Your trekking adventure can be covered, but there is an altitude limit of 6000 metres. That means a ‘yes’ for Mt Kilimanjaro at 5895m (just squeezed it in), Everest Base Camp at 5364m and no issue with Machu Picchu.
What you need to do to be covered!
Simply list ‘trekking’ or ‘hiking’ as one of the activities you want cover for when getting your quote and buying your policy. It’s that simple! You will need to tell us what altitude you’ll be reaching though - eg up to 2000 metres or up to 6000 metres - so make sure you know this before choosing the activity.
You must add all the adventures and activities you plan to try on your trip when you buy it. You won’t be able to make changes after your policy is issued.
What’s covered?
Depending on the situation you find yourself in, there’s cover for:
- evacuation if it’s urgent and medically necessary (by the most appropriate means including helicopter when necessary and available);
- emergency overseas medical expenses for treatment at the hospital or local medical centre; and/or
- repatriation home if you’re seriously ill or injured and unable to continue your trip.
If something happens to you while on your trek, make sure you (or someone else) contact our emergency assistance team as soon as possible. If medically necessary and urgent, they can arrange your evacuation to the nearest, most appropriate medical facility.
If a guide or tour operator wants to arrange your evacuation, you must contact our assistance team first to guarantee cover. Wherever possible, do it yourself or ask a friend to do it for you. Some unscrupulous operators are saying they’ve received our go-ahead when they haven’t, and the result is that we’re paying unnecessary bills, and trekkers are being taken off the mountain when they didn’t need to miss out on the rest of the trip. Who wants to go all the way to Nepal and only trek for a day or two when a little rest and recuperation was all that was needed to keep going?
Please be aware your cover may be limited if our assistance team are not contacted.
Who pays for medical treatment depends on what’s happened to you and the necessary treatment required.
What’s not covered?
Travel insurance is not designed to cover everything, so take the time to read the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions in the policy wording, particularly Sections 1 & 2 for medical and evacuation as well as the section specific exclusions and the General Exclusions, so there are no surprises if you do need to use it.
Here are a few of the things that aren’t covered:
- trekking/hiking over 6000 metres on any plan.
- search and rescue if you’re lost up there in the mountains, or at any other time.
- if you put yourself at risk by not following local advice, or if you go to a region where there is a government travel warning against travelling there.
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