Travel insurance when cycling
Take life by the handlebars and check out World Nomads travel insurance plans when cycling on your next overseas adventure.
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For lovers of cycling, traveling through a city or a whole region on two wheels can be an eye-opening experience. It can help you get in shape, it’s the environmentally-friendly option, and you get to make as many pit stops to rest and explore as you want.
But with all the positives of cycling, there’s also the chance that you could get caught up in an accident and end up with a sprained ankle, a broken arm, or even worse end up in hospital due to a major accident. That’s why you should consider travel insurance if you need to cover your tracks.
- How you may benefit from World Nomads travel insurance cover
- What’s covered for cycling?
- Know where you’re going and what to do if the unexpected happens
- What's not covered
How you may benefit from World Nomads travel insurance cover
When choosing World Nomads products, you’ll have access to two simple and flexible plans – Standard and Explorer. We offer cover (up to the policy limits) for:
- Baggage protection: had your stuff stolen while cycling? Our gear coverage may help with replacing belongings that were swiped.
- Emergency overseas medical: cycling through the Alps and taking in the fresh air can be great for the body and the mind, but not if it ends up in a bad injury. Emergency medical coverage will come in handy in the case of an accident, illness or injury.
- Evacuation: your cycling route may be far away from medical facilities. With our cover, you can get transported to the medical facility best for your care, subject to approval from World Nomads. Note, there is no cover for search and rescue expenses.
- Trip cancellation: has a sick or injured traveling companion put a stop to your cycling trip in New Zealand? Depending on your plan you may be able to recover your unused, prepaid travel expenses.
- 24-hour emergency assistance: if you find yourself in need of urgent medical help, it’s not always easy to find help. World Nomads provides 24-hour Emergency Assistance. Our staff can assist you all the way from needing directions to a medical facility, helping with multi-lingual services, to urgent medical evacuation if you’ve suffered an injury or fall ill.
- Coverage for some Coronavirus (COVID-19) related events: to find out more, including benefit limits and exclusions, read our What's covered for Coronavirus article
What’s covered for cycling?
Under both of World Nomads plans – Standard and Explorer – you may be automatically covered under the Standard Plan, or you’ll need to upgrade to the Explorer Plan depending on the type of cycling activity you’re doing. Depending on your country of residence and the plan you’ve selected, you could be covered for the following cycling activities:
- Cycling (incidental to the trip): automatically covered - level 1 activity
- Cycling (on an organised tour): automatically covered - Level 1 activity
- Cycling (independent cycle touring): upgrade to Explorer plan - level 2 activity
- Cycling (up to 4,500 meters – all styles including touring and organised tours): automatically covered - Level 1 activity. Policy excludes Yungas Road/Death Road. Special Exclusion (v)
- Cycling (up to 6,000 meters – all styles including touring and organised tours): upgrade to Explorer plan - level 2 activity. Policy excludes Yungas Road/Death Road. Special Exclusion (v)
- Cycling over 6,000 metres in elevation: Not covered.
Note: all our plans are different and may require an upgrade to include cycling at certain altitude. In some instances, you must be with a professional, qualified and licensed cycling guide, instructor or operator. Terms and conditions, limits and exclusions, apply. Read your policy wording carefully to choose the right plan and cycling option for your trip.
For more information on cycling and mountain biking coverage check out our Help Centre article, ‘Am I covered if I'm cycling or mountain biking?’ in the Help Centre which explains what you need to know to be adequately covered. Choose your country of residence and you’ll access the most up to date information.
A couple riding bikes in New York City. Photo credit: Getty Images/Cavan ImagesKnow where you’re going and what to do if the unexpected happens
Before you hit the road with your bike, helmet and gear, it pays to arm yourself with these cycling tips for a safer trip:
- Include all countries you’re visiting or traveling through on your policy: as well as all the adventure activities you’re planning to do or participate in. With World Nomads you’ll have a choice of more than 200 activities, sports and experiences to choose from.
- Check you have all your paperwork: you’ll need to have all the appropriate paperwork, these may include any required vaccinations, visitor permits if you plan to visit any national parks, and special tourist visas for the countries you’ll be visiting,
- Be responsible when choosing a cycling destination or activity: does the cycling tour your planning suit your experience level? Are there any travel or weather alerts for your destination? Have you got a ‘fit for travel’ thumbs up from your doctor to take on the mountains and specific altitudes? Do you need to use an accredited tour provider or operator? Can our 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team reach you if you get into trouble?
- Wear a helmet and visible clothing: this should be a no brainer, but it’s still worth mentioning, as in many countries around the world, the locals don’t wear helmets when cycling. Another no brainer is if you’re planning to ride at night, you should have high vis clothing on yourself, your bike, or both to make sure other riders and vehicles see you.
- Proof of purchase: remember that any claim you make will need supporting documentation such as receipts of your purchases. Keep these with you in printed or digital form if you intend to make a claim.
Travel insurance tip: World Nomads provides travel insurance for more than 200 activities, sports and experiences. While this list might seem exhaustive, it doesn’t cover everything. That’s why you shouldn’t take for granted that your preferred activities will be covered. You can’t upgrade your level of cover mid-way through your holiday, so do consider this wisely.
What's not covered?
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
- Damage to any sporting equipment while in use; loss, damage or theft of any sporting equipment left unattended. Please note that depending on your country of residence and the plan you’ve selected you may not be covered for bicycles and bicycle accessories.
- Any pre-existing medical condition(s) as explained in the policy wording
- Expenses that can be recovered from another source, e.g., transport carriers or accommodation providers
- Unattended baggage or personal items
- Participating or training in activity or sport at a professional level
- Any search or rescue operations as explained in the policy wording
- Misuse or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Fraudulent or criminal acts.
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.
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Trip Cancellation
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Trip Protection
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- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Been made redundant?
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Emergency Medical Expenses
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Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.
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Emergency Medical Transportation
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Evacuation and Repatriation
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Protect your gear
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Protect your gear
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- 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)
Travel insurance. Simple & flexible.
Travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families. Nobody wants to think about all the things that could go wrong on their trip, but these things can and do happen. So be prepared and get your travel insurance today.
Before your trip, check to see if there are current travel alerts for your destination – you can also check travel advice and restrictions for your destination(s) as these may impact cover, or your ability to travel.
Gaza−Israel conflict: For travellers in, or planning on travelling to, Israel or the Palestinian Territories, please see our travel alert with more information.