Travel Insurance cover for Sports and Activities
Discover which adventure activities are covered by RACV Domestic and International Travel Insurance Policies.
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It's true that travel offers some amazing and exciting activities which you can't always experience at home, but it's important that you check whether or not you'll be covered by your travel insurance policy if you want to participate in any of them.
There's also the chance the country you're visiting is in the midst of a natural disaster, which could affect how you get home, how you get to your next destination or even where you stay.
Simple awareness of what your travel insurance policy covers, and doesn't cover, could save you thousands of dollars in medical and transport costs.
RACV Travel Insurance provides cover for reasonable emergency expenses caused by natural disasters and other severe weather events.
Natural Disaster means an extraordinary natural event, natural act or force of nature including floods, earthquakes, avalanches, forest fires, tsunamis, landslides, volcanic eruptions, atypical cyclones or storms and other severe weather conditions, but does not include an Epidemic or Pandemic.
Sports and activities included in your RACV Travel Insurance cover
Most amateur sporting and adventure activities are covered at no extra cost. There are some sports that have conditions of cover and some that are not covered at all. Below is an overview of the sports that are not covered and those with conditional cover.
Whatever sport or activity you choose to do, it is a condition of cover that you act in a responsible way to protect yourself and your property. You must not be hunting, racing or participating in any timed event (other than on foot) or professional sport.
Cover for Moped, Scooters and Motorcycles is provided at no additional cost, however, you (if you are driving) or the driver (if you are a passenger) must have a valid licence for the country you are in (even if the country doesn't require you to hold a licence) and you must be wearing a helmet.
Activities included only under certain conditions
If You wish to participate in:
- abseiling
- assault course
- breathing observation bubble diving
- bungee jumping
- camel or elephant riding
- canoeing or kayaking (grade 3 and 4 rapids)
- canopy walking
- canyoning
- cave tubing
- coasteering
- fishing trips (overnight)
- go karting
- gorge or canyon swinging
- hot air ballooning
- husky sledge driving
- jet boating
- mud buggying
- ostrich riding
- paintballing
- parasailing
- quad biking ("Quad bike" means any motorised vehicle designed to travel on four or more wheels with a seat straddled by the rider and a set of handle bars that are used for controlling the steering. To be covered, you must also wear a helmet when driving or riding as a passenger)
- scuba diving (unlicensed)
- target shooting
- all types of trekking or hiking up to a maximum of 3,000 metres above sea level
- tubing
- zip lining or zorbing
You will need to observe the following conditions:
- the activity must be conducted through a commercial operator; and
- available to general public; and
- not considered extreme risk; and
- not require any special skills, pre-fitness training program prior to the participation of the activity, or a high level of fitness to undertake.
Note that cover provided under Section 3 of the Product Disclosure Statement (Luggage and Personal Money) for loss or damage does not apply to any sporting equipment while it is in use.
Also note that cover provided under Section 7 of the PDS (Your Liability for Causing Loss or Damage to Property, Injury or Death) does not apply to any claim against you arising out of ownership, custody, or use of any motor vehicle or mechanically propelled vehicle, any aircraft, watercraft, firearms, drone, or radio-controlled/ remote-controlled model car, vehicle, plane, boat and the like. Eg. cover is only provided for injuries sustained whilst on a quad-bike- you are not covered for damage to the quad-bike.
Ski and Winter Sports Cover
If you wish to be covered for these activities during your trip, you must select the Ski and Winter Sports Cover option when you apply for an RACV Travel Insurance plan and pay an extra premium. This extension of cover is not available with the Basics plan or if you are aged over 85 at the time you purchase your policy.
Ski and Winter Sports covers: leisure bigfoot Skiing, cat Skiing, cross country Skiing (along a designated cross country ski route only), glacier Skiing, ice hockey, ice skating, luging (on ice only), and mono Skiing, Off-piste Skiing (with a professional guide only), recreational Ski racing, and recreational Skiing, snowmobiling and tobogganing. In all cases “Skiing” also means snowboarding.
IMPORTANT: you must purchase Ski and Winter Sports Cover in order to be covered for overseas medical and hospital fees that are incurred following an accident that takes place on the slopes.
If you do purchase this additional coverage, it is a condition of cover that you act in a responsible way to protect yourself and that;
- you are on-piste (or if Off-piste, you are with a professional guide at all times);
- you follow the safety guidelines for the Skiing and Winter Sports concerned and where applicable, you use the appropriate and recommended safety equipment;
- the Skiing and Winter Sport is not part of a competition or tournament, including training or practising;
- the Skiing and Winter Sport is not undertaken on a professional basis; and
- the Skiing and Winter Sport is not excluded by the policy or listed in General Exclusions.
Importantly, please note that some Ski and Winter Sports are excluded by the policy or listed in General Exclusions (such as bob sleighing, snow rafting, parapenting, heli-Skiing, aerobatic Skiing, skijoring, Skiing with any form of power assisted equipment, Backcountry Skiing- read the PDS for a complete list of excluded activities) and that other terms and conditions, exclusions, benefit limits (including sub limits) and exclusions may also apply to Ski and Winter Sports cover benefits. Please read the Product Disclosure Statement for full details.
