Water sports travel insurance

Water sports travel insurance gives you specialist cover if you're heading away on an adventure that’s likely to feature activities like white-water rafting, scuba diving and jet skiing. It’s easy to forget that standard travel insurance generally doesn’t cover these sorts of activities, so make sure you’re not caught out.

There’s always a certain amount of risk where water is involved, so it’s important to have the right travel insurance in place. That way you can get medical help or recover the cost of lost equipment if you need to.

Water sports travel insurance can cover you for:

• Injury – having the right travel insurance will mean you don’t have to pay hefty medical bills or repatriation costs if you’re injured while doing water sports on holiday.

• Equipment – most insurance policies will cover your baggage up to a certain value. But if you’re transporting expensive water-skis or surfboards, the standard cover limit might not be enough. When choosing a policy, make sure it includes enough cover for the cost of replacing your equipment.

Comprehensive water sports insurance can also cover the cost of legal fees and compensation if you injure someone or damage their equipment while on the water.

Most standard travel insurance policies generally only cover low-risk sports. If you fancy more adventurous activities, you may need to extend your cover.

It’s worth noting that every insurance provider has its own definition of high-risk, and each policy is different.

Always check what your policy covers – especially when it comes to water sports. Never assume a certain activity is covered though, no matter how low-risk it may seem.

Water sports that are typically (but not always) covered by a standard travel insurance policy include:

• Swimming

• Surfing

• Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP)

• Snorkelling

• Water-skiing

• Rowing

It depends on the policy, so check it carefully. If your chosen sport isn’t covered under a standard travel insurance policy, check whether you can add extra protection. If not, you may want to compare policies from specialist sports insurance providers.

Even if your chosen water sport is covered as standard, you may find that conditions apply. For example:

• Jet-skiing – you’ll need to abide by local water safety rules

• Scuba diving – many policies only cover you if you have an open-water PADI licence, or if you’re supervised by a licensed instructor and don't dive below a certain depth (usually 40 metres/130 feet)

• Sailing – you must stay within 12 nautical miles of the shore, or pay for extra cover

• Yachting – some policies insist you stay within a certain distance of a safe haven

• White-water rafting – some insurance providers only cover grade one to three rapids, others cover up to grade five

• Fishing – some insurance providers may not cover deep-sea fishing or spearfishing

• Paragliding – many policies only cover tandem paragliding with a qualified instructor using equipment from a licensed operator

• Windsurfing – many policies only cover you if you stay within 10 nautical miles of land (although it’s highly unlikely you’d go beyond this).

It’s most likely you’ll stay within these limits anyway, but if they don’t sound sufficient, you’ll need to look at extreme sports cover.

How much you pay for your travel insurance with water sports cover will depend on a few factors, including where you’re going, your age, and your medical history.

To give you a rough idea, single-trip travel insurance for a week in Europe can cost from £7.98^[1]. Prices for a week somewhere further flung can cost from £16^[2].

To compare travel insurance quotes for you, we’ll need to know:

• Where you’re going - you’ll need different cover depending on whether you’re going to the UK, Europe or further afield.

• How long you’re going for - is it a short holiday or are you off on a six-month backpacking adventure?

• Single trip or multi trip? Consider if you want to cover one break, or if you’re taking several holidays.

• What water sports or other activities you’ll need cover for

We’ll also need some details about you and anyone you want included on the policy. Insurance providers will also want to know your age, and whether you have any existing medical conditions.