Activities Travel Insurance Companies Hate
By Darren Faulder
Travelling without insurance is simply a bad idea – you can never tell what might happen. Unfortunately, some of the most enjoyable activities are also some of the riskiest. So, you need to be fully aware of what your policy does and does not cover before you set out. You might think you won’t indulge in certain things, but opting for the cheapest insurance might mean that the second you get on that moped without thinking, all of a sudden you’re uninsured, while also being at increased risk of injury – as well as a hefty repair bill.
Examples of Excluded Activities
By and large, you’ll have a hard time convincing insurance companies to cover you for what they deem a dangerous activity. In some cases, you’re able to get cover for ‘extreme’ activities or sports, such as snowboarding, skiing or surfing, but most will shy away from those they consider too risky for them – the way they see it, there’s just too much chance you’ll get hurt, and then have the cheek to get them to pay for it!
Dangerous activities include, but aren’t necessarily limited to:
•Rock climbing: It’s a long way down, and the floor is often quite hard.
•Bungee Jumping: See above.
•Water activities including the use of an aerial device: Who’s to say that aerial device won’t connect with your head at some point?
•Scuba diving: Activities which include the use of an artificial breathing device (this doesn’t usually mean snorkelling) can be very hard to get cover for.
•Racing: Car racing, horse racing, boat racing – if you’re going very fast and taking risks at the time of your accident, the insurance company will not be overly impressed.
•Hunting: Come on, you’re carrying a gun...
If you know you’re planning on participating in a dangerous activity – heading to Spain for the Basque Country’s annual Running of the Bulls would probably count – ASK your insurance company if a certain activity is a ‘dangerous’ one – their descriptions can be very vague. Don’t believe the first agent who tells you that no one will cover you for your planned activity, but be aware it might be costly to get covered for it if you do find someone willing.
Ways Around Exclusions
Some insurance companies can seem quite sneaky to the purchaser of the policy when it comes to cover. For example, you might think that as your policy says you’re covered for skiing, you’re all good to jump on that snowboard – you might be wrong, so check. These days, you could always go online or phone up from wherever
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you are to make certain. Although some insurance will simply baulk at covering you for what they deem dangerous, if your heart is set on an activity, it’s not worth cancelling all together - you may be able to pay an extra amount on top of a policy to make sure you are covered for an extreme activity.
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