What Your Travel Insurance Might Not Cover

Headed off on an adventure this summer? You may think your travel insurance has you covered in the event of an accident while you’re abroad, but there are certain activities that aren’t so clear-cut when it comes to a claim.

Sporting Activities

Sky-diving, bungee jumping, heli-skiing, any high-risk sporting activity — you’ll want to make sure your policy covers it before you go or you could very well not be covered. Many basic travel insurance policies don’t cover these types of activities.

Intoxication

Regardless of where you are, what you’re doing or the circumstances, travel insurance doesn’t necessarily cover you if you get injured while intoxicated. If you go to a hospital or doctor and your medical documentation indicates you were drinking past the legal limit, you might be out of luck. The same thing applies to recreational drugs.

Irresponsible Behavior

If you’re acting irresponsible when it comes to your belongings and there’s proof of this behavior, your policy won’t cover lost or stolen goods. What counts as “irresponsible?” Leaving your belongings with someone you don’t know, leaving them unattended, in an unsecured location, etc.

Any Old Cancellation

If you want to cancel your trip and get your money back from your policy, you’re going to need a good reason. If it’s sickness, you’ll want to verify your illness is legitimate with your doctor (or the illness of a family member or travel companion).

Losses Due to Mental Illness

If you make a claim related to a mental illness, it likely won’t fly with your provider, unless you specifically picked a policy that covers this. Generally, these are claims related to things like depression, bipolar disorder, etc. Sometimes if the claim requires hospitalization, though, it is legitimate.