Marathon Racing and Sporting Events Travel Insurance Coverage
Canadians can protect their marathons and events with travel insurance
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At a glance:
- World Nomads offers travel insurance to help cover medical emergencies, stolen sports gear and trip cancellations.
- Marathon racing and sporting events may be covered, and you can choose a plan based upon the level of coverage you need.
- Our plans include emergency medical evacuation coverage if you get injured while participating as a non-professional in a marathon or sporting event.
- If your trip is disrupted by illness or injuries (amongst other covered reasons), travel insurance for trips for sports and marathons may help cover your unused, prepaid, non-refundable trip costs.
- Why should I consider travel insurance for marathon races and sporting events?
- Marathon racing and sporting event travel insurance: What may be covered?
- What level of travel insurance coverage do I need for marathons and sporting events?
- What may not be covered when participating in a marathon race or sporting event?
- Tips for Travelling for Races and Sporting Events
- FAQs
As sport and adventure enthusiasts ourselves, we understand the thrill of taking ourselves to the edges of the world and pushing ourselves to the limit. But when you’re participating in any sport, it helps to always be prepared for the unexpected. You may want to protect your trip with World Nomads Travel Insurance for sporting events and marathon racing. Our travel insurance plans with adventure sports coverage include a range of benefits that could help with everything from stolen sports gear to unexpected medical expenses.
Why should I consider travel insurance for marathon races and sporting events?
Even if you’re in tip top shape and you’ve been training for your marathon or sporting event all year, you could still find yourself with an unexpected medical emergency. What happens if you slip while climbing up a muddy wall, twist your ankle while running a marathon, or bust your nose when a soccer ball smashes into your face?
An unexpected injury can mess up even the most carefully planned trip, but travel insurance for marathon races and sporting events may help you bounce back quickly with support for medical emergencies, trip delays, and disruptions. With coverage that is flexible to your needs, it’s a smart way to travel confidently when you’re participating in a marathon race or playing sports outside of your home province.
Nomads tip: World Nomads Travel Insurance can also cover your travels within Canada! Your Government Health Plan is limited once you leave your province. Your travel insurance plan can protect your domestic travels outside of your home province too.
Marathon racing and sporting event travel insurance: What may be covered?
Sometimes things are just out of your control – like an unexpected sickness that puts a halt to that trip you had planned for a big race. Since unexpected situations can happen, we’ve designed our plans to include travel insurance for marathon racing and sporting events. We also offer coverage for more than 250 other sports, activities and experiences.
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Emergency Medical Expenses
FFor injuries that happen when participating in marathon races or sporting events that require emergency medical treatment -
24/7 Emergency Assistance
Available 24/7 to assist in an emergency situation -
Baggage & Gear Coverage
Gear damaged or lost by your common carrier or stolen sports gear -
Trip Delays, Interruptions & Cancellations
Travel protection for your unused, pre-paid, nonrefundable trip costs and unexpected expenses
Get a quote and compare the plans to see which level of coverage is right for you.
What level of travel insurance coverage do I need for marathons and sporting events?
World Nomads offers two plans for Canadian residents – the Standard and Explorer – each with different levels of coverage.
- Standard Plan – This is the most basic plan but includes coverage for marathon racing and sporting events as well as up to $5,000,000 CAD in emergency medical expenses and $2,500 CAD for trip cancellation.
- Explorer Plan – This travel insurance plan also covers marathon races and sporting events but has higher limits of coverage.
Maybe you’re travelling to Japan for the Tokyo Marathon, but while you’re there, you want to go kayaking and hiking, too. That’s totally fine, because there are over 250+ sports, activities and experiences that could be covered when you purchase travel insurance for your marathon racing and sports event trips . When you purchase your policy, you’ll need to list what type of marathon racing and sporting events you’ll be involved in, as well as all of the other activities that you plan to participate in while on your trip. You won’t be able to add or remove activities after you make your purchase, so make sure you add them all at that time. Costs may vary depending on the additional activities you list.
Level 1 activity: Running (half marathon distance or less)
Level 2 activity: Running (marathon distance)
Level 3 activity: Tough Mudder and Triathlons that are less than ultra-distance
If you are planning to participate in an activity that isn’t listed in our policy wording, you will need to contact us to determine if you will be covered.
