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Travel Insurance Coverage when using Vacation Rentals

Travel insurance coverage for Canadians booking vacation rentals

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At a glance:

  • Coverage for Vacation Rental Stays: World Nomads offers travel insurance for trips where you may be staying in a vacation rental. It may help cover medical emergencies, stolen gear and trip cancellations.
  • Emergency Medical Evacuation, Even Off the Grid: Our plans include emergency medical evacuation coverage if you get injured while staying at a vacation rental in remote areas.
  • Different Plans for Different Trips: 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. 
  • Disrupted Stays: If your trip is disrupted by illness or injuries (amongst other covered reasons), travel insurance may help cover your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs.

Nothing is better than staying in a vacation home where you can have space, privacy and the comforts of your own home. Recent studies show that more than 30% of travellers prefer a vacation rental to a hotel stay. Maybe you’re packing up the car in Canada and headed to the United States for a beachside vacation rental, or perhaps you would rather stay in a treehouse and be surrounded by the scenery of Nicaragua’s lush foliage. Either way, it helps to always be prepared for the unexpected, and you may want to protect your adventure with World Nomads Travel Insurance for your trip staying in vacation rentals. Our adventure travel insurance plans include a range of benefits that could help with everything from stolen gear to unexpected medical expenses

Why should I consider travel insurance when staying in a vacation rental? 

Unexpected issues can mess up even the most carefully planned trips. If the stairs are too steep and you take a tumble in your vacation home or if a destructive storm causes you to miss a connection, keeping you from reaching your dream accommodations, travel insurance to cover your nonrefundable, prepaid, commercial vacation rentals may help you bounce back quickly with support for medical and travel emergencies, delays, and disruptions. With coverage that is flexible to your needs, it’s a smart way to travel confidently when you’re staying in a vacation rental.

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.

Travel insurance when staying in a vacation rental: What may be covered? 

Hopefully, the worst thing that happens to you at your vacation rental is running out of free snacks too quickly. Since unexpected situations can happen though, we've designed our plans to include travel insurance for our trips when you stay in a vacation rental.  

  1. Emergency Medical Expenses
    For injuries that happen when staying in a vacation rental

  2. 24/7 Emergency Assistance
    Available 24/7 to assist in an emergency situation

  3. Baggage & Gear Coverage
    Damaged or stolen gear or luggage that is lost

  4. Trip DelaysInterruptionsCancellations
    A money-saver if inclement weather keeps you from traveling and staying in the vacation rental you booked

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 if I’m staying in a vacation rental?

World Nomads offers four plans for Canadian residents – the Standard, Explorer, Epic and Annual Multi-Trip – each with different levels of coverage.

Standard PlanExplorer PlanEpic PlanAnnual Plan

Ideal for:
Budget Travelers

Coverage Includes:

  • Emergency medical – up to $1.5 million CAD 
  • Emergency Medical evacuation – up to $250,000 CAD 
  • Trip cancellation – up to $2,500 CAD 

Covering the basics for your trip.

Get a quote

Ideal for:
Adventure Travelers

Coverage Includes:

  • Emergency medical – up to $5 million CAD 
  • Emergency Medical evacuation – up to $500,000 CAD 
  • Trip cancellation – up to $10,000 CAD 

Optional 'Cancel for Any Reason' available.

Get a quote

Ideal for:
Bucket-list trips

Coverage Includes:

  • Emergency medical – up to $10 million CAD 
  • Emergency Medical evacuation – up to $750,000 CAD 
  • Trip cancellation – up to $15,000 CAD 

Optional 'Cancel for Any Reason' available.

Get a quote

Ideal for:
Weekend warriors & avid travelers

Coverage Includes:

  • Emergency medical – up to $5 million CAD per trip 
  • Emergency Medical evacuation – up to $500,000 CAD per trip 
  • Trip cancellation – up to $2,500 CAD per trip 


Get a quote

When you’re not lounging around poolside at your vacation home, you’ll probably be doing other things like hiking or kayaking. That’s totally fine, because there are over 250+ sports, activities and experiences that could be covered when you purchase travel insurance for trips when you are staying at a commercial vacation rental. Costs may vary depending on the additional activities you list.

