Travel Insurance for Asia
What Canadians need to know before travelling to Asia
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At a glance
- World Nomads offers four travel insurance plans for your trip to Asia. Plans range from standard to higher-limit protections.
- Coverage may apply to popular activities in Asia like skiing, hiking and caving.
- Policies for Canadians include protection for medical emergencies, trip interruptions and lost luggage.
Asia offers a huge range of travel experiences, whether you’re exploring fast-paced cities, relaxing on the beach or on an adventure-driven escapade. With such diversity between countries, climates and customs, Asia inspires many return trips. Asia reports around 30 million arrivals from Canada each year, and numbers are on the rise. Loved Japan? You’re going to want to visit South Korea next. Dreaming of travelling to India? It’s a big country – give yourself time to explore more than one region. Thailand, too, invites a deeper dive – literally. Good preparation, including the right travel insurance, can help you make the most of every trip you take to Asia.
Plan Comparisons
Choosing the right travel insurance coverage depends on your trip type and planned activities. Each of our four plans – Standard, Explorer, Epic and Annual – offers different coverages and benefit maximums.
| Standard Plan | Explorer Plan | Epic Plan | Annual Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
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Ideal for: Coverage Includes:
Covering the basics for your Asia 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 |
Travel insurance for adventure activities in Asia
There are outdoor experiences galore in Asia, from high-altitude trekking to tropical water sports. In Nepal and northern India, multi-day hikes wind through the Himalayas, while in Vietnam and Thailand, jungle trails and rivers lend themselves to hiking, kayaking and caving. Along the coasts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Philippines, warm waters make surfing, snorkelling and diving popular year-round. Locals and visitors alike love hiking in Japan, and in winter its famed ‘Japow’ snow attracts skiers and snowboarders from around the world. If you’re up for some real adventure, explore Vietnam by motorbike to discover the country well beyond the tourist hotspots.
Coverage for 250 activities you love + more
Common insurance considerations for Asia
Accidents and emergencies
No one likes imagining the worst, but if you do get seriously sick or have an accident that sends you to hospital, you’ll be patting yourself on the back that you sorted your travel insurance before you left home. Hit by a car crossing the street in Vietnam? Stacked it on a ski slope in Japan and have your arm in a cast to prove it? Ate a dodgy curry in India and came down with a nasty bout of food poisoning? Emergency assistance is a phone call away.
Trip cancellation
The best trips are often the ones you’ve planned months in advance, but you can’t predict the future and unexpected situations can sometimes happen before you even set off. Trip cancellation coverage is included in all single-trip and annual travel insurance plans offered by World Nomads and gives you the opportunity to cancel your trip before you depart – but only for covered reasons. Optional Cancel For Any Reason coverage allows you to cancel for any reason that’s not otherwise covered by your plan. Broke up with your partner? You can cancel your trip. Sick dog? You can stay home to care for your fur baby. Change your mind about travelling? There’s no judgment here. Just make sure you purchase Cancel For Any Reason insurance cover within 15 days of making your first trip payment (like booking a hotel or flight).
Lost or stolen gear
Even the most careful of travellers can face that sinking feeling when they realise they’ve left their passport or wallet on the train, or that an opportunist has taken off with their phone or camera and there’s no hope of getting it back. Whether you bought the lost or stolen item on your trip (and have the receipts to show for it) or carried it with you from home, travel insurance may be able to reimburse you.
Food and water safety
A few simple precautions can help you avoid traveller’s diarrhoea in Asia. Gastro illnesses are more common in some Asian countries than others, but it pays to be careful no matter where you’re going. Stick to bottled or filtered water, avoid ice and choose freshly cooked food served hot. If you do get sick, the medical expense travel insurance benefit may reimburse necessary emergency medical expenses while travelling. If local care is inadequate in your immediate area, the emergency medical evacuation and repatriation benefit may cover transport to the nearest adequate medical facility or home for treatment if you suffer an injury or illness that is severe, acute or life-threatening.
Tips for travelling to Asia
- Driving rules vary across Asia, with some countries driving on the left and others on the right. Take care crossing the road (it’s easy to look the wrong way to check for oncoming cars).
- Be mindful of food and water safety – in many destinations, it’s best to stick to bottled or filtered water and eat hot, freshly cooked food.
- Learn about a country’s customs and etiquette preferences before you arrive. As a guest in another country, showing respect for local ways of doing things is always appreciated. Whatever you do, don’t stick your chopsticks in your rice or point them at anyone in Japan if you don’t want to cause great offence.
- Ask before you take photos of anyone and avoid taking pictures of children.
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions about cover for Asia. 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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Do Canadians need visas to travel in Asia?
Visa requirements vary widely across Asia. Canadians can enter some countries visa-free for short stays, while others require a visa in advance or an e-visa. Always check the entry requirements for each destination before you travel.
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Which countries in Asia are visa-free for Canadians?
Several popular destinations, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia, allow visa-free entry for Canadians for short stays. Requirements can change, so it’s important to confirm before departure.
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Is Asia safe for tourists?
Asia is generally safe for visitors, but safety can vary by country and region. Petty theft can occur in busy areas, and some destinations may have higher risks related to political turmoil, traffic, poverty, weather or local conditions. Stay aware of your surroundings and follow Canadian government advice.
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Do I need travel insurance for Asia?
Travel insurance isn’t mandatory, but it’s strongly recommended. Cover for accidents, medical emergencies, cancellations, delays and lost luggage can help protect you against unexpected costs. Whether you’re in a major city or off adventuring in a more remote location, it’s reassuring to know you can get the help you need – especially when it comes to an accident or sudden illness.
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What vaccinations do I need for Asia?
Recommended vaccinations depend on where you’re travelling, but may include hepatitis A and B, typhoid and tetanus. Some destinations may also require or recommend additional vaccines. Speak with your doctor before you travel.
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Is it safe to drink tap water in Asia?
In many parts of Asia, it’s best to avoid tap water. Stick to bottled or filtered water, avoid ice unless you’re sure it’s purified and take care with raw foods.
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How do I make a travel insurance claim?
You can make a claim online 24/7. Have your documents and receipts handy to upload, and get started. If you get stuck, you can call us collect on +1 416 646 3723 or send an email to worldnomads@travelguard.com and we will assist you with your claim.
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What do I do if I need emergency assistance?
No matter where you are in the world, our 24/7 Emergency Assistance partners at Travel Guard are ready to help – 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Whether it’s a medical emergency, stolen gear, missing bags, or a natural disaster, they’re the first call to make. Need a translator? They can help with that too.
When you call, you’ll be asked if you are experiencing a travel emergency. If you are having a medical emergency, you’ll be connected with Emergency Assistance right away. If your situation is not urgent and you are calling outside of normal business hours, you’ll be able to leave a message and be called back.
The contact information for medical emergency assistance is:
Phone: +1 866 878 0192 (toll-free from Canada and the Continental U.S.); or
Phone: +1 416 646 3723 (collect from anywhere else in the world)
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What if my passport gets stolen in Asia?
World Nomads travel insurance plans cover theft or damage of the following documents:
- Passports
- Driver’s licenses
- Birth certificates
- Travel visas
You can claim up to the maximum limit stated in the policy towards the replacement of your passport or one or more other travel documents mentioned above.
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
- Unexpectedly hospitalized?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
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
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medevac home?
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
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
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.