Volunteering Travel Insurance Plans
Canadian Residents Can Protect Their Volunteer Trips with Travel Insurance
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At a glance
- World Nomads plans may provide coverage for your volunteering roles involving childcare, teaching, office work, or WWOOFING (general farm work, fruit picking, manual work), with the ability to pay an extra premium and be covered for additional activities involving manual work with power tools or volunteering as a scuba diving, ski, or snowboarding instructor
- Coverage for injuries and emergency medical transport if you're seriously hurt while volunteering
- Reimbursement for cancelled tours, delays, or interruptions due to covered events
- 24/7 Access to emergency assistance.
Volunteering is a big part of Canadian life, with around 63% of adults giving their time through formal or informal volunteering each year. That spirit of generosity often travels with Canadians, whether they’re helping out on an organic farm in New Zealand, teaching English in Cambodia, or supporting reforestation projects in Madagascar. We love seeing our nomads give back and help make the world a better place—but even the best‑intentioned trips can come with surprises. If you’ll be volunteering while travelling, World Nomads Travel Insurance can help protect your adventure, with travel insurance benefits that may assist with everything from from stolen bags to unexpected medical expenses
Why should Canadians consider travel insurance for a volunteer trip abroad?
From animal bites in Australia to a horrible case of food poisoning in Europe, unexpected issues can derail even the most carefully planned volunteer trip. Travel insurance designed for volunteering may help you bounce back quickly with support for emergencies, delays, and disruptions. With coverage that is flexible to your needs, it’s a way to travel confidently – whether you're protecting endangered turtle hatching grounds or teaching children in a faraway village.
Nomads tip: Each policy includes a '10-Day Right to Examine' period, giving you time after purchase to review the details, making sure the coverage works for you. If you decide that you are not satisfied with the policy, you may cancel it within 10 days and you will be given a full refund of the premium you paid, provided you have not started your trip and you do not want to make a claim or to exercise any other right under the policy.
Volunteering travel insurance: What may be covered?
We love giving back and having opportunities to change the world, so we’ve designed our plans to include travel insurance for volunteering.
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Emergency Medical Expenses
For broken bones, cuts, and sprains when building houses -
24/7 Emergency Assistance
Available 24/7 to assist in an emergency situation -
Baggage & Gear Coverage
Damaged or stolen gear when travelling to your overseas volunteer trip -
Trip Cancellations
Travel protection for your 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 Volunteering 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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Best suited for budget travellers. Includes up to $1,500,000 CAD in emergency medical expenses and up to $2,500 CAD for trip cancellation and up to $2,500 CAD for trip interruption. This is our most basic plan, but it packs a punch. Get a quote |
Provides increased benefit limits, such as trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage for trip costs up to $10,000 CAD. You can also choose to purchase additional ‘cancel for any reason coverage’ with this plan. Get a quote |
For those trips you’ll be talking about for years to come! Safaris can get pricey, and this plan offers the most coverage to protect it. This plan includes higher maximum benefit limits compared to the Standard and Explorer plans as well as higher benefit limits for travel inconvenience and security evacuation coverage, compared to the Explorer plan. Get a quote |
If you have multiple trips planned throughout the year – including just to different provinces – you may want to consider this plan. World Nomads Annual Multi-Trip Plan provides travel insurance coverage for an unlimited number of trips of 14 days or less, within a 365-day period. Get a quote |
When you purchase your policy, you’ll need to list volunteering and all of the other activities that you plan to participate in while on your trip. Even if your main goal is to volunteer, you may want to do other fun things while you’re travelling like hiking, paddleboarding, or camping. That’s totally fine, because there’s over 250 other sports, activities and experiences that could be covered. 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 type of volunteering you’re doing, as well as the additional activities you list.
- Level 1 Activities: Volunteering in roles involving childcare, teaching, office work, or WWOOFING (general farm work, fruit picking, manual work)
- Level 2 Activities: Manual work that involves power tools and working at heights under 5 metres
- Level 3 Activities: Volunteering as a ski, snowboard, or scuba diving instructor
If you’re not sure if your volunteer duties will be covered, or 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: World Nomads Travel Insurance can also cover your volunteer trips within Canada! Your Government Health Insurance Plan provides little, if any, emergency medical coverage once you leave your home province. Your travel insurance plan can protect your domestic travels outside of your home province too!
