfing?
Point breaks, offshore breezes, and rays of sun beating on your face. From Europe’s top surf sites to Mexico’s western coast, surfing the azure ocean blue can create a big adrenaline rush ─ but so can stingray encounters, jagged coral reefs, and (gulp!) shark attacks.
Along with your sunblock and shades, don’t forget to pack your travel insurance*. World Nomads can help get you back on your feet if your surf break turns into a wipeout.
From pre-trip medical support and car rental protection to emergency evacuations, optional cancel for any reason coverage, and even pet kenneling if your return trip is delayed, we’ve got your back. Our plans cover inclement weather under certain circumstances (say, a snowstorm cancels your flight or a hurricane wipes out your hotel), and include benefits like trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay coverage due to a variety of reasons, including natural disasters.
Here’s what you need to know about travel insurance for surfing.
Travel insurance for surfing
As a surf enthusiast, you can catch the waves with the coverage we provide, from uncharted towns with pristine beaches to the most popular surf breaks worldwide.
- Baggage protection: Our gear coverage can help with replacing belongings that were swiped from under your nose.
- Baggage delays: You may be covered for baggage delays of at least 12 hours on route to your destination. All plans also include non-insurance service Blue Ribbon Baggage, which will track and expedite the return of your airline baggage. Note that if your surfboard is delayed, lost, or damaged, you must report the incident as soon as possible to a responsible officer for the carrier. Make sure you get a Property Irregularity Report, or a similar official report and make a claim directly with the carrier first before making a claim with us.
- Emergency medical: Long lefthanders can be epic to ride but not if it ends up in a crash. Emergency medical coverage may come to the rescue in the case of an accident or injury or if you need to be evacuated to a medical facility.
- Evacuation: Your bohemian surfer paradise may be far away from the medical facilities that can give you the treatment you need. With emergency evacuation, you may get transported to the medical facility which may be best for your care. An emergency evacuation must be ordered by a physician who certifies that the severity of your accidental injury or sickness warrants your emergency evacuation and is approved by the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team.
- Trip cancellation: Has a sick or injured traveling companion put a stop to your surf break? Trip cancellation may help with the recovery of missed, prepaid, non-refundable trip costs when you cancel for a covered reason.
- Trip interruption: Did an emergency cut your trip short? Trip interruption may cover you.
Besides surfing, World Nomads may also cover
Got your stuff stolen while surf town-hopping in Costa Rica or get injured while hiking to a waterfall? We get that even if your primary adventure is surfing, you may also want to do a bunch of other fun activities on your trip as well. Well, World Nomads also covers over 250 other sports, activities and experiences you might want to engage in during your surfing vacation. Some of these water-based activities include:
- Land surfing.
- Stand-up paddle surfing.
- Surf boat rowing.
- Windsurfing.
- Sandboarding.
- Kitesurfing.
- Wakeboarding.
- Scuba diving.
The coverage – and the maximum benefit limits – of your specific activity depends on which plan you buy. Our article on covered sports and activities should help you decide on whether to buy a Standard, Explorer, Epic or Annual plan, as they have different levels of coverage. You can’t upgrade your coverage after you purchase a plan, so it’s important to get this right on the first go.
What travel insurance for surfing does not cover
Sorry – we won’t cover you if you do something careless or out of control (like tackle big-wave off-shore surfing when you’re only a beginner). Some things we may not cover include:
- Expenses that can be recovered from another source, such as your carrier or primary health insurer.
- If you surf while under the influence of alcohol or drugs… water and alcohol never mix!
- Search-and-rescue costs.
- Competition surfing.
- Any damage related to the wear and tear of sports equipment.
- Any activities that aren’t on our adventure sports coverage list.
- Search-and-rescue missions.
- If you travel against medical advice.
- Any pre-existing medical condition, unless you purchased your plan within the time-sensitive period and have a waiver.
- Unattended baggage, sporting equipment or personal items.
- Travel within 100 miles from your home.
Travel tips for surfing:
When it comes to any sport, safety should always come first. Your health ─ and your travel insurance coverage ─ depends on your responsible behavior. Follow these tips to stay alert and aware (and to ensure that you won’t invalidate your travel insurance).
- Know where to go. Don’t frequent beaches with dangerous shore breaks, riptides or shark sightings or surf near areas with piers, cliffs, rocks and boats. Where there are warnings, be careful – and heed them.
- Don’t go in over your head. Not a good idea to hop on a board if you don’t know how to swim. Or attempt big-wave surfing or aerial maneuvers when you’ve only taken one lesson.
- Follow the rules. Check for suitable weather conditions before heading to the beach; use a surf leash / leg rope.
- No pro sports or athletic competitions. So cool that your 9-to-5 is spending time on the waves but unfortunately, professional sporting activities aren’t covered by travel insurance.
- Keep an eye on your equipment. Don’t leave your limited-edition surfboard unattended out on the beach when you go for a water break. Those “I spaced out” moments don’t qualify for coverage.
