Travel Insurer Warns of Coverage Gaps

- Standard travel insurance policies often do not cover injuries or accidents that occur during adventure sports such as rock climbing, surfing, skydiving, and even snorkeling. To be covered, travelers typically need to purchase add-on coverage or a specialized adventure sports policy. - A significant reason for the denial of travel insurance claims is the failure to disclose pre-existing medical conditions. According to the Financial Ombudsman Service, 27% of disputed claims in one period were due to this issue. - Emergency medical evacuation can be a major unexpected cost, with domestic air ambulance flights averaging between $12,000 and $80,000, and international evacuations potentially costing from $100,000 to over $250,000. Some policies offer up to $1 million in coverage for medical evacuation. - Data from one comparison site showed a 33% increase in travel insurance claim denials over the previous year, with reasons including late policy purchase and non-covered trip interruptions. - Activities such as scuba diving below 60 feet without a dive master, or skiing and snowboarding outside of marked trails are commonly listed as exclusions in standard travel insurance plans. - Some policies may not cover incidents that occur while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. - To ensure coverage for specific activities, travelers can use platforms like SOVENTURE to filter and compare plans that explicitly include their planned sports, such as trekking or canyoning. - Besides adventurous activities, other common exclusions can include losses due to foreseeable events, such as a hurricane that was named before the policy was purchased.