Adventure Sports and Activities
Travel insurance designed for adventures while traveling.
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Adventure Sports and Activities
For many travellers, one of the most exciting parts of planning an overseas holiday is deciding what activities and sports to play during their trip. Overseas holidays present the perfect chance to indulge in all your favourite sports; or try a new adrenaline pumping activity that you don’t get to do back home in the UK.
No matter whether you’re packing your cricket bat or that expensive pair of hiking boots, it might be worth considering travel insurance when preparing for your trip.
- Adventure sports, travel insurance and what’s covered by our plans
- What activities are covered?
- What’s not covered
- Questions to ask when choosing a plan
Adventure sports, travel insurance and what’s covered by our plans
Whether you’re picking up a new sport or you’re a seasoned outdoors adventure person, World Nomads offers cover (up to the policy limits) for the following:
Activities and sports cover: travel and adventure go hand-in-hand, that’s why our policies offer cover more than 200 sports, experiences, and activities. While some activities are considered less dangerous, other types of activities such as rock climbing require an insurance upgrade and an additional premium.
Emergency medical and evacuation coverage – if you suddenly become sick or injured at any time during your holiday, seek medical assistance straight away. Contact our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team to advise them of your situation and sort out any further care requirements. They can contact the hospital where you’re staying to arrange payment for your accommodation, treatment, and medications. We may also cover the cost of your repatriation back to the UK if your injury or illness is serious enough. However, this must be determined by your treating doctor in consultation with our Emergency Assistance team. Exclusions, and in some cases excesses, do apply. These medical transport and repatriation benefits are payable, subject to our approval, for up to a maximum of 12 months from the date the sudden illness first manifested or the injury happened.
Baggage and personal belongings coverage – if any of your luggage or personal items are lost, stolen or damaged, then you may be covered for the costs of replacing these. Make sure you have your receipts as you will need to submit these when you claim. Always report any stolen belongings to the local police and request a police report. If there were any witnesses to the incident, then ask them to accompany you to the police station to give their statement. Witness statements should be included with your other supporting documentation.
Extended stays – if you’re having the time of your life on holiday and don’t want to return home to the UK just yet, then you may extend your travel insurance policy accordingly. Extensions can be approved for up to a maximum of 12 months from the starting date listed on your Certificate of Insurance. Applications for policy extensions must be made prior to 11:59pm on the date that your existing policy expires, however we suggest not waiting to the last day to submit your request.
Trip cancellation costs – few things in life are more disappointing than having to cancel a long-awaited holiday due to unexpected sickness or a last-minute injury. Should you or one of your travel companions become injured or sick after making your holiday arrangements, and need to cancel your trip, then we may cover your non-refundable travel expenses such as accommodation and flights. You will need to provide medical evidence to substantiate your claim.
What activities are covered?
While many Brits live and breathe their football and cricket, we also know that our travellers have a vast range of sporting preferences. That’s why we offer cover for over 200 different sports, activities, and experiences. While the list is long, by no means do we cover every single sport or activity.
Always make sure that any planned sports and activities that you’ll be doing are clearly stated. If you’re injured playing a sport that is not listed in your Policy Wording, then any claim you submit, may not be approved.
World Nomads offers two travel insurance plans, the Standard Plan and the Explorer Plan. These plans both offer cover for expenses in connection with hospitalisation, lost luggage, repatriation, and more. However, the Explorer Plan costs more than the Standard Plan as it offers higher policy limits and more benefits.
Always read through the Policy Wording to decide which plan is best suited for the activities and sports that you have planned. If you’re not sure if something you’re planning on doing while on holiday is covered, please contact us.
What level of sports and activity cover do I get?
Our travel insurance plans categorise sports and leisure activities into four separate levels. Travellers are covered for all sports and activities listed under the level of cover they select, as well as those leisure pursuits assigned to any lower levels. The following is just a small selection of the sports we cover. Please check your Policy Wording for the full list.
Level 1
- Camping (to a maximum of 3,000 metres)
- Cricket
- Dance (ballet, ballroom, capoeira, salsa, and interpretive dance)
- Roller skating
Level 2
- Mountain biking (downhill)
- Rock climbing
- Rugby (League/Union)
- Running (marathons)
- Water skiing (barefoot)
Level 3
- Snowmobiling
- Skiing/snowboarding (includes cross country, Nordic on marked trails)
- Hiking (to a maximum of 6,000 metres)
- Motorbiking/trail biking (off-road under 125cc)
Level 4
- Skiing/snowboarding (terrain park in resort; outside resort boundaries; back country; helicopter/snow; alpine touring)
- Snow rafting
- Mountaineering (to a maximum of 6,000 metres)
- Paragliding/parapenting
- Snow rafting
- Triathlon (full distance)
Travel insurance tip 1: several of our covered activities or sports are listed on multiple levels to reflect the varying degrees of difficulty or intensity. Always check before you go that you have the right level of cover for your desired activities, as you cannot upgrade to a higher level or add any other sports, after your trip has begun.
What’s not covered
Here are just a few of our travel insurance exclusions. For the entire list, please check your Policy Wording.
- If your behaviour was reckless, or your actions were in violation of the laws of that country.
- Being intoxicated by alcohol or prohibited substances.
- Unattended belongings and luggage that is stolen, lost, or damaged.
- Pre-existing medical conditions unless otherwise expressly stated in your policy.
- Dental treatment that is not undertaken to alleviate any constant pain or discomfort. An example could be an implant procedure to replace a tooth that had been extracted in a surgery that you had years ago.
