Adventure travel insurance

What activities are excluded?

We’ve already mentioned that the list of activities included in your cover varies depending on the policy you buy. But as a general rule, the more dangerous or risky an activity is, the less likely it is to be covered. If you’re in any doubt, contact the insurer directly.

One thing that’s unlikely to be covered by standard travel insurance is any sport or activity where you’re taking part as a professional, or there’s prize money at stake. These situations almost always require specialist insurance.

It’s also worth bearing in mind certain activities may be covered but only under certain conditions. For example, scuba diving might be covered, but only to a certain depth. And other activities might only be covered if you’re accompanied by a qualified instructor.

Make sure you understand if any additional conditions apply so you don’t accidentally break the terms of your policy.

What affects the price of adventure travel insurance?

The price you pay for your policy depends on:

• Where you're travelling: If you’re travelling in Europe, the chances are your policy will be cheaper than if you’re travelling worldwide.
• Your age: The older you are, the more expensive your insurance usually is.
• The activities you plan on doing: If you have plans to bungee jump or go cage diving on your trip, the cost of your policy could go up. This is because these are usually seen as higher-risk activities by insurers.
• If you’ve got any medical conditions: The cost of travel insurance usually increases if you have a specific condition or illness, as insurers consider you more likely to need medical attention.
• What type of cover you need: This depends on how many times you plan on travelling in a year. If the holiday is a one-off, single-trip travel insurance is usually the cheaper option. If you’re going away several times in a year, an annual travel insurance policy could work out cheaper than buying a separate policy for each trip. This could be useful if you regularly do the same activities every time you go away.

Adventure travel insurance for people with a pre-existing medical condition

If you’re looking for travel insurance to cover adventure activities, you can still get a quote through us, you'll just need a specialist medical travel insurance policy. Just bear in mind the organiser may not allow you to take part in certain activities if you’ve got a pre-existing medical condition.

A pre-existing medical condition is an illness or condition you know about before you buy your travel insurance policy. These conditions include:

• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Stroke
• Disabilities
• Epilepsy
• Serious heart conditions
• Respiratory conditions
• Terminal illnesses

Some insurers might not cover you if you already have a serious medical condition, or if you have several conditions. Others might only offer insurance at a much higher price.

If you can’t find suitable cover, MoneyHelper has set up a directory of insurers who cover customers with pre-existing medical conditions. You can find the directory of insurers on the MoneyHelper website or you can phone the Money and Pensions Service for free impartial advice on 0800 138 7777.