I had the opportunity to go on a big overland trip at the last moment. Basically, a school friend of mine is a driver-cum-Tour Leader for one of the big overland companies, and two people dropped out of the trip just a week before it was supposed to depart, so he offered me a place pretty much at cost price. Fortunately, I wasn't doing that much and I had the opportunity to go. All I needed to do was to get insurance, as all the countries we were going through didn't need Visas. That's simple I thought! How wrong was I!
Lots of people, including myself, have a so called "enhanced" bank account where for a little handling fee they throw in breakdown cover and travel insurance. Great, that will do me. I looked in the brochure all the things I'd be doing on the trip and then found out loads of the things I'd be doing on my trip weren't actually covered on the bank scheme. Thinking about it further, I had breakdown cover, but I don't actually own a car. So the bank travel insurance would be fine for me if I was sitting on a beach somewhere, but for things like an overland tour, forget it.
I started to check out relevant insurance for my trip from the top instead. Some of the cheap policies, when you actually read them, had a load of "get out" clauses I noticed. One, amusingly enough, said I had to get a Doctors Certificate if I had any pre-existing conditions ever! Well, when I was a kid I broke my arm, so they are saying I needed a Certificate. So I phoned them, and when pushed they said I did need a Certificate from my Doctor before I book the trip. As I had already booked that was out then; however it did get me wondering how many other people would be caught out by this bizarre clause.
The basic insurance schemes I looked at would cover you for swimming, walking (walking.... I ask you!), Curling, playing football etc., but when I really looked into it and drilled down to see if they would cover me for white water rafting, trekking, canoeing etc., none of them did, or the few that did wanted an astronomical amount of money for the privilege. I obviously checked with the overland company I booked with, and their prices were just as bad.
The other problem I had is that I wasn't at all sure of all the things I'd be getting up to on this trip anyway. I could get special trekking insurance, but it wouldn't cover me for white water rafting or bungee jumping (I don't think I'd actually do a Bungee Jump anyway but if I did and somehow hurt myself I'd like to know I'd be put into a good hospital). In the end I did find someone who would cover all the things I needed to have to get covered, and a great deal more as well, and it wasn't that expensive. It wasn't the cheapest either by the way, but then again I'd looked at the small print on the cheapest one anyway and saw too many "get-out" clauses.
To go travelling without the right adventure travel insurance policy is foolish - don't do it.
Lots of people, including myself, have a so called "enhanced" bank account where for a little handling fee they throw in breakdown cover and travel insurance. Great, that will do me. I looked in the brochure all the things I'd be doing on the trip and then found out loads of the things I'd be doing on my trip weren't actually covered on the bank scheme. Thinking about it further, I had breakdown cover, but I don't actually own a car. So the bank travel insurance would be fine for me if I was sitting on a beach somewhere, but for things like an overland tour, forget it.
I started to check out relevant insurance for my trip from the top instead. Some of the cheap policies, when you actually read them, had a load of "get out" clauses I noticed. One, amusingly enough, said I had to get a Doctors Certificate if I had any pre-existing conditions ever! Well, when I was a kid I broke my arm, so they are saying I needed a Certificate. So I phoned them, and when pushed they said I did need a Certificate from my Doctor before I book the trip. As I had already booked that was out then; however it did get me wondering how many other people would be caught out by this bizarre clause.
The basic insurance schemes I looked at would cover you for swimming, walking (walking.... I ask you!), Curling, playing football etc., but when I really looked into it and drilled down to see if they would cover me for white water rafting, trekking, canoeing etc., none of them did, or the few that did wanted an astronomical amount of money for the privilege. I obviously checked with the overland company I booked with, and their prices were just as bad.
The other problem I had is that I wasn't at all sure of all the things I'd be getting up to on this trip anyway. I could get special trekking insurance, but it wouldn't cover me for white water rafting or bungee jumping (I don't think I'd actually do a Bungee Jump anyway but if I did and somehow hurt myself I'd like to know I'd be put into a good hospital). In the end I did find someone who would cover all the things I needed to have to get covered, and a great deal more as well, and it wasn't that expensive. It wasn't the cheapest either by the way, but then again I'd looked at the small print on the cheapest one anyway and saw too many "get-out" clauses.
To go travelling without the right adventure travel insurance policy is foolish - don't do it.
About the Author:
For Adventure Travel Insurance and advice on trekking insurance as well, drop into the site Andy used for his trip, www.adventuretravelinsurance.co.uk.
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