Travel insurance when doing water sports

Planning on scuba diving, wakeboarding or surfing while on holiday? Travel Insurance Direct (TID) can help with travel insurance cover you when you want to get wet and wild!

TID offers cover for popular water activities and sports such as swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving (provided you hold an open water scuba diving licence or are diving under licensed instructions), and jet skiing.

We also have cover for some water-based activities that you may think are not included such as shark cage diving, speed boating, kite wing and wakeboarding. If a fun time for you includes getting wet and creating a splash, then TID has cover options for you.

If you are really in the mood for an outdoor adventure and want to add a mix of sports and activities you should check out our sports and activities cover article. It lists all of the activities and sports we cover and extra information to help clarify any queries around coverage.

What water sports activities are covered?

TID travel insurance can help if your water adventure goes south unexpectedly, and you get that sinking feeling. We can help with getting you 24-hour emergency medical assistance, evacuated if needed and, in the worst case scenario, repatriated back home.  Cover varies between plans.  

• Banana boat rides
• Boating, sailing
• Canoeing
• Dragon boating
• Fishing (deep sea, angling, fly fishing, on a river, boat, or standing in a lake; but excluding ice fishing)
• Jet boating
• Jet skiing
• Kayaking - white water, sea, river, lake
• Kite boarding
• Kite surfing
• Kite wing
• Outrigger canoeing
• River boarding/hydrospeeding
• Sailing
• Sail boarding/wind surfing
• Scuba diving when an open water diving licence is held; diving with a licensed instructor
• Shark cage diving
• Snorkelling
• Speed boating
• Stand-up paddle surfing/paddle boarding
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Wakeboarding
• Water polo
• Water skiing
• White water rafting

What water sports and activities aren't covered

There are some activities we don't cover at all.

• If it's not on our list, you can contact us to find out if it's covered. 
• If you are racing, or participating in, or training for a professional sporting activity, no cover will be provided
• If you travel in international waters in a private sail vessel or privately registered sail vessel you’re also not covered.

Key tips for activities and sports

• Keep your receipts and paperwork: any claim you make will need supporting documentation such as receipts of your purchases. Keep these with you in printed or digital form if you intend to make a claim.
• It pays to be prepared: check the weather, check your equipment, and check the credentials of your instructors and guides – if any seem unreliable then reconsider if it’s a smart move to go.
• Monitor weather conditions and consider your fitness: you may want to reconsider your plans for a water-based holiday if you’re traveling to an island nation during the least optimal season weather-wise. You also need to ensure you are fit enough to take on any water-related activities or sports that you plan on doing. There’s no point signing up for cage-diving for instance if you’re prone to panicking or aren’t a proficient swimmer.
• Don’t get in over your head: be responsible when choosing a water sports activity. Does it suit your experience level? Are you using an accredited tour operator? Make sure to wear appropriate safety gear.

What snow sports aren't covered?

Regardless of whether or not you’ve purchased the snow sports cover option, we won't cover any claims arising from your participation in any activities on ice or snow other than the ones described as a Snow sport in the policy such as:

• bobsleighing/bobsledding;
• luge;
• skeleton;
• tubing;
• ski acrobatics;
• ski jumping;
• skijoring;
• snow kiting;
• snow biking;
• snow rafting;
• ice hockey;
• ice climbing;
• any activities on frozen lakes and rivers;
• any professional sporting activities;
• any form of racing (other than on foot).

Can travel insurance cover skiing and snowboarding?

Arrived at the mountain ready to hit the slopes but there's no snow? While we can't guarantee the weather, amount of snow, or your skiing ability, our optional Snow sports cover is designed to help cover:

• Our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team is available to take your call and help from broken bones to sudden illness.
• Overseas medical expenses cover can help with with medical assistance, hospital care and evacuation and, in the worst case scenario, repatriation back home. 
• Ski lift passes: The costs of pre-paid ski lift passes or ski equipment hire or tuition fees when you're injured or become ill during your trip and can't ski. 
• Hire equipment when yours is lost, damaged or delayed: If your own equipment is lost or delayed in transit or damaged, our optional Snow sports cover may help cover the reasonable costs of hiring replacement equipment so you don't miss out on all the fun.
• If the weather closes the slopes: Yep, if the weather is so bad they close the slopes for more than 24 hours, you may be covered due to your inability to go skiing, although daily and maximum benefit limits and terms and conditions apply.
• Baggage: If your equipment is permanently lost, or irreparably damaged, you may also be able make a claim under the luggage and personal effects section.
• Cancellation due to illness: If you have to cancel or defer your ski tour holiday because you or a family member is medically certified unfit to travel, your non-refundable pre-paid travel costs for ski tours may also be covered.

There is no medical cover available on the Domestic Plan as Australian residents are able to access Medicare.  Benefit limits apply to all these sections and you should remember if you haven't added the Snow sports cover option when you purchase your travel insurance policy, then these benefits may not be covered.

Why should I consider travel insurance for skiing and snowboarding?

Every year, tens of thousands of us go overseas to hit the slopes in the colder parts of the world. From ski schools in Canada to the wide-open runs of France, Australians can be found on pistes all around the world. Zooming down an icy hill on planks is much riskier than lying by the pool in the sun all day.
Each ski season, we receive hundreds of claims about broken bones, torn ligaments and dislocations from skiing accidents overseas. Injuries sustained from snow sports can be serious and the cost of staying in hospital in some countries, such as America or Japan, can be sky-high. Travel insurance can help in these scenarios, getting you emergency medcial assistance, evacuated if needed and, in the worst case scenario, repatriated back home.  Cover varies between plans.  

What if my skiing and snowboarding trip is impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Cover for some coronavirus related events is available on all our plans, but the benefits and benefit limits vary. Learn more about the cover available here.

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