From sailing around the Turquoise Coast to visiting the Grand Bazaar and Blue Mosque in Istanbul, learn how insurance for Turkey could help Canadian travellers.
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What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Turkey? Riding the ferry along the Bosporus while watching Istanbul’s skyline pass by, markets filled with antiques and carpets, the dreamy blue waters along the Turquoise Coast, and hot air balloons floating over the ancient caves of Cappadocia all come to mind for us.
Of course, streetside kebab stands, honey-soaked baklava, a fresh pot of Turkish coffee, relaxing treatments in hammams, landscapes dotted with olive trees and vineyards, busy markets selling spices, nuts, and fruit, and experiencing Muslim traditions during Ramadan are all part of the allure as well. Whether you want to sun and swim in coastal towns or visit during winter to beat the crowds while you’re busy exploring ancient ruins, your Turkish adventure is sure to be unforgettable. This country straddling two continents is steeped in history and brimming with natural scenery, grand architecture, and a flavorful cuisine.
As captivating as Turkey is, you can imagine we’ve seen all sorts of travel insurance claims from Canadians travelling there. International travel can be life-changing, but it also can involve those less-than-great moments - like sickness, missed flights, and lost baggage. Because of this, you may want to get a quote and purchase travel insurance for Turkey before you set forth on your journey.
World Nomads travel insurance plans offer protection against certain unexpected and unforeseeable circumstances that might disrupt your travel plans. You’ll want to consider travel insurance to protect yourself against expenses related to unforeseen events like theft of your baggage or a missed connection due to inclement weather that grounds your flight, for example.
Travel insurance for Turkey can also protect you against large medical bills resulting from accidents that may happen on your outdoor adventures such as kiteboarding in Bodrum.
Our travel insurance plans also include important travel, medical, and security assistance services designed to provide you with guidance before and during your trip.
We have two plans to choose from for different types of travellers and adventures.
Whether you’re planning to go on a multi-day trek along southwestern Turkey’s Lycian Way or sailing around the islands near Göcek, World Nomads travel insurance covers Canadians for over 250 activities in Turkey. Taking a hot air balloon ride over the rock formations of Cappadocia, skiing in Uludag, kayaking to the sunken city in Kekova National Park, and cycling along the historic Eurasian Road are all covered under travel insurance for Turkey.
It’s important to have a fairly concrete idea of your trip plans before you get a quote. You must list all your activities out when purchasing the plan—and if something happens while you are participating in an activity you didn’t list on your plan, then you won’t be covered. For example, if you go hiking while on your trip and you didn’t list that activity out when making your plan purchase, you won’t be covered if something were to happen on the trail. You may want to overshoot and list out all possible activities you may do, just in case.
Also keep in mind that you will be covered under the base plan to participate in various adventure sports, activities, volunteer, and work experiences, shown as Level 1, under both of our Standard and Explorer Plans. To have coverage for adventures sports, work, and activities listed as Level 2 or Level 3, you will need to upgrade your adventure sports coverage and pay an extra premium when you purchase your policy.
Note: Special conditions and exclusions may apply to while taking part in certain sports and activities. For the full policy terms and conditions please review the policy wording.
Whether you have an accident while rock climbing in Antalya or end of with a serious bout of food poisoning, you can protect yourself from loss due to emergency medical expenses by purchasing a travel insurance plan for your trip to Turkey.
While water is technically safe to drink from the tap in Turkey, it is common to drink bottled water instead. The water is heavily chlorinated and not particularly pleasant tasting. Food poisoning is also something that can happen, especially when it comes to street food. Use common sense when you’re choosing where to eat. Those 3am street mussels or wet burgers in Taksim Square after a rowdy night out might seem like a great idea at the time, but you might be end up regretting your decision later.
In a medical emergency, the first thing you must do (if you are medically able) is call the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team. The team may be able to help you find a reputable medical center and could help organize the care you need. If you are unable to call until later, make sure you call them as soon as possible or have someone contact them on your behalf.
The Emergency Assistance Team can also help you navigate the unfamiliar health care system in Turkey, including assisting you with language barriers and finding the best places to seek medical treatment.
Lost or stolen bags is never something we plan for, but these things do happen. Did you land in Istanbul, but your bag packed with your favorite dresses and shoes for your vacation didn’t? The first step is to contact the airline.
If you’re lucky, your bags just took a detour and will eventually make their way to you. Even a delayed bag can be stressful though. If this happens and your bag is delayed for 12 hours or more, your travel insurance for Turkey could still reimburse you for a change of clothes and toiletries, until you and your bag are reunited.
While Turkey is generally quite safe and pickpocketing isn’t as common as in other major European cities, bag snatching and pickpocketing can still happen. It’s important to be especially vigilant in crowded tourist spots, like the Grand Bazaar, and on busy trams. Be mindful for scammers at the ferry terminals in Istanbul who might tell you that the ticket machine is broken and offer to buy a ticket for you—and then charge you far above the ticket price.
If your stuff is stolen from under your nose, your travel insurance plan could also reimburse you for what was lost (deprecation and plan limits will apply). When picking a plan, you may want to consider the amount of baggage coverage available and make sure you are comfortable with the maximum amount. The Standard and Explorer plans each have different limits.
Sometimes your plans just don’t work out. World Nomads travel insurance plans include trip
cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay benefits that may provide reimbursement for your unused, pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses.
Trip cancellation and Trip interruption coverage can help protect you in case of emergencies before your leave, or back home in Canada after you’ve departed. If you need to cancel or interrupt your trip due to a covered reason such as a medical emergency or the death of an immediate family member, you may be eligible for reimbursement of your unused, pre-paid travel expenses (up to plan limits) that you can no longer use.
Travel insurance for Turkey can also help you in the case of unexpected circumstances while on your trip, such as natural disasters. Turkey is in a very active earthquake zone and if the Canadian government issues a ‘do not travel’ advisory, your travel insurance for Turkey may be able help.
As much as you may have planned each detail of your Turkish adventure, the unexpected can still happen. We encourage you to check out the Canadian government’s safety warnings for Turkey before you leave. Up-to-date warnings— including weather advisories and political situations—will be listed on the website.
It’s also a good idea to save the 24/7 Emergency Assistance phone number and your plan number in your cell phone so you don’t have to search for that if an emergency happens.
English isn’t widely spoken in a lot of the country, Istanbul included, so a few basic Turkish phrases can go a long way. You may also want to read up on some travel tips to familiarize yourself with local customs before you take off. Istanbul and many coastal towns are quite modern but other regions, especially in southeastern Turkey, are much more culturally conservative. Women will benefit from carrying a light-weight scarf, which can come in handy to cover your head and shoulders at religious sites.
Enjoy your adventure and don’t be afraid to get off the beaten path! Find the magic lesser-visited spots, like Mardin and other ancient towns in eastern Turkey, or quieter islands such as a Gökçeada.
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, of if you have questions, just ask us.
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Covers the theft, damage or delay of your bags, tech and sports gear.
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Never travel without travel insurance. This was the first time I ever purchased travel insurance and I am so glad I did. A few days into my trip to Spain I twisted my foot heading down to the metro. Thanks to World Nomads I was able to get medical attention in Spain, and since, as luck would have it, I had a fracture that required surgery, they got me a flight home the next day. Filing a claim was surprisingly easy and when the claim was finally processed, I was reimbursed for all of my expenses including things like the extra week in the hotel I didn't get to take advantage of.
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.