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Travel Insurance for a trip to Africa

The African continent with its 54 countries is ripe for outdoor adventure. Check out our travel tips and more.

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Africa is known as the Mother Continent, not just because it’s the oldest inhabited continent on Earth, but because it offers tourists the Mother of all travel experiences. Australia may have its own tourist drawcards, but that shouldn’t stop us from swapping Bondi for Botswana or Tasmania for Tanzania for a safari or for a once in a lifetime volunteer adventure.

But before you do decide to visit Africa, you should consider the benefits of travel insurance.

• What's covered
• Why should I consider travel insurance when visiting Africa?
• What to look out for when travelling around Africa?
• What's not covered? 

What's Covered 

At World Nomads we have been on the wrong end of bags going missing, cancelled flights, or interrupted, and unexpected illness or injury, which can slow us down or stop our trip completely. That’s why considering an insurance policy should be right up there with packing your passport.

Our plans - whether you opt for a Standard of Explorer policy - offer cover (up to the benefit limits) for:

  • Overseas emergency medical
  • Medical evacuation and repatriation
  • Trip cancellation
  • Lost or delayed baggage
  • Travel delay/interruption
  • Cover for 150+ activities, sports, and experiences
  • Cover for Coronavirus-related events
  • and much more...

Remember: Make sure you’ve selected the right travel insurance plan for your specific needs. With World Nomads you can get a quote, make a claim, or extend your policy instantly online, while enroute or after arriving at your destination.

Travel insurance tip: many countries may require proof of vaccination before they can enter, and some have introduced visas and travel insurance minimum requirements. Make sure you’ve got the required proof of any vaccinations so you can present them while travelling overseas.
woman kayaking in Slovenia
Woman looking at Elephants in Africa. Photo credit: Tamara Malesevic / EyeEm

Why should I consider travel insurance when visiting Africa?

Australians are an adventurous bunch and like most travel junkies the farther away the better. Whether you’re planning a family trip to see the giraffe, zebra, and Victoria Falls in Zambia; have been training for a Mount Kilimanjaro trek with your mates; or have Africa in mind as part of a multi-country digital nomad jaunt, travel insurance should be considered for so many reasons, below are just a few:

  1. Medical Emergencies
Soaring over the Masai Mara grasslands in a hot-air balloon or walking over the Victoria Falls knife-edge bridge are unforgettable thrills, but they’re not exactly risk-free. A rolled ankle or a bout of malaria can feel worse when it happens in a remote place – such as a far-flung water hole, or a small village.

If you’re a World Nomads policy holder your cover can help cover emergency accidents and illness when the worst happens (say, a twisted ankle that stops your walking safari through Botswana’s Okavango Delta in its tracks). And you also have access to the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team, handy when you need to translate your Rwandan doctor’s advice or find the nearest hospital.

  1. Weather-related trip delay, trip interruption and trip cancellation coverage
Weather patterns across Africa can range from the unusual (think snowstorms in South Africa that had elephants, giraffes, and rhinos wandering in a de facto snow globe) to the downright dangerous (monsoons and whipping winds that can lead to death in equatorial areas).

At its best, such extreme weather can lead to unexpected days indoors spent by a crackling fire at your lodge. At its worst, you could endure safety woes, delayed tours, or cancelled flights. If you have a World Nomads policy, you may have trip cancellation, trip interruption or trip delay coverage for some of these situations. Read your policy for more details and scan for the sections in the PDS that mention severe weather or natural disasters or contact us for more information.

  1. Carjacking, pickpocketing, and other crimes
Be sure to check for local government travel advisories regarding advice to reconsider visiting parts of Africa that are currently experiencing civil unrest and violent crime and kidnapping. You can also check out World Nomads latest travel alerts for Africa.

If you’re the victim of a robbery during your travels, you may be reimbursed for the loss of your belongings, up to the plan’s limits and the items' depreciated value subject to claims assessment. Don’t forget to keep your police report, keep original copies of receipts, and make a copy of any important documents if you intend to make a claim. And note that cash currency and credit cards aren’t replaceable, so you’ll only want to carry what you need for the day.

What to look out for when travelling around Africa?