We cover 250 activities you love + more
- Scuba diving
- Mountain biking
- Surfing
- Bungee jumping
- Skiing
What may not be covered when volunteering?
If you plan a volunteer trip to help others in another country, we commend you and think that’s awesome. However, if the Canadian government issues ‘Do Not Travel’ warnings for your destination, and you decide to go anyway, you won’t be covered by your travel insurance for volunteering. Some other things that are not covered include:
- Unattended baggage or personal items
- Participation in other activities not listed as covered in your policy
- Ignoring your doctor if they have explicitly advised you not to travel to a particular destination or perform certain volunteer duties
- Not following government ‘Do Not Travel’ advisories issued by the Canadian government
- Operating machinery
- Working with dangerous animals or big game
- Working at heights over 5 metres
- Volunteering on offshore rigs, underground or caves
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.
Top safety tips we recommend for volunteering
- Research the organization you’ll be volunteering with to make sure they’re reputable. You’ll want to confirm they have a clear mission, vision, and values. It’s also not a bad idea to look for reviews from others who have worked with them.
- Understand what your duties are before you go and make sure you’re aware of any risks associated with those. You’ll also want to make sure all activities are covered by your travel insurance coverage for volunteering abroad.
- No matter what volunteer service you’re providing, make sure you receive proper training, as that reduces your chance of injuries or accidents.
- Take along a copy of the documents showing your travel insurance coverage for volunteering. You may even want to save a copy in your phone, so it is easily accessible.
- Check with the Public Health Agency of Canada to see if they have issued any travel health notices for your destination.
- Register with Canadians Abroad to stay updated on emergency situations.
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions about cover for volunteering. 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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Is volunteering covered under World Nomads Travel Insurance?
Yes, depending on your specific volunteer duties, volunteering may be covered under all four plans offered by World Nomads Travel Insurance, but make sure you list this as an activity you’ll be participating in when you purchase your policy. Volunteering in roles involving childcare, teaching, office work, and WWOOFING (general farm work, fruit picking, manual work) are considered Level 1 activities and are automatically covered, but you’ll still need to list these as activities when you purchase your volunteering travel insurance policy. However, you’ll need to pay an additional premium to be covered for any Level 2 activities like manual work that involves power tools and working at heights under 5 metres, and Level 3 activities like volunteering as a ski, snowboard, or scuba diving instructor. 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 volunteering abroad?
If your trip is delayed or interrupted due to an unforeseen event, you may be able to recover your non-refundable, unused, prepaid travel expenses (up to the policy limits), and this could include unused, pre-paid, non-refundable tours that you paid for in advance. If you get cut while planting coral in the Caribbean and you require emergency medical assistance, emergency expense 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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What type of volunteer work is included in my volunteering travel insurance?
Volunteering in roles involving childcare, teaching, office work, and WWOOFING (general farm work, fruit picking, manual work) are considered Level 1 activities and are automatically covered, but you’ll still need to list these as activities when you purchase your volunteering travel insurance policy. However, you’ll need to pay an additional premium to be covered for any Level 2 activities like manual work that involves power tools and working at heights under 5 metres, and Level 3 activities like volunteering as a ski, snowboard, or scuba diving instructor. If you aren’t sure if something is covered, we suggest you contact us to ask.
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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 almost 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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Does World Nomads offer travel insurance for volunteering abroad?
Yes, volunteering is an amazing experience and World Nomads doesn’t want to limit your ways to give back. For example, if you have travel insurance for Africa, you could have the opportunity to volunteer in places such as Kenya, Botswana, and Rwanda. If you have travel insurance for Argentina, you could volunteer to teach English as a second language to students there. When you get a quote for volunteering travel insurance, you’ll need to input where you’ll be travelling.
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What should I do if I get hurt while volunteering?
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 hiking, biking, rocking climbing, and camping 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 included with 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.
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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) necessary personal effects such as essential items like toiletries and a change of clothes until you and your bag are reunited.
Need destination inspiration?
Not sure where you can travel and volunteer? Check out some of our favorite ways to give back around the world and get destination-specific travel insurance tips to help you plan with confidence.
Argentina: Opportunities for Cultural Immersion
What’s It Like to be a Sea Turtle Conservation Volunteer?
Beyond Machu Picchu: Exploring Peru’s Other Ancient Sites
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 clarificationTravel 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
- Unexpectedly hospitalized?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
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
- Need meds quick?
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
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
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medevac home?
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
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
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
Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.