Nomads tip: Get a quote and choose your plan first, then the system will prompt you to add the activities you plan to do. Make sure you list them all; you won’t be able to make changes once on your trip.
Get a travel insurance quote
Simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling, and claim online from anywhere in the world.
Get a quote
What may not be covered when participating in a marathon race or sporting event?
What happens if you get a flat tire while riding in a cycling race and get in an accident? Marathon racing and sporting event travel insurance may be able to help you get assistance for your injuries, but it won’t cover the cost to fix or replace your bike if it is damaged while you’re using it. Travel insurance also won’t cover normal wear and tear to your sporting equipment. Some other things that aren’t covered include:
- Unattended baggage, sporting gear, or personal items
- Multi-sport, marathon, triathlon, or outdoor endurance events that are ultra-distance or more
- Martial arts or motor racing competitions
- Injuries that happen if you’re competing in a professional competition
- Competing at international events as a national representative
- Not following government ‘Do Not Travel’ advisories issued by the Canadian government
- Any sort of travel, race or sporting event inside your home province
- Pre-existing medical conditions exclusions apply to medical conditions and/or symptoms that existed prior to your policy start date. There may be no coverage if you have a pre-existing condition.
- Participation in other activities not listed as covered in your policy
Tips for Travelling for Races and Sporting Events
No matter if you’re competing or just having some fun, safety should always come first when participating in any sport. If you’re travelling for a specific sporting event or marathon race, there are even more things to plan ahead for. Here are a few of our tips to help your trip go seamlessly when traveling for a race or sporting event.
- Arrive early. We don’t recommend booking your flight to arrive two hours before the event starts. And if the event will take place in a high-altitude destination, be sure to arrive a few days early to acclimate.
- Carry on important items. If you’re relying on a certain pair of running shoes or a specific piece of gear to get you through the event, pack it in your carry-on bag to help avoid the risk of an airline losing a hard-to-replace item.
- Don’t go in over your head. It’s not a good idea to sign up for a half-marathon if you just started training last month.
- No pro sports or athletic competitions. We envy you if you’re being paid to compete in sporting events, but unfortunately, professional sporting activities aren’t covered by travel insurance.
- Keep an eye on your equipment. Don’t leave your carbon fiber racing bike unattended after the race or declare your smart watch stolen when you forgot it on the airplane. Those “I spaced out” moments don’t qualify for coverage.
- Check with your doctor. You know your body best. If you have physical conditions that you have concerns about, always talk to your doctor first about any physical limitations that you may have.
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions about cover for races and sporting events. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Helpdesk or you can ask our customer service team
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Can marathon racing and sporting events be covered under World Nomads Travel Insurance?
Yes, marathon racing and sporting events may be covered under both plans offered by World Nomads Travel Insurance, but you’ll need to list these as activities when you purchase your travel insurance for marathon race and sporting events. Running a half marathon distance or less is considered a Level 1 activity and is automatically covered, but you’ll still need to list this as an activity when you purchase your policy. However, you’ll need to pay an additional premium to be covered for any Level 2 and Level 3 activities like running a full marathon, or participating in a triathlon that is less than ultra-distance or Tough Mudder. If you aren’t sure if something is covered, we suggest you contact us to ask.
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What types of incidents are covered while participating in a marathon race or sporting event?
If your trip is cancelled, delayed, or interrupted due to an unforeseen event, you may be able to recover your unused, non-refundable, prepaid travel expenses (up to the policy limits), and this could include unused, prepaid, non-refundable tours that you paid for in advance. If you get hurt while participating in a marathon race or a sporting event and require medical assistance, emergency medical coverage could come in handy in the case of an unexpected injury. You could also be covered for unplanned situations such as lost bags or Canadian government travel advisories advising travellers not to travel to a destination on your itinerary.
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Can travel insurance cover my sporting equipment if it gets stolen while I’m traveling?
Travel insurance for sports and marathon racing may include coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged bags and sporting equipment by your common carrier. You must report the loss to the authorities before you make a claim, and you won’t be covered if you left your sporting equipment unattended. Refer to your policy for complete details regarding depreciation, per item limits, and maximum limits.