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

Snow 31 activities
Water 74 activities
Air 15 activities
Land 65 activities
Sports 85 activities
Experiences 18 activities
Activities shown in blue are automatically included in the Standard, Explorer, Epic and Annual Multi-Trip Plans. Activities shown in orange require an optional upgrade for coverage to apply. Special conditions and exclusions may apply to certain activities, check the Travel Insurance Policy for full details.

What may not be covered when staying in a vacation rental? 

If you leave the burner on and the kitchen catches on fire, your travel insurance won’t pay for those damages. It’s up to you to make sure you take care of the home while you’re there. Some other things that aren’t covered include:

  • Baggage, gear or personal items left unattended 
  • Furniture or any other items that are part of the vacation rental 
  • Alcohol and drug-related incidents and illegal activities
  • Not following government ‘Do Not Travel’ advisories issued by the Canadian government 
  • Staying in a vacation rental within your home province
  • Participation in other activities not listed as covered in your policy

Top safety tips we recommend for staying at a vacation rental  

  • Book vacation rentals through reputable, secure websites to make sure your payment information is protected.
  • Make sure the vacation rental has smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (and make sure they’re working.) Consider bringing your own portable carbon monoxide detector if the rental doesn’t list having one. 
  • Have a first-aid kit available. Bring one along with you just in case there’s not one in your vacation rental.
  • Have emergency contact information for your host.
  • Check with the Public Health Agency of Canada to see if they have issued any travel health notices for the destination where your vacation rental is located.
  • Register with Canadians Abroad to stay updated on emergency situations. 
  • Save a copy of your vacation rental travel insurance documents in your phone. Have the phone number for the 24/7 Emergency Assistance team easily accessible as well.

FAQ

Here are our most frequently asked questions about cover for vacation rentals. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Help Center or you can ask the customer service team.

  • Is staying in a vacation rental covered under World Nomads Travel Insurance?

    Yes, you can cover your prepaid, non-refundable, commercial vacation rental under both plans offered by World Nomads Travel Insurance. There are also 250+ sports, activities and experiences that may 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.  Costs may vary depending on the additional activities you list. If you aren’t sure if something is covered, we suggest you contact us to ask.

  • What types of incidents are covered while staying in a vacation rental?

    If your trip is delayed or interrupted due to an unforeseen event, you may be able to recover your non-refundable, prepaid travel expenses (up to the policy limits), and this could include unused, prepaid, non-refundable accommodations that you paid for in advance. If you get hurt while staying in a vacation rental 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.

  • Do I get my money back if I cancel a trip?

    Trip cancellation coverage is available on all four plans offered by World Nomads, and you could be reimbursed for pre-paid, unused, non-refundable expenses like flights, tours and vacation rentals 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. 

Need destination inspiration for cool vacation rentals around the world? 

Do you love unique accommodations? There are plenty of great spots around the world that have amazing vacation rentals. Check out a couple of our favorite locations and get destination-specific travel insurance tips to help you plan with confidence. 

The Caribbean: Bungalows on Royal Island

United States: A treehouse with free-roaming alpacas in Atlanta 

ItalyA rustic villa on a vineyard 

Costa RicaA luxury pool home in the jungle 

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 Medical Insurance

Help take the pain out of medical or dental costs.

  • Standard Plan: $1,500,000
  • Explorer Plan: $5,000,000
  • Epic Plan: $10,000,000
  • Annual Plan: $5,000,000
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.

  • 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
This is a general summary for Canadian residents only. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions of the travel insurance plans described. Coverage may not be available for residents of all provinces. Check the Travel Insurance Policy for full details.