World Nomads travel insurance provides coverage for a range of activities and sports for adventurous Aussies. It’s important to know if the activities you want to do are covered, and whether they have any special terms, conditions, limits and exclusions.
Which World Nomads travel insurance plan should I consider for adventure activities?
When purchasing a World Nomads travel insurance plan, you can choose between our Standard or Explorer plans. Each policy offers different levels of coverage and optional extras for sports and activities.
It’s up to you to choose the plan that has the right level of coverage to meet your needs when it comes to any adventures, sports and activities you plan to do on your holiday.
How do I know if the activities I want to do are covered?
All the sports and activities that we may cover are classified as either level 1, level 2 or level 3 activities.
- The Standard and Explorer Plans include all level 1 activities
- Level 2 & Level 3 activities are optional on either plan
- Additional premiums are required for level 2 and 3 activities, although some of these level 2 premiums may not apply if you purchase the Explorer Plan.
Remember: The best way to make sure your plan includes the level of travel insurance coverage you’re after for a specific sport or activity is to check the level of coverage you need to match your specific activity and add it when you purchase your plan.
Traveller tip 1: If you’ve already left Australia for your holiday and you’ve forgotten to get travel insurance, don’t panic! You can still purchase cover online. If you buy a policy while overseas, there is a 72-hour waiting period before cover is activated, as explained in ‘When cover starts & ends’ in your PDS.
Does World Nomads travel insurance cover skiing and snowboarding?
Yes we do. To be covered for that upcoming skiing and snowboarding trip you will need to choose the highest level of cover for snow sports activities (Level 3). When purchasing a travel insurance policy you need to select all the activities you plan to do and pay the additional premium to cover all listed Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 adventure sports, activities, and work, study and volunteer experiences. For more information on cover for skiing, snowboarding and other winter activities check out our skiing and winter sports article.
Will my travel insurance cover me for multiple activities?
Each higher-level upgrade includes the activities listed in the lower levels, for example, a level 3 upgrade also includes all level 1 and Level 2 activities. If you intend to participate in a combination of level 1, 2 and 3 activities, you must buy the highest level of cover.
For example:
You’re going skiing for one week, hiking for a few days and scuba diving at least once during your trip - you would select all of these activities to buy level 3 cover (as skiing is a level 3 activity) for the entire duration of your trip.
Can I add activities after I purchase my travel insurance?
No. You must add all the activities you will be doing on your trip at time of purchase to ensure you are covered.
If you select the wrong level of coverage or don’t add the activity, then you may not be covered for that activity.
Traveller tip 2: even if you’re only thinking of doing a particular activity on your trip, add it to your policy at time of purchase so that way you can have cover in case you decide to do it.
What if the activity I want to do isn’t listed?
While we like to think we know most adventure sports World Nomads love, if a sport or activity is not listed, it may have slipped by us or it may not be covered. Contact us to be sure before you decide to give it a go.
However, there are some activities we don’t cover at all. We call these ‘excluded activities’ and it means that none of our policies will cover you if you decide to do a sport on the excluded list.
Some of the things we won’t cover regarding sports and activities cover include:
- Base jumping, wingsuit flying, cliff diving, martial arts (cage fighting, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, Muay Thai), motorsports, piloting or crewing an aircraft, flying in a glider or ultralight, stunt flying/aerobatics, rodeo, bull riding/Running of the Bulls, swimming more than 3 nautical miles from shore
- Participation in any adventure sports, activities, work, study or volunteer experiences where you don’t purchase the right level upgrade or where it is specifically excluded (X)
- Participation in any adventure sports, activities, work, study or volunteer experiences where you don’t hold the required certification or licence for an activity (specified by a hash (#) in the list of adventure sports and activities)
- If you’re not with a professional, qualified and licensed guide or operator whilst performing an activity (which is specified by an asterisk (*)
- A loss arising from your work (paid or unpaid), undertake any hazardous activities or participate in any sports or activities in hazardous locations, such as but not limited to:
- oil rigs, mines, underground, in caves;
- operating machinery or heavy equipment;
- operating power tools without proper skill and training;
- working at height without proper safety equipment. Working at height is further restricted to a maximum of five metres; or
- working in close proximity to dangerous animals
NOTE: The excluded activities list above is not exhaustive, make sure you check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) carefully and contact us if you have any questions.
Special conditions and exclusions
Some of the activities that we cover have special conditions, special exclusions and specific restrictions that apply to them. Other terms, conditions, limits and exclusions may apply. Please check the PDS for details and contact us if you have any questions.
