For travelers craving adventure, few activities rival kayaking or white water rafting. While a trip to take on some of the world’s most impressive rapids is sure to offer an adrenaline rush, it also comes with a fair amount of risk.
If you’re gearing up for a kayaking and rafting trip, make sure you are covered by the right kind of travel insurance before you go. Remember that water sports including kayaking and rafting include an element of danger, so time should be spent researching the exact type of coverage you may need.
Top kayaking and rafting destinations
United States
Stretching for more than 200 miles across Arizona and Utah, the Grand Canyon National Park’s rapids are some of the best known in the US for good reason — the most famous stretch passes through the bottom of the awe-inspiring, steep-walled Grand Canyon.
Costa Rica
The Pacuare River’s class 3 and 4 rapids through lush rainforest with views of the Talamanca Mountains on the horizon make for a Costa Rican adventure sports highlight.
Zambia/Zimbabwe
Starting from the Victoria Falls, one of the world’s largest waterfalls, a trip down the Zambezi River’s class 4 rapids are a must for any serious adventure traveler. Keep an eye out for hippos and crocodiles along the 15-mile-long stretch flowing along the Zambia Zimbabwe border.
Chile
Patagonia features on the bucket list of many a traveler and rafting through the class 3 and 4 rapids of the Futalefú River make for an unparalleled way to experience it.
What does kayaking and rafting travel insurance cover?
To secure coverage for a kayaking and rafting trip, you’ll need a comprehensive travel insurance plan that also includes adventure sports coverage. Look for a plan taht automatically includes coverage for kayaking as well as white and black water rafting (up to grade 4 rapids).
Your travel insurance policy can also include key travel insurance benefits including, trip cancellation, trip delay, trip interruption protection, and baggage loss and delay.
For adventure activities like rafting and kayaking, it’s especially important to make sure your policy provides coverage for emergency medical expenses. Even if you’re traveling in your country of residence, there is no guarantee your private health insurance will cover you if you’re out of network, and many insurance plans may not be valid overseas.
Medical insurance from your travel insurance policy ensures that you will be able to receive the medical assistance you need without incurring large out-of-pocket medical costs. In addition, if you’re traveling in a foreign country and in need of emergency assistance, your insurance will usually provide an emergency assistance team who can help you find urgently required medical help. In a worst case scenario, emergency medical evacuation can also be included.
What is not covered?
Like all adventure sports coverage, travel insurance for kayaking or rafting only covers those travelers doing it for leisure or non-professional purposes. In addition, insurers will often exclude rapids above a certain grade or degree of difficulty — rapids listed grade 5 or 6 are normally considered too dangerous to be insurable.
In addition, emergency medical insurance only covers medical treatment required in an emergency. Ongoing medical care or care for any pre-existing medical conditions may be excluded.