Are you traveling long-term? Lucky you! You can buy always more travel insurance when abroad (waiting periods may apply) even if you don’t have a return ticket. World Nomads plans offer coverage for up to 180 days at a time with the Standard, Explorer, and Epic plans. And if you plan to take numerous trips during the year, then the Annual Plan could be best for you. It has a trip length maximum of 45 days.
Get a quote 24/7
With World Nomads, you can buy travel insurance before you go or when you're already traveling, anytime, anywhere, 24-hours a day. Fill out a quick form and get an instant quote.
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
- Work emergency?
- Weather delay?
- Travel companion sick?
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
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
- Need a hospital?
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
- Ambulance transfers
- Medevac flights
- Medical escort services
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Love photography, filming or sport?
Cover your bags, tech or gear.
Protect your gear
- Stolen I.D.s
- Checked-in sports equipment
- Damaged luggage
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)
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 teamSurfing travel insurance
World-class breaks and classic beach towns. Surf’s up! Where’s your travel insurance?
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- What types of surfing are covered?
- Choosing the right policy for you
- What's covered?
- What's not covered?
- Tips to get the most out of your surfing trip
Point breaks, offshore breezes and rays of sun beating on your golden-tanned face. Surfing the azure ocean blue can create a big adrenaline rush ─ but so can stingray encounters, jagged coral reefs and (gulp!) shark attacks. But don’t worry, World Nomads can help get you back on your feet if your surfing trip turns into a wipe-out.
What types of surfing are covered?
Besides hanging ten from the breakers of Australia to Maui, did you know we can also cover:
- Land surfing
- Stand-up paddle surfing
- Windsurfing
- Sandboarding
- Kitesurfing
- Wakeboarding (excluding jumps)
Our policies can cover up to 150 other sports, activities and experiences so if you’re combining your surfing trip with camping or a road trip, you can rest easy knowing we’ve got your back.
An upgrade for certain sports may be required and terms and conditions apply for each sport. Check your policy wording for details or contact us if you have questions.
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 surfing plans.
What’s covered?
As surf enthusiasts, you can catch the waves with the coverage we provide, from uncharted towns with pristine beaches to the most popular surf breaks. Depending on your Country of Residence, our policies offer cover (up to policy limits) for:
- Emergency overseas medical: Long lefthanders can be epic to ride, but not if it ends up in a crash. Emergency medical coverage may come in handy in the case of an accident or injury.
- Evacuation: Your bohemian surfer paradise may be far away from the medical facilities that can give you the treatment you need. You can get transported to the medical facility which may be best for your care, subject to approval from us.
- 24/7 Emergency Assistance: Our multilingual Emergency Assistance team is here to help facilitate a range of services in whatever part of the world you’re traveling.
- Baggage protection: Got your stuff stolen while surf town-hopping in Costa Rica? Our gear coverage may help with replacing belongings that were swiped from under your nose.
- Trip cancellation: Has a sick or injured traveling companion put a stop to your surf break? Trip cancellation cover may be able to help recover the travel expenses.
Your coverage will vary according to your Country of Residence and whether you chose a Standard or an Explorer plan. Read your policy for details on maximum benefit limits and exclusion and conditions of your coverage. If you have any questions about your cover, just ask us.
What's not covered?
Sorry – we won’t cover you if you do something stupid (like tackle big-wave off-shore surfing when you’re only a beginner). Some things we may not cover include:
- If you refuse to be repatriated or evacuated
- If you don’t follow your doctor’s instructions or what we or the 24/7 Emergency Assistance team advise you to do
- Any expenses that relate to a pre-existing medical condition, as explained in the policy wording
- Expenses that can be recovered from another source
- If you surf while under the influence of alcohol or drugs… water and alcohol never mix!
- Search and rescue costs
- Competition surfing
Tips to get the most out of your surfing trip
When it comes to any sport, safety should always come first. Your health ─ and your travel insurance coverage ─ depends on your responsible behavior. Follow these tips to stay alert and aware (and to ensure that you won’t invalidate your travel insurance).
- Know where to go. Don’t frequent beaches with dangerous shore breaks, riptides or shark sightings or surf near areas with piers, cliffs, rocks and boats. Where there are warnings, be careful – and heed them.
- Don’t go in over your head. Not a good idea to hop on a board if you don’t know how to swim. Or attempt big-wave surfing or aerial manoeuvres when you’ve only taken one lesson.
- Follow the rules. Check for suitable weather conditions before heading to the beach; use a surf leash / leg rope.
- Keep an eye on your equipment. Don’t leave your limited-edition surfboard unattended out on the beach when you go for a water break or declare your wallet stolen when you forgot it on the airplane. Those “I spaced out” moments don’t qualify for coverage.
This is a summary only. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the plans described. Please refer to the actual plans for complete details of coverage and exclusions.
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)
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 teamTravel Insurance for adventure activities
World Nomads travel insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers, to help you explore your boundaries
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Understand the key parts of World Nomads travel insurance
We cover 250 activities you love + more
- Scuba diving
- Mountain biking
- Surfing
- Bungee jumping
- Skiing