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Can I get coverage after my trip starts?
Yes. If your trip has already started, World Nomads can still offer you coverage. You can buy a plan online anytime, from anywhere in the world. If you buy a plan after departing from your home province, you won’t be covered for any loss or expense related to any injury or sickness that occurs in the 48-hour period after your departure date.
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What should I do if I get hurt while participating in a marathon race or sporting event?
You can contact the 24/7 Emergency Assistance team and they can help direct you to nearby medical facilities. They can also translate for you if you’re travelling outside Canada and your medical team doesn’t speak English or French. Make sure you keep all documentation including doctor reports, invoices, etc. You’ll need those things if you plan to make a claim.
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Does World Nomads Travel Insurance cover other activities during my trip?
Yes, you could be covered for more than 250 other sports, activities and experiences. Things like kayaking, pickleball, and dancing could all be covered. When you purchase your policy, you’ll need to list all of the activities that you plan to participate in while on your trip. You won’t be able to add or remove activities after you make your purchase, so make sure you add them all at that time. If you’re participating in an activity and not sure if it’s covered, you can contact us and ask.
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Do I get my money back if I cancel a trip?
Trip cancellation coverage is offered by both plans offered by World Nomads, and you could be reimbursed for pre-paid, unused, non-refundable expenses like flights, tours and accommodations if your trip is cancelled for a covered reason.
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What happens if my bags are delayed?
If your checked-in bags are delayed more than 12 hours on the way to your destination, your plan could reimburse you for the cost of (up to the policy limits) essential items like toiletries and a change of clothes until you and your bag are reunited.
Need destination inspiration for your next trip?
Competitive nomads will find great sporting events to participate in here in Canada, such as Ottawa Race Weekend. As long as you’re travelling outside of your home province, you can get travel insurance coverage for marathon races and sporting events in Canada.
However, there are some pretty cool events across the globe where you can test your competitive spirit as well, such as the Boston Marathon in the United States and the Tokyo Marathon in Japan. Tough Mudder is also another fun event that happens in multiple cities, and you could travel to a variety of destinations to participate.
This is only a summary of coverage and does not include the full terms and conditions of the policy. It is important you read and understand your policy as it contains benefits, conditions, exclusions and pre-existing condition exclusions. If you do not understand your coverage, or if you have questions, just ask us.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your hard earned vacation from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: $5,000
- Standard Plan: $2,500
Trip Protection
- Work emergency?
- Weather delay?
- Travel companion sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Insurance
Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.
- Explorer Plan: $10 million
- Standard Plan: $5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
- Need a hospital?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
We’ll get you to hospital or home quickly.
- Explorer Plan: $500,000
- Standard Plan: $500,000
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
- Ambulance transfers
- Medevac flights
- Medical escort services
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Covers the theft, damage or delay of your bags, tech and sports gear.
- Explorer Plan: $3,000
- Standard Plan: $1,000
Protect your gear
- Stolen I.D.s
- Checked-in sports equipment
- Damaged luggage
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Emergency Dental for Injury or Sickness
- Bedside Companion Travel and Subsistence
- Emergency Professional Services
- Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
- Return of Travel Companion/Dependent Children
- Return to Your Trip Destination
- Return of Remains
- Travel Accident
- Flight Accident
- Trip Cancellation
- Trip Interruption
- Trip Delay
- Baggage and Personal Effects Theft or Damage
- Baggage and Sporting Equipment Delay
- Travel Documents Theft or Damage
- Sporting Equipment Theft or Loss by a Common Carrier
- Covered Adventure Sports listed in Policy
Assistance Services Included
- LiveTravelTM Emergency Assistance
- Worldwide Travel Assistance
- Adventure Travel Hotline
- 24/7 Security
- Travel Medical Assistance
- Bag Trak
24/7 emergency assistance
Whether you need medical or dental assistance or advice, emergency evacuation or travel assistance, our team 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?
Telephone +1 866 878 0192 (toll-free from Canada and the Continental U.S.) or +1 416 646 3723 (collect from anywhere else in the world)
Contact the teamBefore your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.