Thrillseekers find joy in adventure. Our licensed insurance specialists evaluated travel insurance plans based on their coverage, cost, and the needs of travelers engaging in high-risk activities.
Best Travel Insurance Plans for Adventure Travel
What are the Key Benefits of an Adventure Travel Insurance Plan?
While looking for a travel insurance plan to cover you while participating in high-risk activities, it is important that you have strong coverage in case of a medical incident during your adventure. High-risk activities include skiing, scuba diving, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and more. Not only can you cover yourself, but you can also cover your equipment during your trip.
Typically, basic travel insurance may not cover injuries that are caused by these kinds of high-risk activities, since the risk of injury is so much higher. However, there are travel insurance plans that may have an optional adventure sports coverage that you can add on for an additional fee.
The benefits of travel insurance to look out for when it comes to adventure sports coverage include the following:
- Emergency Medical Evacuation: If you happen to get injured, especially in a remote location or somewhere with limited medical facilities, travel insurance can help cover your transportation and medical evacuation to the nearest hospital.
- Emergency Medical Expenses: Travel insurance can provide coverage if you need to go to a hospital and get medical treatment due to an injury from an adventure sport. Receiving medical treatment outside of your home country can be expensive, especially because sometimes your domestic health insurance may provide little to no coverage.
- Accidental Death & Dismemberment: While it is not a subject that we all want to think about, making sure you have accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance helps provide a lump sum amount to your beneficiary in the event of a death or covered accident. This add-on can also protect you in case of dismemberment, which can be typically defined as the loss of a limb, loss of sight, or permanent paralysis.
- Adventure Sports Coverage: Allows coverage for medical expenses related to your high-risk activity. Many travel insurance plans don't normally cover activities with a higher risk such as skiing or mountaineering. However, some plans typically have adventure sports coverage as a separate, optional add-on, which could be worth it in case of an injury related to your activity.
- Sports Equipment Delay and Loss: If your sports equipment is delayed, stolen, damaged, or missing, travel insurance may provide reimbursement if you need to repair or rent new equipment. Sports equipment may include ski gear, surfboards, wetsuits, and bicycles. It is important to read your policy details to see what it classifies as "sports equipment."
- Trip Cancellation: For a covered reason, travel insurance may provide reimbursement if you need to cancel your trip, allowing you to recoup up to 100% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.
- Trip Interruption: If there is a covered, unforeseen event causing you to end your trip early, travel insurance can cover your unused, prepaid expenses that you cannot get a refund for. For example, if you were going somewhere to ski and there is a snowstorm during your trip, travel insurance may cover you in this case.
- Trip Delay: Trip delay coverage can provide reimbursement for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses you could not use if your trip is delayed by several hours for a covered reason. This kind of coverage may also pay for additional costs like meals, extra transportation, and lodging if an overnight stay is necessary and the airline does not provide vouchers for these expenses.
- 24/7 Assistance Services: If you need guidance during your trip, many travel insurance plans offer a 24/7 assistance services hotline that you can typically find on your ID card. This service can provide translation services, hospital navigation, and give advice on the necessary documents you may need in case you need to file a claim.
| Benefits | iTravelInsured Travel LX | Pathway Premium | iTravelInsured Choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Emergency Coverage | Up to $500,000 | Up to $200,000 | Up to $100,000 |
| Medical Emergency Evacuation | Up to $1,000,000 | Up to $1,000,000 | Up to $500,000 |
| Accidental Death & Dismemberment | Up to $100,000 for Common Carrier | Up to $10,000, Up to $25,000 for Common Carrier | Up to $10,000 |
| Adventure Sports Coverage | Optional Add-on benefit | Optional Add-on benefit | Optional Add-on benefit |
| Sports Equipment Delay | Up to $500 | Not covered | Optional Add-on benefit |
| Sports Equipment Loss | Up to $2,000 | Not covered | Optional Add-on benefit |
| Trip Cancellation | Up to 100% | Up to 100% | Up to 100% |
| Trip Interruption | Up to 150% | Up to 150% | Up to 150% |
| Trip Delay | Up to $250 per day, $2,500 maximum | Up to $2,000, $300 per day, after 6 hours | Up to $150 per day, $1,000 maximum |
| 24/7 Assistance Services | Covered | Covered | Covered |
