Essential travel insurance tips
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Why spend your next holiday on the couch doing Sudoku puzzles, when you could be sipping cocktails watching the sun go down in Jamaica or Puerto Rico? With countless island destinations to choose from, you can explore the Caribbean’s verdant rainforests and white sand beaches.
Before you book your flight for this popular holiday destination, you might want to consider buying travel insurance first.
For all the beauty in the Caribbean, there is also the possibility of running into unexpected trouble. The following are some examples of how travel insurance can help if the unexpected happens to you:
Overseas emergency medical: if you become sick or are injured then your travel insurance may cover your treatment, hospitalisation, and medication expenses. However, you must notify our 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance Team as soon as reasonably possible, when you are aware you will be admitted as an inpatient for at least one night. They will confirm if the treatment is medically necessary and advise you on what to do, help locate suitable medical facilities (particularly in remote areas where access to medical care could be tricky) and monitor your medical treatments if needed to make sure you are given proper care.
Emergency medical evacuation: if you are injured and require emergency transport to the nearest hospital via ambulance or helicopter, then the transportation costs may be covered. You will need to check with our 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance Team first.
Medical repatriation: we offer emergency medical repatriation back to the UK if medically necessary and authorised by our emergency medical assistance team.
Baggage cover: if your bags or other personal items are stolen, delayed, or go missing during your holiday, report the incident to the local police and get a Loss Report from them, as you’ll need to include this as supporting evidence, along with your receipts for these items, when submitting your claim. Benefit limits, conditions and exclusions apply.
Extended stays: you may extend your travel insurance policy past the expiration date if you’re planning to stay longer in the Caribbean. This will need to be done prior to the current expiration date of your policy and can be extended up to 12 months from the start date of your policy (Single Trip only).
Cover for Coronavirus-related events: British travellers may be covered for medically necessary expenses if they get Coronavirus in the Caribbean.
The policy that you ultimately choose should depend on what type of Caribbean holiday you are planning to have. World Nomads offers two travel insurance plans, the Standard Plan and the Explorer Plan.
Both plans offer travel insurance essentials such as trip cancellation cover, baggage cover and emergency medical evacuation cover. However, the Explorer Plan offers higher benefit limits and/or sub-limits than the Standard Plan, as well as cover for a wider range of activities.
For example, if you plan to go hiking in the mountains of St Lucia, then you might want to check out our different levels of cover for hiking in case you are injured. World Nomads offers different levels of cover for hiking depending on the altitude, these include:
Note: make sure you check your policy for specific exclusions, such as search-and-rescue missions.
Besides hiking, World Nomads offers cover for 150+ adventure activities including:
If your favourite sport isn’t on the list, get in touch with our Customer Assistance Team and they will let you know if we cover it. Be aware that an upgrade for certain activities and sports may be required.
Here are some common problems that travellers can encounter when visiting the region:
Extreme weather: well known as a sun-drenched paradise with a year-round warm climate, the Caribbean Islands are occasionally lashed by powerful tropical storms that wreak widespread destruction.
Travel insurance tip: if a hurricane, flood, or another natural disaster damages the hotel or hostel that you are booked to stay at, then you may be covered for additional accommodation expenses with an alternative at the same destination up to the policy limit. (Explorer Plan).
Crime: travellers to the Caribbean are sometimes the targets of bag snatchings and other types of crimes, both petty and more serious.
Travel insurance tip: if you are the victim of a theft, you must obtain a written police report within 24 hours. Where possible, provide witness details along with any photographs, comply with all conditions of any issuing body and provide receipts for all costs incurred, or we will not pay for any claim you make.
Below is a brief list of what we do not cover. Please check your policy wording for a full list of benefit limits, exclusions, as well as the terms and conditions.
This is only a summary of cover and does not include the full terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions of the policy. You should read your policy wording in full, so you understand what is and isn’t covered. If you are unsure about your level of travel cover, please contact us for help.
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Take the pain out of medical costs while traveling abroad.
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Expenses included in Emergency Medical limits.
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Cover your lost, stolen or damaged gear and tech.
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You are not eligible to buy a policy if you travel against medical advice, travel with the intention of receiving medical treatment, or have a terminal illness. World Nomads policies cannot cover claims due to Pre-Existing Medical Conditions (PEMC), regardless of whether the condition is serious or not. You can still purchase a World Nomads policy, but the PEMC exclusion cannot be removed, and you will be responsible for any related costs.
For information on travel insurance providers that offer cover on PEMC, visit Money Helper or call 0800 138 7777.
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.
Wherever you are, we’re here 24/7 to help you in any emergency.
Are you in need of Emergency Medical Assistance right now?
For policies purchased on or after 27 June 2024
+44 (0) 144 444 2021 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
For policies purchased before 27 June 2024:
Phone: +44 (0) 203 093 1750 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)