Questions to ask when choosing a plan
Before selecting a plan, it’s best to know what types of sports and activities you and your travel buddies will be enjoying when you’re overseas. These are just some of the questions for you to consider when picking a travel insurance plan:
- What sports and activities will I be engaging in on my holiday?
- What sports and activities do my friends have planned? Make sure you ask them about their holiday plans to be certain that they don’t have any surprise activities up their sleeves. A spur of the moment decision to play a sport that you’re not covered for might be fun, but would you really want to take such a risk?
- What types of equipment, footwear, or protective clothing will you need for your preferred activities?
- Do you need a licensed tour guide or instructor for any of your leisure activities? If so, have you checked that the person is in fact certified?
- What are the depths of my dives, altitudes of my hikes, or distances of my competitions? These types of details all need to be established before choosing your plan.
Travel insurance tip 2: Where urgent medical assistance is required, get in touch with our 24-hour Emergency Assistance Team as soon as reasonably possible before incurring medical costs. For more information on what to do please refer to the section titled, ‘Health conditions & your policy’ in your Policy Wording.
Overseas activity tips to help you have a safer experience
Are you fit enough for that?
Overseas holidays offer a selection of leisure activities, many of which you may not have ever tried. Before you go trying new experiences, think about your fitness and plan your activities accordingly. Whatever you’re planning, make sure it’s something you’re physically capable of.
The right gear
When participating in a sport or activity, always wear safety gear. For example, wear a helmet when cycling or riding a scooter. Before embarking on that mountain climbing expedition, ask yourself if you have the right equipment required for such an undertaking.
Your activity operator should be certified/accredited
Make sure operators are certified and/or accredited by the appropriate body. For example, diving instructors should be registered with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI).
Keep a watch on your sporting equipment
Nothing beats the feeling of elation that comes from being victorious in a game of sport. Yet before you rush off to hit the bar with your teammates, it’s a good idea to lock up any sporting equipment first. All too often valuable sporting gear and bags are left unattended or even worse, forgotten about.
Opportunistic thieves can take advantage of these situations. No matter how safe you think your sporting gear is, never leave it unattended. If you can’t take your equipment with you or back to your hotel, then place it in a locker or keep it locked in a room.
This is a summary only. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the plans described. Please refer to the Policy Wording for complete details of cover and exclusions. If you are unsure of your level of travel cover, please contact us for help.
Get a quote today and find out if our policies are right for you.
World Nomads covers more than 150 activities and sports, and if it’s not on the list you can contact us and we’ll let you know if we’ll cover it. You can read more about coverage for some specific activities to see the activities covered by the plans available to you.
We offer cover for:
- 24/7 Emergency Assistance
- Overseas medical assistance
- Cancellation
- Baggage
I bit on something hard
A bone chipped my front tooth, on the top row, and cracked it. Blood started to run down so I had an emergency visit to the dentist to repair it.
B.P. U.S Resident in South Africa.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your trip from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: £5,000
- Standard Plan: £3,000
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalised?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Abroad Medical Expenses
Take the pain out of medical costs while traveling abroad.
- Explorer Plan: £10 million
- Standard Plan: £5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Need meds quick?
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Transport
Expenses included in Emergency Medical limits.
Evacuation and Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medivac home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Cover your lost, stolen or damaged gear and tech.
- Explorer Plan: £2,000
- Standard Plan: £1,000
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Baggage & Personal Belongings
- Cancellation
- Trip Curtailment
- Personal Accident
- Loss of Passport or travel documents
- Personal Liability
- Legal Expenses (Personal Liability)
World Nomads policies cannot cover claims due to Pre-Existing Medical Conditions (PEMC), regardless of whether the condition is serious or not (this includes if you're on separate or joint policies). You can still purchase a World Nomads policy, but the PEMC exclusion is not removable.
For travel insurance providers that offer cover on PEMC, visit the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) Money Helper website, or call 0800 138 7777. BIBA's (The British Insurance Brokers' Association) Find Insurance Service offers information on serious PEMCs and travel insurance providers that may cover these conditions. You can also contact them on 0370 950 1790.
24/7 emergency assistance
If you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Wherever you are, we’re here 24/7 to help you in any emergency.
Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?
For policies purchased on or after 1 September 2021:
+44 (0) 2030931750 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
For policies purchased before 1 September 2021:
Phone: +353 21 237 8005 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
Phone: +61 2 8263 0470 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
Travel insurance. Simple & flexible.
Travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families. Nobody wants to think about all the things that could go wrong on their trip, but these things can and do happen. So be prepared and get your travel insurance today.
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions about adventure activities and sports insurance. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Helpdesk or you can ask our customer service team.
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Does my insurance cover medical costs upfront or do I have to pay and claim later?
Who pays depends on what’s happened! If it’s an emergency situation where hospital admission and/or medical evacuation is required, the insurer covers these costs upfront (provided the incident is covered as per the policy wording, of course).
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Do you have a list of doctors/dentist so I know where to go in case something happens and make sure I’m covered?
We don't publish a list of doctors or dentists. If you need help finding one, call our assistance teams, and they'll guide to the most appropriate medical professional.
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Why don't you cover ongoing treatment at home?
Travel insurance policies are designed for accidents or unexpected illness overseas. They don't stand in place of primary medical insurance or government healthcare.
Before your trip, check to see if there are current travel alerts for your destination – you can also view the latest government advice.