Marathon Racing and Sporting Events Travel Insurance Coverage
From Start Line to Finish Line: Travel Insurance for Canadian Sports Travellers
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As featured in:
At a glance:
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Coverage When Training Turns Into Travel: World Nomads offers travel insurance to help cover medical emergencies, stolen sports gear and trip cancellations.
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Race‑Day Ready Insurance: Marathon racing and sporting events may be covered, and you can choose a plan based upon the level of coverage you need.
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Emergency Support On and Off the Course: Our plans include emergency medical evacuation coverage if you get injured while participating as a non-professional in a marathon race or sporting event.
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From Standard to Epic—You Choose: Choose from four travel insurance plans: Standard, Explorer, Epic and Annual Multi-Trip and add optional higher activity level coverage to customize your plan based on your trip style and level of adventure.
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Cover When Illness Disrupts Your Trip: If your trip is disrupted by illness or injuries (amongst other covered reasons), travel insurance for trips that include 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 races and sporting events travel insurance: What may be covered?
- Choosing the Right Sports and Races Travel Insurance Plan
- 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 pushing your limits in new destinations around the world. In fact, 86% of Canadian travellers report having sports-related travel plans, with more than half planning multiple trips—highlighting just how popular event-driven travel has become. But when you’re participating in any sport, it helps to be prepared for the unexpected. You may want to protect your trip with World Nomads Travel Insurance for sporting events and marathons. Our sports travel insurance plans include a range of benefits that may 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 an important marathon. Since unexpected situations can happen, we’ve designed our plans to include travel insurance for marathon racing and sporting events.
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Emergency Medical Expenses
For 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.
Choosing the Right Sports and Races Travel Insurance Plan
World Nomads offers four plans for Canadian residents – the Standard, Explorer, Epic and Annual Multi-Trip – each with different levels of coverage.
| Standard Plan | Explorer Plan | Epic Plan | Annual Plan |
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Ideal for: Coverage Includes:
Covering the basics for your trip. Get a quote |
Ideal for: Coverage Includes:
Optional 'Cancel for Any Reason' available. Get a quote |
Ideal for: Coverage Includes:
Optional 'Cancel for Any Reason' available. Get a quote |
Ideal for: Coverage Includes:
Get a quote |
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 racing and sports travel insurance. 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.
Coverage for 250 activities you love + more
What may not be covered when participating in a marathon race or sporting event?
What happens if you get a flat tire while cycling 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
- 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 travelling 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 Help Center or you can ask the 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 all plans offered by World Nomads Travel Insurance, but you’ll need to list these as activities when you purchase your travel insurance for marathon races 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 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 travelling?
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. Your departure date will be 12:01am local time on the date that you are originally scheduled to start your trip as shown on your policy certificate.
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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?
Yes, you could be covered for more than 250 other sports, activities and experiences. Trip cancellation coverage is offered by all four 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. If you want ultimate flexibility to simply change your mind about your trip, you may be able to get optional ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage as well. 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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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 article is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical, legal, insurance, or travel advice and provides only a general summary of certain features that may be available under applicable travel insurance policies. Coverage is subject to the specific terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, and pre-existing condition provisions of the applicable insurance policy. In the event of any inconsistency between this article and the wording of any insurance policy, the policy wording shall govern and take precedence. It is important that you read and understand your policy before travelling. If you have questions about your coverage or are unsure how your policy applies to your circumstances, please contact us for clarification.Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Insurance protection for your hard earned vacation in the event of unexpected cancellation.
- Standard Plan: $2,500
- Explorer Plan: $10,000
- Epic Plan: $15,000
- AMT Plan: $10,000
Trip Protection
- Work emergency?
- Weather delay?
- Travel companion sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
We’ll get you to hospital or home quickly.
- Standard Plan: $250,000
- Explorer Plan: $500,000
- Epic Plan: $750,000
- Annual Plan: $500,000
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
- Ambulance transfers
- Medevac flights
- Medical escort services
Help starts here.
Gear & Baggage Protection
Coverage for the theft, damage or delay of your bags, tech and sports gear.
- Standard Plan: $1,000
- Explorer Plan: $2,000
- Epic Plan: $5,000
- Annual Plan: $2,000
Protect your gear
- Stolen I.D.s
- Checked-in sports equipment
- Damaged luggage
Help starts here.
Protect your health
- Emergency Medical & Dental Expenses
- Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
- Bedside Companion Travel and Subsistence
- Emergency Professional Services
- Return of Remains
- Return of Travel Companion/Dependent Children
Protect your trip
- Trip Cancellation
- Trip Interruption
- Trip Delay
- Optional Cancel for Any Reason (Explorer or Epic)
- Trip Exchange (Explorer, Epic or AMT)
- Rental Vehicle Damage (Explorer, Epic or AMT)
Protect your stuff
- 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
- 24/7 Worldwide Emergency Medical Assistance
- Worldwide Travel Assistance
- Personal Security Assistance
- Adventure Traveller’s Hotline
- Bag Trak
Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.