Adventure sports, activities and experiences World Nomads travel insurance covers
Use the following key to understand the level of your activity, and any special terms or special exclusions that apply:
- (1) Level 1 - Automatically covers Level 1 sports, activities and experiences in the Standard Plan and Explorer Plan.
- (2) Level 2 - Upgrade required - Also includes Level 1 sports, activities and experiences.
- (3) Level 3 - Upgrade required - Also includes Level 1 and Level 2 sports, activities and experiences.
- (X) Not covered - There is no cover for this sport, activity or experience.
- (*) You must be with a professional, qualified and licensed guide or operator
- (#) You must have the appropriate qualification, certification or license to participate in this sport, activity or experience
- (-) Refer to another sport, activity or experience as shown
(-) Refer to another sport, activity or experience as shown
A
- Abseiling (3)
- Acrobatics (see gymnastics or trapeze) (-)
- Aerial safari* (2*)
- Aerobics (1)
- Air guitar (1)
- American football (2)
- Angling (1)
- Archery (1)
- Athletics (1)
- Australian Rules Football (AFL) (1)
B
- Badminton (1)
- Ballet (1)
- Banana boat rides (1)
- Base jumping (X)
- Baseball (1)
- Basketball (1)
- Bicycle polo (2)
- Biking (see cycling or mountain biking) (-)
- Black water rafting (cave tubing)* (2*)
- BMX (jumps/tricks/freestyle/racing) (X)
- BMX (on road, no tricks or jumps) (1)
- BMX (off road/on track/cross country) (3)
- Boating (inland or coastal waters within 3 nautical miles only) (1)
- Boating (beyond 3 nautical miles) (2)
- Bobsled (in snow) (3)
- Bobsled (non-snow track) (1)
- Bobsleighing/skeleton* (3*)
- Bowling (lawn or ten pin) (1)
- Bullriding (X)
- Bungee/bungy jumping* (1*)
- Bushcraft (1)
- Bushwalking (see hiking) (-)
C
- Camel riding (single ride) (1)
- Camel trekking (overnight/main mode of transport) (2)
- Camping over 6,000 metres in elevation (X)
- Camping up to 2,000 metres in elevation (1)
- Camping up to 6,000 metres in elevation (3)
- Canoeing (grades 1-5) (see kayaking) (-)
- Canyoning (X)
- Canyon swing* (2*)
- Capoeira dancing (1)
- Cave diving (X)
- Cavern diving (over 40 metres) (X)
- Cavern diving (qualified to 40 metres)*# (3*#)
- Caving/spelunking/potholing* (3*)
- Caving (sightseeing/tourist attraction)* (1*)
- Cheerleading (1)
- Clay pigeon shooting* (3*)
- Cliff diving (X)
- Cricket (1)
- Croquet (1)
- Curling (1)
- Cycling over 6,000 metres in elevation (X)
- Cycling (incidental to the trip; independent touring; on organised tour) up to 2,000 metres in elevation (1)
- Cycling (incidental to the trip; independent touring; on organised tour) up to 6,000 metres in elevation (3)
D
- Dance (including interpretive dance) (1)
- Darts (1)
- Deep water soloing (X)
- Dirt boarding (1)
- Dodge ball (1)
- Dogsledding (1)
- Dragon boating (1)
- Dune buggy*# (1*#)
E
- Elephant riding (1)
- Elephant trekking (overnight/main mode of transport) (2)
F
- Fell running/walking (1)
- Fencing (1)
- Fishing (inland or coastal waters within 3 nautical miles) not including rock fishing (1)
- Fishing (beyond 3 nautical miles) including deep sea fishing (2)
- Fitness training (1)
- Floorball (1)
- Fly by wire* (2*)
- Flying (as a passenger in a glider or ultralight) (X)
- Flying (as a passenger in a licensed scheduled or chartered aircraft or helicopter) (1)
- Flying (as a pilot or crew of any aircraft) (X)
- Football (1)
- Free diving (X)
- Free soloing (X)
- Frisbee (1)
G
- Glacier walking (1)
- Gliding (X)
- Go karting* (1*)
- Golf (1)
- Gymnastics (1)
- Gym training (1)
H
- Handball (1)
- Hang gliding (X)
- High diving up to 10 metres (excluding cliff diving/deep water soloing) (1)
- Hiking over 6,000 metres in elevation (X)
- Hiking up to 2,000 metres in elevation (1)
- Hiking up to 6,000 metres in elevation (3)
- Hockey (1)
