Geysers, glaciers, and good times await in Chile. Learn how our travel insurance could help.
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Chile offers countless opportunities to see some of the world’s most iconic natural wonders. Many Canadians enjoy visiting El Tatio - a geothermal area featuring geysers, fumaroles and other geological structures. Cruise to El Brujo Glacier, explore the amazing national parks in Patagonia, kayak to see the Marble Caves in the Aysen region, or see the Moai statues at Easter Island.
While a trip to Chile is an amazing experience, there are some things Canadians should be aware of. Our nomads have experienced it all - from lost baggage to natural disasters. We’ve learned quite a bit in our travels and we encourage you to check out our team’s tips on things to know before you visit Chile.
International travel can bring all kinds of unexpected surprises - like the hidden petroglyphs that you can find in the Atacama Desert.
Some surprises are not as great though. Nobody wants to think about cancelled trips, delayed baggage and medical emergencies, but these things can happen unexpectedly. If you fall and get hurt while hiking the Guatin Canyon in the Atacama Desert, you may wish you had travel insurance for Chile.
There are different plans to select from, and when you get a quote you can compare the options to determine the best international travel insurance for your needs.
While you’ll have an out of this world time hiking through the desert, Chile offers so many more thrilling adventures. World Nomads covers more than 250 activities for Canadians travelling to Chile and includes things like rafting the Rio Futaleufu and rock climbing in Patagonia.
When you get a quote for your travel insurance for Chile, you’ll need to list your planned activities. You won’t be able to add or remove activities after you make your purchase, so make sure you add them all at that time. If you’re participating in an activity that isn’t listed in your policy wording, you can contact us to determine if you will be covered.
One of the coolest (or should we say hottest) things to see in Chile are the geysers. It’s fascinating to see the dramatic eruption of the steaming water shooting high into the air. As you can imagine though, it also comes with its own set of dangers. Although it doesn’t happen a lot, we’ve heard reports of travellers falling into geysers and being severely burned.
Always watch your step when you’re near geysers. The thick fog from the fumaroles and glare from the sun can sometimes make it difficult to see where you’re stepping. Accidents can happen and if you do get injured your Government Health Insurance Plan may only pay a small portion, if any, of your medical expenses in Chile.
If you have a medical emergency when travelling to Chile, you can call the 24/7 emergency assistance team and they can help refer you to a place that offers the level of care that you need. They can also help communicate with your Chilean medical team if there are language barriers.
If your doctor determines that it’s best for you to go home to Canada to get medical care, the repatriation coverage that is included in your travel insurance for Chile may cover the costs to get you there.
Nobody ever plans to lose their bags, but it happens. If you’re planning to trek through the Andes Mountains, you may be bringing along your new pair of hiking boots. If you get to Santiago and then realize that the airline lost your bag, the baggage coverage included in your travel insurance for Chile may reimburse you for the cost to replace your hiking boots and other belongings. When you get a quote, you can check the wording in your international travel insurance policy to get the specific details on depreciation and policy limits.
If you’re lucky, your bags just took a detour and will eventually make their way to you. Even a delayed bag can be stressful though. If this happens, you could still be reimbursed for a change of clothes and toiletries until you and your bag are reunited.
Theft is something to watch out for when you travel to Chile - especially in crowded touristy areas like Santiago and Valparaiso. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid putting anything valuable in your back pockets. You may also want to carry handbags across your body, and wear backpacks on your front.
You’ll also want to keep an eye on your bags at bus terminals, train stations, and airports. We’ve heard about organized scams where a visitor gets sprayed with something and then a “good Samaritan” points it out and offers to help. It’s really a ploy to divert your attention while someone else comes up and steals your belongings.
If anything does happen, make sure you make a police report. You’ll need that if you have to make a claim.
Sometimes you have the perfect getaway planned, but things happen that can cancel, interrupt, or delay your trip.
Chile is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and earthquakes and volcanoes can happen anytime. The government has been known to restrict access to Conguillo National Park because of concerns about flare-ups of the Llaima volcano. If your trip is cancelled because a volcano erupts and the Canadian Government issues a travel advisory against travel to that region, your travel insurance for Chile could help you be reimbursed for non-refundable tours and hotel accommodations that you paid for in advance. You’ll need to have purchased your plan before any travel advisory has been issued though (once it erupts, it’s no longer unexpected and travel insurance doesn’t cover “known” events”).
Travel insurance could also help if you’re already on your trip and something happens. For example, you may need to go back to Canada early if an immediate family member has an unexpected medical emergency or dies.
When you’re searching for the best travel insurance for Chile, check to make sure it has coverage for trip cancellation, trip delay, and trip interruption. If it does, you could be reimbursed for unused, prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses if something unexpected happens.
Before you leave Canada, we encourage you to check out the Canadian government’s safety warnings for Chile to review their up-to-date warnings on any advisories. Weather, safety, and political situations can change at any time, and this is where they list their up-to-date warnings on any advisories that may exist at that time.
If you purchase travel insurance for Chile, it’s a good idea to save the 24/7 Emergency Assistance phone number and your policy number in your cell phone so you don’t have to search for that if an emergency happens.
Take extra camera batteries. The worst feeling is to get set up for the perfect shot of an Andean Condor, only to find out you have a dead battery. Trust us on this one - we’ve been the ones who’ve been left with nothing but memories, and no pictures to show to our friends back home. Prepare ahead of time, and if you are making the journey to see the penguins, make sure to read up on some of our tips on how to photograph wildlife in an ethical way.
There are so many great tours that Canadian visitors can book in Chile. When you’re researching options, try to find an eco-friendly tour operator. With the vast amount of untouched natural land and waterways in Chile, it’s up to us nomads to do our part to protect it for years to come.
This is only a summary of coverage and does not include the full terms and conditions of the policy. It is important you read and understand your policy as it contains benefits, conditions, exclusions and pre-existing condition exclusions. If you do not understand your coverage, or if you have questions, just ask us.
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Covers the theft, damage or delay of your bags, tech and sports gear.
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Whether you need medical or dental assistance or advice, emergency evacuation or travel assistance, our team are 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?
Telephone +1 866 878 0192 (toll-free from Canada and the Continental U.S.) or +1 416 646 3723 (collect from anywhere else in the world)
Contact the teamBefore your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.