Does Travel Insurance Cover Adventure Activities?

Every avid traveller has a list of experiences and activities they’ve always wanted to do. For more daring travellers, this can include adventure sports. If you fall under this category, you know how important it is to have all your bases covered before embarking on your trip.

Generally, a travel insurance plan does not cover protection against adventure sports. However, there may be add-ons that will allow you to enjoy some fun activities on your trip and still receive coverage for the same.

Here, we’ve listed a few ways you can ensure both your personal safety and your family’s safety with travel insurance for adventure sports in India. These are the questions you need to be asking if you want that.

First, of course, you must always compare travel insurance plans to ensure you get the maximum coverage and benefits under the right plan. Here are some tips to follow when buying adventure sports travel insurance.

• Coverage For The Specific Adventure Sport(s) You Plan To Participate In: Travel insurances cover only a specific set of adventure sports under their policies. So not every sport will be covered under them. Therefore, you must carefully examine the policy documents to ensure that the adventure sports you plan to participate in are included under the policy before buying it.
• Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage: This cover is crucial for when you get injured and need emergency medical evacuation to the nearest hospital or need to come back to India from your trip for treatment. So make your travel insurance plan offers this coverage under its policy before buying it.
• Coverage For Return Of Mortal Remains: In the unfortunate case of one’s death when participating in adventure activities, the transport costs to return the mortal remains of the deceased can be high. So consider getting travel insurance that covers the repatriation costs of the mortal remains to your homeland when you purchase a plan.

It’s always best to warm up adequately before attempting any adventure sport, as most of them require a lot of physical endurance and exertion. This is especially true for activities like trekking, rock climbing, skiing, biking, canyoning, racing, etc., it’s essential to stay hydrated before, during (if possible) and after these activities.

• Sports like skydiving (parachuting from an aircraft) report that most injuries result from human error.
• Bouldering or other activities like rock climbing, speed climbing (outside or on gym walls), ice climbing, etc., can result in acute injuries like sprains, mild injuries to your tendons, ligament tears, or muscle tension from falling.
• Popular activities like skiing and snowboarding when vacationing in Northern European countries (Norway, Switzerland, France, Italy, etc.) often have people meeting with tissue and ligament injuries and fractures (minor and severe), with the joints being most susceptible to these damages.

There are also instances where people have been caught in avalanches or lost when up in the mountains. For these cases, an emergency treatment and evacuation cover comes in handy.

The last thing anyone wants when vacationing alone or with their family is to be saddled with financial expenses. Whether it be due to medical emergencies or unplanned circumstances like a lost passport or missing or delayed luggage, it’s bound to strain your plans and savings.

In the same vein, injuries are part and parcel of adventure sports. Adventure sports give travellers a once-in-a-lifetime experience, which is why they’re so popular. However, any mishaps when participating in them can result in serious injuries, sometimes even death.

Additionally, hospitalisation charges and medical treatments overseas can be expensive and can eat away at your savings. With a travel insurance plan, all of these issues can be handled while covering the costs.

Suppose you want to raise a claim under your travel insurance with sports cover successfully. In that case, you must prove you were not liable. Here are three instances where you can ask for a claim on your policy.

**1. Faulty Equipment **

The organiser is responsible for providing proper equipment and gear for the adventure sport. They should also attend to your personal needs when participating in the activity/sport. If the equipment is old or faulty and results in you getting injured, you can raise a claim.

To avoid this situation, remember to thoroughly check the equipment you are provided before you use them.

2. Inadequate Training

The instructors must follow proper procedures and must have undergone training to provide participants with a safe environment. Therefore, it’s essential to adequately train before participating in an adventure sport.

Suppose you get injured due to the organiser or instructor’s ignorance or inadequate training; you can file a claim under your policy.

3. Ignoring Safety Measures

Most extreme sports and adventure activities have safety measures or prerequisites like height, weight, or minimum age limits. Organisers must adhere to all these measures and regulations to ensure everyone’s safety. Accidents or injuries due to negligence of these rules or injuries make you eligible to file a claim with your insurance provider.

If you have a Tata AIG travel insurance plan, you can be covered for a range of medical emergencies and journey emergencies. While our travel insurance does not cover adventure sports, you can file a claim with us if you are hospitalised due to sickness, accidental injuries or other medical emergencies. A suitable travel insurance policy that meets your needs can offer extensive financial assistance to you in times of need.

To ensure that you can select a policy that meets your expectations in terms of protection and also budget, compare travel insurance plans to get your choice of coverage.

Having good travel insurance ensures that you and your family stay safe and can put your mind at ease when planning your trip. A travel insurance policy is a must since you can get adequate financial coverage under such a plan during your trip.