- Horse riding (equestrian, dressage, show jumping, eventing) (3)
- Horse riding (leisure/social/non-competitive riding, excluding bare back) (1)
- Horse riding (polo) (X)
- Horse riding (rodeo) (X)
- Hot air ballooning (1)
- Hunting (excluding big game)*# (3*#)
- Hydrofoiling (1)
I
- Ice climbing (X)
- Ice fishing (3)
- Ice hockey (indoor) (2)
- Ice skating (indoor) (1)
- Ice skating (outdoor) (3)
- In-line skating (1)
J
- Jet boating (1)
- Jet skiing* (2*)
K
- Kayaking (beyond 3 nautical miles) (2)
- Kayaking - river (grades 1-5), inland or coastal waters within 3 nautical miles (1)
- Kite boarding (1)
- Kite buggy (2)
- Kite flying (1)
- Kite surfing (1)
- Kite wing (land, water) (2)
- Kite wing (snow) (3)
- Korfball (1)
L
- Lacrosse (1)
- Land surfing (2)
M
- Manual work (see work) (-)
- Martial arts (cage fighting, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, Muay Thai) (X)
- Martial arts (judo, karate) (2)
- Martial arts (non-contact) (1)
- Mongol Rally (X)
- Moped / scooter biking# (1#)
- Motorbiking (off road)# (3#)
- Motorbiking (on road)# (1#)
- Motorbiking (pillion passenger with a licensed driver)# (1#)
- Motor racing (driver) (X)
- Motor racing experience (passenger only) (1)
- Mountain biking over 6,000 metres in elevation (X)
- Mountain biking (cross country) up to 2,000 metres in elevation (2)
- Mountain biking (cross country) up to 6,000 metres in elevation (3)
- Mountain biking (downhill) up to 6,000 metres in elevation (3)
- Mountain biking (on road) see cycling (-)
- Mountaineering (X)
N
- Netball (1)
- Non-manual work (see work) (-)
O
- Obstacle course/assault course/trim trail (3)
- Orienteering (1)
- Outdoor endurance, multi-sport, triathlon (ultra distance or more) (X)
- Outdoor endurance, multi-sport, triathlon (less than ultra distance) (3)
- Outrigger canoeing (inland, inside or outside coastal waters) (2)
- Outward Bound (1)
P
- Paint balling/airsoft (1)
- Parachuting (more than 1 jump) (X)
- Parachuting (one jump only)* (3*)
- Paragliding/parapenting (X)
- Parasailing (over water)* (1*)
- Parascending (X)
- Parkour (X)
Q
- Quad biking (excluding travellers aged 15 years or younger)* (3*)
R
- Racquetball (1)
- Rambling (1)
- Rap jumping (X)
- Rickshaw Run (see Tuk Tuk) (X)
- Rifle range/sports shooting*# (3*#)
- River boarding/hydrospeeding (grades 1-5) (1)
- Rock climbing (bouldering/no ropes/no equipment) (3)
- Rock climbing (soloing/free soloing) (X)
- Rock climbing (indoor)* (2*)
- Rock climbing (outdoor)* (3*)
- Rock climbing (sport climbing/bolted)* (3*)
- Rollerblading (1)
- Roller hockey (1)
- Roller skating (1)
- Rounders (1)
- Rowing / sculling (1)
- Rugby (League/Union) (1)
- Running / jogging (half marathon distance or less) (1)
- Running / jogging (marathon distance) (2)
- Running / jogging (ultra marathon) (X)
- Running of the bulls (X)
S
- Safari tours (excluding handling of big game or dangerous animals)* (1)*
- Sail boarding (1)
- Sailing (inland or coastal waters within 3 nautical miles only) (1)
- Sailing (beyond 3 nautical miles) (2)
- Sandboarding/sandskiing (1)
- Scuba diving - commercial (X)
- Scuba diving (over 40 metres) (X)
- Scuba diving (qualified to 30 metres)# (1#)
- Scuba diving (qualified to 40 metres)# (2#)
- Scuba diving (unqualified/discover diving tour with qualified instructor)* (1*)
- Sculling (see rowing) (-)
- Sea canoeing (see kayaking) (-)
- Sea kayaking (see kayaking) (-)
- Segway tours* (3*)
- Shark cage diving (non-qualified at surface or qualified to scuba dive to 30 metres)*# (1*#)
- Skateboarding (ramp / half pipe; skate park; street) (1)
- Skiing (cross country / Nordic skiing on marked trails) (3)
- Skiing (snowblading) (3)
- Skiing/snowboarding (acrobatics) (X)
- Skiing / snowboarding (backcountry/outside of resort boundary)* (3*)
- Skiing / snowboarding (by helicopter/snow cat)* (3*)
