Extreme sports travel insurance

Extreme sports travel insurance is perfect for adrenaline junkies who love to take part in thrill-seeking sporting activities while they’re on holiday. Standard travel insurance may only cover low-risk activities. So if you intend to take part in activities such as skydiving, mountaineering or jet-skiing, you’ll probably need extra cover.

There are plenty of activities that can be considered ‘extreme’. Insurance providers have different views on which sports should be classed as such. It all depends on how they assess the risk involved.

When you compare travel insurance that covers extreme sports, it’s important to double check that policies include cover for the sports and activities you’ll be taking part in while you’re away.

Many low-key sports such as cycling and swimming are likely to be included in a standard travel policy. However, there are plenty of exceptions. If you enjoy an adventure sport such as bungee jumping or rock climbing, you may need a specialist extreme sports policy, or at least an add-on to your standard policy. Your insurance should cover you in the event of an accident and for travel home if necessary.

Policies vary, but the following activities are often included in a standard travel insurance policy:

• Some low-risk water sports and activities, including swimming, snorkelling, paddle-boarding, beach games, fishing and kayaking on low-grade rivers

• Certain ball and team sports, often including football, golf, cricket and tennis

• Lower-risk outdoors activities including cycling, running, fell-walking and pony trekking – although exclusions usually apply.

Because each insurance provider has its own list of activities that it will or won’t cover as standard, you’ll need to check the policy wording carefully to make sure you get the cover you need.

And don’t forget to check you’re covered for any more unusual activities you may have planned, such as going on safari, hot air ballooning, sleigh riding or whale watching.

Each insurance provider has its own way of deciding which sports are extreme, and coverage varies – that's why it's so important to check that your chosen activity is covered before buying adventure sports travel insurance.

Some pursuits require specialist insurance. For example, if you’re going skiing or snowboarding, you may need to get winter sports travel insurance.

But to give some idea, most travel insurance providers (and people) consider the following high-adrenaline activities as extreme:

• Assault courses

• Bungee jumping

• Canyon swinging

• Canyoning and gorge walking

• Caving

• Glacier hiking

• Hang gliding

• Heli-skiing

• Horse-riding

• Jet-skiing

• Kite surfing and skiing

• Marathon running

• Martial arts

• Mountain biking and BMX

• Mountaineering

• Off-piste skiing and snowboarding

• Open water swimming

• Paragliding

• Parasailing

• Quad biking

• Rock climbing

• Rugby

• Sand dune surfing

• Sea kayaking

• Shark diving

• Skydiving

• Tubing

• White water or black water rafting

• Ziplining.

Whatever travel insurance policy you choose, check which activities are included.

If the policy doesn’t cover your chosen sport, ask your insurance provider if they can add it. Or find a specialist insurance provider that offers the level of cover you need.

Extreme sports risk level

For other adventurous sports and activities, it depends on the level of risk you’re taking. So it’s important to keep an eye out for any exclusions or conditions.

For example, you may need extreme sports insurance if you’re:

• Canoeing, kayaking or rafting on rivers classed above a certain grade

• Hiking or trekking above a certain altitude

• Sailing or yachting outside coastal waters

• Scuba diving below a certain depth

• Yachting outside of territorial waters

Sports that may need specialist cover

As mentioned earlier, certain sports have their own specialist cover, such as:

• Golf

• Water sports

• Winter sports

As with any type of travel insurance, extreme sports cover comes with conditions attached. For example, you typically won’t be covered for a claim where:

• You were under the influence of alcohol or drugs

• It’s believed you behaved recklessly or dangerously

• You didn’t follow recommended safety instructions and rules – for example, not wearing the correct safety equipment

• For certain activities, you weren’t part of an organised group or accompanied by a guide or instructor.

There may also be age restrictions on travel insurance cover for extreme sports. For example, some policies won’t cover travellers over the ages of 70 or 75.

Always check your policy amounts and limits, as some providers may charge a larger medical excess for certain activities.

Every insurance policy is different, but travel insurance for extreme sports usually includes:

• Medical expenses – to cover the cost of medical treatment and hospital bills if you’re injured or fall ill. This should include if you hurt yourself while participating in an extreme sport covered by the policy. It could also include ambulance or air ambulance fees.

• Repatriation – to cover the cost of getting you home if necessary, or in case you miss your flight after hospital treatment.

• Holiday cancellation – to cover your expenses if you need to cancel your trip due to an unforeseen reason like an illness or injury.

• Missed flights and connections – caused by events out of your control such as adverse weather or public transport delays.

• Loss and theft – travel insurance can cover you if your baggage is lost or your possessions are stolen.

• Personal injury – you can receive a lump-sum payment if an accident on your trip leaves you permanently disabled.

• Personal liability – this covers compensation costs if you injure someone, or damage or lose their property.

Say you spontaneously decide to take part in a spot of rock climbing or scuba diving while you’re away. Do you have cover?

The answer, as always is to check your policy, which is why it’s a good idea to take your policy documents with you (or store them somewhere easy to find in your emails or on your phone). That way, if you make a last-minute decision to try an activity, you can see if it’s on the list.

If it’s not covered, call your insurance provider to see if you can add it. If that’s not possible, you may be able to buy standalone insurance on the day. But whatever you do, make sure you’re covered.

If you have a serious health condition, your travel insurance is likely to be more expensive. Whatever happens, tell your insurance provider the truth. If you give false information or miss out some information, your claim could be rejected.

When you declare any medical conditions when making a comparison with us, we’ll just show you quotes from insurance providers that will cover them with no exclusions.

If your condition is more serious, MoneyHelper has a directory of insurance providers who may be able to provide quotes over the phone. You can call them on 0800 138 7777.

To get a quote, we’ll need to ask you a few questions, including:

• Travel dates

• Destination

• Details of any specialist cover required

• Excess limits

• Pre-existing medical conditions

• Personal details.

Once we have the information we need, we’ll send you a list of quotes to compare.