This is a collaborative post.
Although hiking is an enjoyable experience, it can also be pretty dangerous. Without the proper knowledge and equipment, even the most experienced hiker can find themselves in a stressful situation. One of the best ways to ensure that your hiking experience stays enjoyable is taking out trekking insurance. Thanks to it, you can rest assured knowing that you will receive help whenever you need it — even at high altitudes.
However, when you decide to read more about trekking travel insurance options, you need to consider a few crucial elements. These include their altitude limits, which trekking accidents they cover, their overall costs, and additional benefits, such as equipment protection, loss of passport and visa replacement costs, or baggage cover.
Below, we take a closer look at these and some other elements you need to know before taking the insurance and heading out for an adventure.
What Are the Basic Types of Trekking Insurance?
As we already mentioned, trekking insurance is an essential part of your preparations. Without it, you may not be able to enjoy your trip as you would otherwise. However, the question is, what type of trekking insurance could you consider?
Well, there are several options for you to choose from, including:
Adventure Cover
If you want to cover your trip in case something goes wrong, then you need to purchase an adventure cover. This type of insurance covers many risks, including returning home early because of injury or illness; permanent disability; medical repatriation; death; and accidental loss of luggage. It can be purchased by people who are traveling independently, as well as those who are staying at hotels or homestays.
Trekking Only Cover
Another option that you can consider is trekking only cover. This will help you cover all the risks related to trekking, such as death, permanent disability, etc., depending on the level of cover. However, it does not cover any other threats, including motor vehicle accidents, travel delays, travel cancellations, theft of personal belongings, or lost or delayed baggage. Therefore, if you are looking for a wider coverage, this option may not be the best choice for you.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Trekking Insurance
As we already know, trekking insurance is an essential element that every hiker needs to know about before they head out on their journey. However, there are both advantages and disadvantages that come with taking out such a policy.
Advantages
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You can rest assured knowing that nobody will suffer financially if something happens during your trip (such as emergency evacuation).
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It can make your life easier if something happens and you need to be evacuated from the area.
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Provides peace of mind – knowing that all possible expenses will be taken care of In case anything goes wrong during your trip.
Disadvantages
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As it is a kind of travel insurance, it will cost you quite a lot of money.
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You have to be extra careful when choosing a policy as there are no standardized policies used by all companies.
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You have to carefully read all terms and conditions before choosing a policy so as not to miss details regarding altitude limits and other elements.
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Some policies do not provide coverage for high altitudes which can be a problem if you plan on going on a trek at high altitude.
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The cost of the policy depends heavily on how far away from home you reside.
Is Trekking Insurance Necessary?
Now that you know what trekking insurance is and what it covers, the next question you want to ask yourself is whether or not you need it. To give you a better idea of whether it is necessary for you to take out trekking insurance, let’s take a look at some of the risks that occur during a trek.
Death
This is a risk that every hiker needs to be prepared for. While taking out a policy, you can rest assured knowing that the company will cover the expenses related to your death, such as funeral costs. Depending on the type of policy you purchase, it may also cover accidental death. In this case, if you pass away from an accident during the trek, your family will receive compensation from the company.
Permanent Disability
In case of a permanent disability covered by the policy, the insurer will pay a certain amount of money to you or your family members. This amount will vary depending on which policy you purchase and your situation. However, it will always be calculated based on your income and lifestyle.
Emergency Medical Care and Repatriation Expenses
Emergency medical care costs are costs that will be incurred should you require emergency medical care during your trip. These costs can include things like urgent evacuation, ambulance services, helicopter rescue, helicopter evacuations, etc. These costs are usually covered by all policies. However, some may cover them partially or not at all. For example, if you purchase a policy with a maximum altitude limit, then you should check with the company to see if they will cover your repatriation costs if you end up having an accident.
Conclusion
As you can see, trekking insurance is an important element of your trip. Without it, you can’t be sure that your expenses will be covered in case something happens during the trek. Therefore, it is essential for you to take out a policy if you want to be sure that you will be reimbursed for all expenses incurred during your trek.
While there are several types of policies on the market, we recommend that you consider the ones that allow you to cover high altitudes. This way, you will be able to enjoy your trek to the fullest without the fear of anything going wrong.