As wondrous and wild as the African continent is, there are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to the benefits of travel insurance:

  • Lost, stolen, or delayed baggage cover: in the unfortunate event that your luggage or personal items are accidentally lost, delayed, damaged or stolen, you may be able to claim your unexpected costs. In addition, if your luggage is delayed more than 24 hours, you may be entitled to replacement costs. Check your PDS carefully as terms and conditions apply.
  • Electronic devices: In today’s tech-centric world, taking your gadgets on the road is just as common and essential as packing an extra pair of socks. World Nomads may be able to replace, repair or recover the costs of your personal tech devices when stolen, lost or damaged under your supervision. Benefits are available only after exhausting other sources of compensation, such as from your common carrier. Remember, we consider depreciation and wear and tear. Any claims are subject to per item and total maximum benefit amounts.
  • Cover for some Coronavirus-related events: depending on your Country of Residence World Nomads offers cover for some Coronavirus-related events to help if your trip is derailed by COVID-19. Check your policy carefully as benefit limits, terms and conditions and exclusions apply and vary between plans.
  • Adventure activity and sports cover when in Africa: we cover more than 150 activities, sports and experiences worldwide – including backpacking, hiking, and hot-air ballooning, but not all are covered under every plan, you can read about the activities covered for Australia. Many activities also have specific conditions and exclusions you should read up on before you go. Depending on the level of cover you’ve chosen, you may need to add activities to your policy. Terms and conditions apply.

What's not covered?

Our policies aren’t designed to cover everything and there are some important general exclusions you should be aware of, including:

  • Pre-existing medical conditions - see the PDS for details.
  • Participation in a sport or activity not listed in the PDS or agreed by World Nomads where you haven’t paid the required additional premium.
  • Non-emergency treatment that can wait until you return home (it's not health insurance, it's travel insurance for medical emergencies).
  • Travelling to, planning to travel to, or choosing to remain in a country or region that is subject to a ‘Do Not Travel’ or ‘Avoid Essential Travel’ warning issued by the Australian Government (see smartraveller.gov.au).
  • Expenses you have not made every reasonable attempt to recover from the carrier, accommodation provider, booking or travel agents, any compensation scheme, or other source.

 

This is only a summary of cover and does not include the full terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions of the policy. You should read your PDS in full, so you understand what is and isn’t covered. That way there won’t be any surprises if you need to use it. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you

Trip Cancellation

Protect your trip from unexpected cancellation.

  • Explorer Plan: Unlimited
  • Standard Plan: $5,000
Trip Protection
  • Are you or your family sick or injured?
  • Natural disaster or terrorist attack where your'e going?
  • Called to active service?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Overseas

Take the pain out of medical costs.

  • Explorer Plan: Unlimited
  • Standard Plan: $5,000,000
Emergency Medical Insurance
  • Need medication?
  • Accidentally injured?
  • Suddenly sick?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Transport

We'll get you to hospital lickety-split

  • Explorer Plan: Unlimited
  • Standard Plan: $500,000
Evacuation and Repatriation
  • Hurt abroad?
  • Need to get to a hospital urgently?
  • Medevac home?

Help starts here.

Protect your gear

Cover your stolen or damaged gear and tech.

  • Explorer Plan: $10,000
  • Standard Plan: $2,000
Protect your gear
  • Video camera gone?
  • Laptop lost?
  • Sports gear stolen?

Help starts here.

  • Overseas Medical Expenses
  • Emergency dental treatment
  • 24 hour assistance
  • Emergency medical transport & repatriation
  • Cancellation costs
  • Trip interruption costs
  • Compassionate emergency visit home
  • Resumption of trip
  • Theft or accidental damage to baggage and personal items
  • Baggage delay over 12 hours
  • Funeral expenses overseas or repatriation of remains
  • Personal liability
This is a general summary for Australian residents only. Restrictions, exclusions and limitations will apply. Benefit limits may vary depending on the plan chosen. Check the policy documents for full details.

24/7 emergency assistance

If you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.

Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?

Phone: +61 2 8263 0470 or Phone: +61 2 8292 1470 (reverse charges via an operator from anywhere in the world)

Contact the team

Get an instant travel insurance quote

Simple and flexible travel insurance designed by travelers, for travelers. See why over 3 million travelers have chosen World Nomads for more than 20 years.