The table below sets out a summary of each type of Ski and Winter Sports Cover benefit available when this option is selected with an RACV Travel Insurance plan, and the maximum monetary amount which may be paid out for that benefit. Please note there is no cover for medical, hospital or dental costs incurred within Australia.
Policy benefits
Policy benefits
Comprehensive (per Adult)
Essentials (per Adult)
Basics (per Adult)
Annual Multi-Trip Plan (per Adult)
# Limits and Sub Limits apply. Refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for full details.
** $unlimited means that generally there is no cap on the maximum dollar amount which may be paid out for this benefit, subject to the specific terms and conditions, sub-limits and exclusions that apply to this benefit. This benefit covers reasonable overseas medical and hospital costs as a result of an injury (including that arising from a Terrorist Act) or illness occurring which first shows itself during your period of insurance. Benefits may be paid up to 12 months from the time you received treatment for the injury or illness, but only for reasonable expenses incurred during that time. Medical treatments must be provided by a legally qualified medical practitioner. You must notify us as soon as practicable of your admittance to hospital.
^This cover is per policy.
The following activities are not covered full details are available in RACV Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) under General Exclusions:
- trekking or hiking over 3,000 metres above sea level
- skiing or snowboarding (unless you have purchased Our Ski and Winter Sports option)
- any kind of mechanised snow-mobiles except as provided by the recognised piste authorities for transport to and from areas designed for recreational Skiing (unless you have purchased Our Ski and Winter Sports option)
- bob sleighing, snow rafting, parapenting, heli-Skiing, aerobatic Skiing, skijoring, Skiing with any form of power assisted equipment
- backcountry Skiing
- racing or participating in any timed event (other than on foot)
- any kind of professional sport
- hunting
- open Water Sailing
- participating in any rodeo activity, either as an amateur or as a professional
- mountaineering or rock climbing using ropes or climbing equipment (other than for hiking)
- parachuting, sky diving or base jumping 9
- hang gliding or paragliding
- travel in any air supported device, other than as a passenger, in a fully licensed aircraft operated by an airline or charter company. This does not apply to regulated or licensed ballooning
- diving underwater unlicensed using an artificial breathing apparatus, unless the conditions outlined in section ‘Activities Included Only Under Certain Conditions’ are followed.
- polo
- horse jumping
- running with the bulls
- freestyle BMX
- motocross
^ Ski and Winter Sport conditions of cover
You must purchase Ski and Winter Sports Cover option in order to be covered for overseas medical and hospital fees that are incurred following an accident that takes place on the slopes.
If you take part in any Winter Sport activities (as defined in the PDS), it is a condition of cover that you act in a responsible way to protect yourself and that you follow the advice of authorities on the ski slopes relating to safety and that:
1) the Ski and Winter Sport activity must be On-piste (or if Off-piste, you are with a professional guide at all times)
2) the Ski and Winter Sport activity is not part of a race, competition or tournament;
3) the Ski and Winter Sport activity is not undertaken on a professional basis; and
4) you follow the safety guidelines for the Ski and Winter Sport concerned and where applicable, you use the appropriate and recommended safety equipment.
The Ski and Winter Sport activity must not be excluded by the policy or listed in General Exclusions.
Other terms and conditions, benefit limits (including sub-limits) and exclusions may also apply to Ski and Winter Sport activities. Please read the PDS for further information
RACV Travel Insurance covers for moped, scooters and motorcycles and is automatically included for no additional premium. There are particular conditions to pay attention to which we have listed below for both the driver and the passenger:
- The driver of a moped or scooter must hold a current Australian Driver's Licence (this doesn't include a learner's permit) or a valid driver’s licence for the country in which they're driving, even if that country does not require the policy holder to have a valid driver’s licence.
- The driver of a motorcycle must hold a current Australian Motorcycle Licence or a valid driver’s licence for the country in which they're driving, even if that country does not require the policy holder to have a valid driver’s licence.
- Both the driver and passenger of mopeds, scooters and motorcycles must be wearing a helmet.
- Cover is only provided for injuries sustained whilst on the moped, scooter, or motorcycle - there is no cover for damage to any two-wheeled vehicles.
If any of the conditions above aren't adhered to, your RACV Travel Insurance policy may not cover you in the case of an accident. International Drivers Permits are available for most countries. Please check the country list for full details and possible exclusions.
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Travel alerts
RACV Travel Insurance won't cover you for countries/regions with a DFAT travel advisory of "Do Not Travel".
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Review or manage your policy
For full details on how you’re covered, read the RACV Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement.
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) Ltd AR 001243563 is an authorised representative of the issuer and receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. RACV Travel Insurance issued by Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd ABN 80 000 438 291 AFSL 246 548. Terms & conditions apply, refer to the PDS.