Thrill seekers have driven a 15% increase in adventure travel since the COVID-10 pandemic ended. Searching for experiences that are challenging, mentally stimulating, and photo worthy, they want risk and action to be part of their vacation. However, with risk comes the need for comprehensive medical insurance for adventure travel and extreme sports – not just the bare minimum coverage.
Different types of travel insurance coverage and what to look for
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are three types of insurance policies that travelers should consider purchasing:
Trip cancellation or disruption. As the name suggests, these policies help cover your costs if a trip is interrupted or delayed. When comparing policies, review the reasons allowed for changing or cancelling a trip. For example, many policies provide reimbursement if you or a family member becomes seriously ill or injured before a trip, or for a hurricane or other weather-related event that prevents travel.
Coverage exceptions will vary from provider to provider, so read all policy details carefully before purchasing.
Travel medical insurance. At SentinelMED, we always recommend that people purchase travel medical insurance. Here are a few reasons why:
- If you need to visit a hospital or health clinic while traveling outside the United States, you may have to pay out of pocket, even if the country has a nationalized healthcare system.
- Private insurance through your employer may or may not cover claims outside the U.S.; if it does, you may wait weeks or months to be reimbursed.
- If you have Medicare, it likely will not cover medical care or supplies outside the United States and its territories. This makes travel medical insurance a wise purchase for older travelers.
If you are planning an adventure or extreme sports excursion with a higher risk of injury, compare policies carefully and look for any exclusions that apply to the activities you plan to participate in. Exclusions will vary by provider but may include scuba diving, rock climbing, bungee jumping, hot air ballooning, and backcountry skiing/snowboarding, among others.
The CDC recommends that if you can’t find a policy that covers your adventure travel activities, “consider buying a short-term supplemental policy. Look for a policy that will make payments to hospitals directly.”
Medical evacuation insurance. These policies cover the cost of emergency medical transportation if you are in a remote area and need to be transported elsewhere to receive the level of care you need. Such policies can be purchased separately or may be included as part of a travel medical insurance plan. For adventure travel and extreme sports, medical evacuation coverage can literally save your life.
The cost of travel medical insurance for adventure travel and extreme sports
Travel insurance, on average, costs approximately 5% of the total trip cost, according to Forbes.com. The more expensive your trip, the more you should expect to pay for travel insurance. Age also affects the cost of travel insurance, with prices increasing by an additional 7% to 17% for individuals aged 60 years or older.
Policies that only cover trip cancellation are less expensive than comprehensive policies that include medical care and medical evacuation. However, comprehensive policies are a wise investment when considering the significant out-of-pocket costs you may incur after a medical emergency or evacuation.
About SentinelMED
SentinelMED provides medical transport, medical repatriation, and medical escort services for people who need assistance to travel long distances. The SentinelMED team is skilled at arranging transport for patients anywhere in the world.
Our logistics professionals work closely with adventure travel companies, travel insurance providers, and patients to provide safe and comfortable door-to-door transportation after an accident or illness. Together with our medical providers, they manage end-to-end travel for patients we transport.
At SentinelMED, we recognize the complexity of delivering exceptional care to individuals who require assistance during travel. Please contact us to learn more about the services that SentinelMED offers or its staff.
