Travel insurance when visiting Ecuador
From Old Town Quito to the magnificent Galapagos, Ecuador has plenty to explore. Make sure you're covered.
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Ecuador is rich in culture, with historic cities, spectacular scenery and countless opportunities to get active. Exploring Ecuador's UNESCO historic centers in Quito and Cuenca, kayaking through the Amazon and hiking the Andes are all great ways to experience this country. Canadian travellers often consider the biodiverse Galapagos Islands to be the trip of a lifetime.
Emergencies can affect even the best-planned trip: natural disasters, strikes, unexpected illness and theft are just a few things that can derail your travels. You should consider travel insurance in case you need to recover losses resulting from unforeseeable events.
World Nomads may provide cover (up to the policy benefit limits) for:
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Overseas emergency medical expenses
- Delayed, lost, or stolen baggage
- Participation in 150+ adventure sports and activities
World Nomads plans also offer 24/7 access to our dedicated Emergency Assistance Team.
What travel insurance cover should I look out for when travelling to Ecuador?
A travel insurance plan that includes trip cancellation and interruption coverage can help protect your trip investment; baggage cover can help you recoup some costs in case of bag delay or loss; and emergency medical can help if you get sick or injured while on the road.
World Nomads offers two plans to choose from: the Standard Plan and the Explorer Plan. Both plans include a range of benefits such as overseas emergency medical, baggage delay, trip cancellation and cover for more than 150 activities. Our Explorer Plan offers higher benefit limits. Travel insurance does not cover everything so be sure to read your policy wording to make sure it meets your needs.
Trip cancellation and trip interruption
World Nomads Travel Insurance may cover trip cancellation due to certain unforeseen circumstances. If there’s a death in your immediate family, or if you or a close family member becomes sick or injured and a doctor says you can’t travel to Ecuador, travel insurance may reimburse any unused, non-refundable, prepaid trip arrangements. The policy will list the covered risks for trip cancellation.
While you’re on the road, a World Nomads policy can provide important benefits. If you need to cut your trip short due to an emergency back home, your trip interruption benefits may reimburse costs for your return trip home plus any forfeited prepaid, unused, non-refundable trip expenses up to the limits shown in your policy documents.
For example, if prior to your policy start date you paid in advance for a nonrefundable guided hiking trip in the Galapagos, and you are unable to depart on the trip due to a covered reason, you may be reimbursed for this non-refundable and unused trip expense.
When filing a claim for either trip cancellation or interruption, you will need to submit documentation for all forfeited, non-refundable, prepaid trip costs and associated expenses.
Overseas emergency medical coverage
Canada and Ecuador do not have reciprocal healthcare agreements, so having travel insurance that covers emergency medical expenses is a good idea. If you become ill or injured while travelling in Ecuador without overseas emergency medical cover, any emergency medical or dental costs (or even worse, emergency evacuation back to Canada) will be at your expense.
Accidents and illness can happen on vacation, from food poisoning to twisting your ankle on the cobblestones in Quito or getting in the way of an angry sea lion on San Cristobal. A travel insurance plan which offers cover for emergency overseas medical expenses may help in unexpected situations.
For information on COVID-19 related cover, read our What’s Covered for Coronavirus article.
Access to our 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team when you need help
Having a medical emergency while travelling can be scary, but with a World Nomads travel insurance policy, you are not alone. Our 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team can help you find appropriate medical care and offer translation services, liaise with doctors and even arrange upfront payment if required.
Some of the best tourist sites in Ecuador are remote. This is where our Emergency Assistance Team can help arrange emergency medical evacuation to the closest medical facility or repatriation back to Canada when medically necessary and approved in advance by us.
Delayed, lost, or stolen baggage
If you’re checking a bag, there’s always a chance it could take a detour en route to Ecuador. If your checked baggage is delayed for 12 hours or more by an airline or ground carrier, you may be able to claim reimbursement for essential personal items while you wait for your bags.
Lost or stolen baggage and belongings may also be covered; for example, a phone swiped from your bag in a crowded Quito market, or a bag permanently lost by an airline (with travel insurance cover being secondary to airline reimbursement).
To keep your belongings safe, use a concealed money belt or cross-body bag to hold your travel documents, valuables and money. It is also recommended to be mindful of your surroundings, especially in busy tourist areas.
If your bags or belongings are damaged or stolen, file an incident report with local authorities or your airline immediately. Where theft has occurred, this must be reported to the police. You’ll need this documentation and any relevant receipts when you make a claim.
Cover for 150+ activities and sports when in Ecuador
Ecuador boasts no shortage of opportunities to get active, from mountain biking the legendary Mama Rumi trail to rafting on the Quijos River. Surfing, snorkeling and hiking are just a few of the activities on offer in the Galapagos. World Nomads offers travel insurance cover for more than 150 adventure activities, sports, work and volunteer experiences. Be sure to read your policy documents carefully to ensure your chosen activities are covered. You will need to add all the activities you plan on participating in to your policy during the purchase path.
What’s not covered
Travel insurance isn’t designed to cover everything – so make sure you know what you’re covered for. Some things we don’t cover include but are not limited to:
- Losses caused by negligent policyholder behavior, so no selfies in roped-off areas or riding a scooter without a helmet.
- Pre-existing medical conditions as explained in your policy wording.
- Not following orders of your treating physician or Emergency Assistance Team.
- Participation in activities or sports not listed in the plan you have purchased.
- Stolen, lost or damaged personal belongings that were left unattended.
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 about your coverage, just ask us.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your hard earned vacation from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: $5,000
- Standard Plan: $2,500
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalised?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Insurance
Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.
- Explorer Plan: $10 million
- Standard Plan: $5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Need meds quick?
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
We’ll get you to hospital or home quickly.
- Explorer Plan: $500,000
- Standard Plan: $500,000
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medivac home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Covers the theft, damage or delay of your bags, tech and sports gear.
- Explorer Plan: $3,000
- Standard Plan: $1,000
Protect your gear
- Passport stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Emergency Dental for Injury or Sickness
- Bedside Companion Travel and Subsistence
- Emergency Professional Services
- Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
- Return of Travel Companion/Dependent Children
- Return to Your Trip Destination
- Return of Remains
- Travel Accident
- Flight Accident
- Trip Cancellation
- Trip Interruption
- Trip Delay
- Baggage and Personal Effects Theft or Damage
- Baggage and Sporting Equipment Delay
- Travel Documents Theft or Damage
- Sporting Equipment Theft or Loss by a Common Carrier
- Covered Adventure Sports listed in Policy
Assistance Services Included
- LiveTravelTM Emergency Assistance
- Worldwide Travel Assistance
- Adventure Travel Hotline
- 24/7 Security
- Travel Medical Assistance
- Bag Trak
24/7 emergency assistance
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 team
Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.