- Skiing / snowboarding (dry slope) (3)
- Skiing / snowboarding (on piste or off piste within resort boundaries) (3)
- Skiing/ snowboarding (racing) (X)
- Skiing / snowboarding (terrain park within resort; excluding acrobatics) (3)
- Ski joring (X)
- Skydiving (one jump only)* (3*)
- Skydiving (over 1 jump) (X)
- Sledding or Tobogganing (3)
- Sleigh rides (1)
- Snooker (1)
- Snorkelling (1)
- Snow biking (3)
- Snow kiting* (3*)
- Snowmobiling* (3*)
- Snow rafting* (3*)
- Soccer (1)
- Softball (1)
- Spearfishing (2)
- Speed boating (1)
- Speed flying (X)
- Spelunking (see caving) (-)
- Squash (1)
- Stand up paddle surfing (1)
- Stilt walking (1)
- Stoolball (1)
- Surf boat rowing (1)
- Surfing (1)
- Swimming (beyond 3 nautical miles) (X)
- Swimming (pool; enclosed, inland or coastal waters within 3 nautical miles only) (1)
- Swimming with whales/whale sharks (inside or outside coastal waters)* (2*)
T
- Table tennis (1)
- Tandem skydiving (see skydiving) (-)
- Tchoukball (1)
- Tennis (1)
- Ten pin bowling (see bowling) (-)
- Tough Mudder (3)
- Trail bike riding (see motorbiking) (-)
- Tramping (see hiking) (-)
- Trampolining (1)
- Trapeze* (3*)
- Trekking (see hiking) (-)
- Tubing on rivers (also see black water rafting) (1)
- Tubing on snow (3)
- Tuk Tuk (hired transport as a passenger) (1)
- Tuk Tuk (racing; hired without a licensed driver; Rickshaw Run) (X)
U
V
- Via Ferrata* (3*)
- Volleyball (1)
W
- Wakeboarding (excluding jumps) (1)
- Wake skating (1)
- Walking (see hiking) (-)
- War games (online gaming) (1)
- Water polo (1)
- Water skiing (barefoot) (2)
- Water skiing (excluding jumps) (1)
- Water skiing / wakeboarding (jumping) (X)
- Weight training (1)
- Wingsuit flying (X)
- White water kayaking (grades 1-5) (1)
- White water rafting (grades 1-5) (1)
- Windsurfing (inland or coastal waters within 3 nautical miles only) (1)
- Windsurfing (beyond 3 nautical miles) (2)
- Work - Paid or Volunteer (working at height over 5m, offshore, underground or caves, operating machinery, working with dangerous animals/big game) (X)
- Work - Paid or Volunteer instructor or guide (except in an excluded activity)# (3#)
- Work - Paid or Volunteer Manual Work (any work with power tools or working at height under 5m) (2)
- Work - Paid or Volunteer Manual Work (hospitality, retail, general farm work, excluding operating power tools & working at height) (1)
- Work - Paid or Volunteer Non-Manual Work (teaching, clerical, childcare) (1)
X
Y
- Yachting (see sailing) (-)
- Yoga (in class, alone or teaching) (1)
Z
- Zip line* (2*)
- Zorbing (1)
What’s not covered by travel insurance for adventure, sports, work and volunteering?
On top of specific activities that we won’t cover, which are outlined above, some of the other things we won’t cover include:
- Participating in or training for a competition or race where you receive a financial reward (i.e., an appearance fee, a wage or salary).
- Expenses that are recoverable under any employer sponsored program or statutory workers’ compensation, accident, medical or benefit scheme.
- If you go against local authority warnings, or travel to a country or region that is subject to a ‘Do Not Travel’ warning issued by the Australian Government (see smartraveller.com.au).
- Damage to any sporting equipment while in use.
- For motorised vehicles:
- not wearing a helmet where one would be required in Australia, regardless of the local laws; or
- operating any motorised vehicle without a valid licence for the same class of vehicle or watercraft in Australia and as required in the relevant country where you’re travelling
- You are found to be liable to a third party when acting in the course and scope of your work.
This is only a summary of cover and does not include the full terms and conditions of the policy. You should read your PDS 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.