At World Nomads, we believe that responsible travel includes making sure that you have the necessary protection in case something goes wrong on your trip.Why buy travel insurance?
To be completely transparent – we sell travel insurance – but that’s not why we think it’s a good idea.Travel insurance isn’t designed to cover every scenario and situation – it’s there to help with the specific events outlined in your policy that may go wrong while travelling.
World Nomads offers two plans – a Standard Plan and an Explorer Plan – each with different benefits, limits and sub-limits of cover. When considering travel insurance, you should look at the destinations you’re planning to visit and the activities you’re likely to do, and then choose the policy with the level of benefits to match.
You may also need to add adventure activities to your quote, and if you want the level of cover offered by the Explorer Plan, you’ll need to add it when you take out your policy, as you can’t upgrade or add activities mid-trip.
Illness and injury are common reasons why travellers make claims. Whether you’re taking the ‘road less travelled’ or visiting a trendy destination, medical events can happen. They range from minor incidents requiring local medical assistance to life-changing medical events and even death. Medical treatment abroad can be very expensive, especially in countries such as the USA, and can bankrupt a traveller or their family if they aren’t adequately insured.
Medical benefits vary from policy to policy, but generally they can help you find medical help, get you to a local clinic or hospital for treatment if necessary, and repatriate you if you’re seriously injured. In the worst-case scenario, travel insurance can pay for the repatriation of your remains or funeral expenses.
It’s also important to remember that some countries’ medical systems are fragile and have limited services and capacity. That’s why some destinations require proof of travel insurance before you visit, so that you don’t become a burden on the local people and economy if you need medical help.
Get off the beaten track… and stay on the straight and narrowSure, taking the road less travelled is exciting, but be aware that some travel insurance policies do not cover exploratory expeditions, new routes, hiking in remote or inaccessible areas, or travelling to dangerous places.
Do your research and understand the local environment and political landscape before you set off. Being a responsible traveller means respecting other cultures and, more importantly, local laws. Whatever your passion, if you do something illegal in the name of a good cause – it’s still illegal. Whether it’s scaling a building, protesting outside a government building or hanging a banner from a local statue in the name of your cause, if you get hurt, you’re unlikely to be covered. That’s because many travel insurance policies don’t cover any kind of illegal activity, even if it’s legal in your own country.
World Nomads travel insurance allows you to participate in a range of volunteer activities and holidays, from summer teaching programmes to clean water projects. We’re big believers in paying it forward and giving back – and what better way to strengthen communities, make meaningful connections and open your eyes (and arms and hearts) than to contribute to a worthy cause?
However, we don’t cover every type of volunteering experience and some may have restrictions or be excluded from our policies altogether.
So take the time to read your policy carefully and check the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions. If you’re not sure if you’re covered, contact us and we’ll do our best to help.
If you haven’t chosen a volunteering programme yet, you may find inspiration in our article on choosing ethical volunteering programmes.