What’s the most adventurous thing you’ll be getting up to on your Australian adventure? Are you sure your insurance covers it?
You probably won’t want to think about this while you’re stood on the diving board, seemingly miles above the water, but you are insured for this, aren’t you?
We only ask because it highlights a common issue with travel insurance policies. Even dedicated sports and adventure holiday insurance varies wildly in how each policy treats activities. Thomas Cook, for example, will cover you for a high dive providing it’s in a pool, not from a cliff top.
Sportscover.com considers netball to be just about the most dangerous activity known to man, while Adventures Insurance offers quotes for alligator wrestling and ice speedway, not that you’ll find much of either travelling Australia. They’ll also insure you for bar work – we didn’t realise it was quite so risky.
The peril measure
Which activities insurers require you to declare can be surprising. You might expect to have to declare your intent to go bungee jumping, but what about climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge?
And all insurers, however daring the activity, will include their ‘get out of jail free’ card. Whatever you’re doing, and however much you’re paying to be covered for it, they won’t pay out if you’re cavalier about your own safety. So if diving in a croc cage or mountaineering are set to form part of your Australian experience, you’ll still need to have the training and equipment to be safe, and avoid any “wilful acts of self-exposure to peril” as one insurer neatly puts it.
The right cover?
We wrote recently about an FCO campaign to ensure you’re properly insured for your holiday to Australia. You can read more about it here, but it’s worth highlighting that, if you’re doing something daring,
- Understand the importance of taking out travel insurance
- Read the small print to ensure you have the right cover
- Declare pre-existing medical conditions
- Be aware that alcohol and drugs could invalidate your policy
Plan Your Travel to Australia
What’s On In Australia
#TravelAware Campaign – know before you go
