From the rainforest to the mountains, learn how travel insurance for South America benefits American travelers.
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Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.
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.
Whether you want to stand in awe of the glaciers of Patagonia, adventure into the depths of the Amazon Rainforest, or salsa all night in Cali, South America is a continent of so many thrills. City, culture, and nature travelers alike from the US can relish the offerings of this mesmerizing continent.
While a trip to South America is an amazing experience, there are some things to be aware of when you’re visiting from the US. Our nomads have experienced it all - from lost baggage to natural disasters. We’ve learned quite a bit in our travels and we encourage you to explore travel insurance* plans for South America.
International travel can bring all kinds of unexpected surprises - like the hidden petroglyphs that you can find in the Atacama Desert.
Some surprises are not as great though. Nobody wants to think about things like canceled trips, delayed baggage, and medical emergencies, but these things can happen unexpectedly. If you twist your ankle, fall, and get hurt while doing the El Choro trek in Bolivia, you may then wish that you had travel insurance for South America.
World Nomads has four plans to choose from, and when you get a quote you can compare the options to determine the best international travel insurance for your needs.
Famed for adventures like hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and sandboarding in Atacama Desert, South America offers many thrills for the intrepid traveler. World Nomads covers more than 250 activities for Americans traveling to South America and includes things like rafting the Rio Futaleufu in Chile, kayaking in the Amazon, surfing in Mancora, Peru, and rock climbing in Patagonia.
When you get a quote for your travel insurance for South America, it’s advantageous to have a general itinerary in mind. Different plans cover different activities. An advance plan will help you choose the best insurance for your trip—and make sure even your most daring adventure is covered.
For example, scuba diving with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands and a multi-day trek in the Peruvian Andes will be covered under all insurance plans, including the Standard Plan. However, if climbing Mount Aconcagua-- South America’s highest mountain reaching 22,837 feet— is on your list, you’ll need to invest in the Epic Plan.
Before you take off on your South American adventure, we recommend that you make an appointment with Runway Health-- an online travel clinic and our non-insurance service partner. The telehealth service offers online consultations 24/7 and can help you obtain any necessary vaccinations or medications, such as medication to help with altitude sickness and traveler’s diarrhea.
Many popular destinations are at high altitudes including the Salar de Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia and Lake Titicaca. It’s no fun to be experiencing altitude sickness while you’re hiking in the Andes or exploring the markets of Cusco. Take some time to get acclimated to the new heights and stay hydrated—this means drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol, as tempting as it might be to have that second Pisco Sour.
Accidents can happen to anyone. Maybe you’re hiking across Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia when you slip, fall, and injure yourself. Your travel insurance for South America can help you out.
If you have a medical emergency when traveling to South America, you can call the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team and they can help refer you to a place that offers the level of care that you need. They can also help communicate with your local medical team if there are language barriers.
If your attending physician (and the 24/7 emergency assistance team) determines that it’s best for you to go home to the US to get medical care, the repatriation coverage that is included in your travel insurance for South America may cover the costs to get you there.
What happens if you land in Cartagena, Colombia and your bag never arrives? If you were planning on doing the Ciudad Perdida Teyuna – the Lost City Hike--, you probably packed your hiking boots. Your insurance for South America may help you be reimbursed for your trekking gear. The other belongings in your lost checked bag may be covered as well (up to plan limits, conditions and exclusions apply).
If you’re lucky, your bags just took a detour and will eventually make their way to you. Even a delayed bag can be stressful though. If this happens, you may still be reimbursed for a change of clothes and toiletries until you and your bag are reunited.
The first step is to contact the airline. If the airline isn’t able to help you locate your lost bag, the second step is to contact Blue Ribbon Bags, a non-insurance service that will track and expedite the return of your undelivered baggage by the airline. Make sure to have the file reference or record locator number and Property Irregularity Report on hand when you call Blue Ribbon Bags so you can file a lost luggage claim.
Theft is something to watch out for when you travel to South America- especially in crowded touristy areas or busy cities like Sao Paolo or Bogota. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid putting anything valuable in your back pockets. You may also want to carry handbags across your body, and wear backpacks on your front.
Keep an eye on your bags at bus terminals, train stations, and airports. We’ve heard about organized scams where a visitor gets sprayed with something and then a “good Samaritan” points it out and offers to help. It’s really a ploy to divert your attention while someone else comes up and steals your belongings.
If anything does happen, make sure you make a police report. You’ll need that if you have to make a claim for those stolen goods.
It’s important that you do your part to keep your belongings safe as well. If your purse gets stolen while having a few too many drinks during a wild night out in Buenos Aires, your World Nomads travel insurance won’t cover your loss.
Even if you have the perfect getaway planned, unexpected situations happen that can derail your plans.
What happens if you get sick a few days before leaving for South America? If your doctor tells you not to travel at that time, you could be forced to cancel your trip. A travel insurance plan for South America that includes cancelation coverage may reimburse you for those non-refundable flights, hotels, and activities you paid for in advance.
If you’re already on your trip, and something happens to delay or interrupt your vacation, World Nomads insurance may be able to compensate you for covered reasons.
The Explorer and Epic Plans also offers coverage for various travel inconveniences you may encounter, if you’ve purchased your plan within the time sensitive period. Say you’re on a road trip in Argentina and your rental car breaks down, causing you to be late to your intended destination by 12 or more hours. Your World Nomads insurance plan for South America may compensate you for this headache but remember to document it, as proof of the rental car breakdown will be required.
Before you head south for your grand adventure, we encourage you to check out the US government’s travel warnings for each country you plan to visit. Weather, safety, and political situations can change at any time, and this is where they list any current advisories.
If you purchase travel insurance for South America, it’s a good idea to save the 24/7 Emergency Assistance phone number and your plan number in your phone so you don’t have to search for that if an emergency happens.
There are so many great tours that American visitors can book in South America. When you’re researching options, try to find an eco-friendly tour operator. With the vast amount of untouched natural land and waterways in South America, it’s up to us nomads to do our part to protect it for years to come.
Before you take off, brush up on a few key Spanish phrases—and Portuguese if you’re heading to Brazil! You may also want to read up on some cultural do’s and don’ts, like insider etiquette tips for Argentina and check out our regional guides like this first-timer’s guide to Salvador, Brazil.
*All information we provided here is a brief summary. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, and termination provisions of the plans described. Please carefully read your state specific plan documents for a full description of coverage. Travel insurance is included as part of your travel protection plan which contains both insurance benefits and non-insurance assistance services. Material included on this page does not represent, nor is it specific to, United States Fire Insurance Company or travel insurance benefits provided on United States Fire Insurance Company’s travel protection plans.Protect your hard earned vacation from unexpected cancellation.
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Whether you need medical or dental assistance or advice, emergency evacuation or travel assistance, our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
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