Travel Insurance

Be Prepared - Travel with Insurance

Travel insurance for your kayaking tour has never been more important or helpful than it is today. Purchasing appropriate and adequate travel insurance will protect your travel investment and decrease stress if you are not able to travel as planned.

Read below to learn more about travel insurance for your kayaking tour. Our team at Spirit of the West Adventures are not insurance experts. If you have any doubt about the policy you need, please speak to an insurance broker about travel insurance for your kayaking tour and travel expenses.

DO I REALLY NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE? I HAVE NEVER PURCHASED IT BEFORE

The simple answer is YES! With ever-changing travel restrictions, border closures, flight delays and lost baggage being commonplace, travel insurance enables you to focus on trip planning, having fun, and enjoying your vacation, rather than worrying about all the things that could go wrong!

Cancelling travel plans due to factors outside of your control is never going to be enjoyable, but it’s much less stressful when you have protected your travel expenses.

We can’t recommend travel insurance highly enough! When making decisions about purchasing travel insurance, we recommend you review our Terms & Conditions carefully.

OUR Top Tips FOR Travel Insurance

Which policy you can purchase depends on where you live. Coverage varies by country as well as by province/state and region.
Spend some time determining which expenses you need coverage for. Certain aspects of your travel (hotel, flights, rental car, etc.) may have flexible cancellation policies and offer a refund or credit balance if you are unable to travel. Removing these expenses from the amount you are insuring with your policy can reduce the overall cost of the insurance. Please note Spirit of the West will be adhering to the Terms and Conditions of your reservation.
Don’t delay- as soon as you start spending money on your travel also buy your travel insurance coverage. Many policies (Cancel for Any Reason insurance, in particular) have tight timelines for purchasing soon after you spend any money on your journey. You can always call your insurance provider to add additional coverage if you extend or expand your travel itinerary.
Check whether your policy will cover your travel companions, and if the coverage will be sufficient. Some policies are adequate for families, but some are really not. If travelling as a group of adults, it is recommended to get separate policies for each individual or couple, rather than purchasing one large policy for the group. The individual policies often cost the same per person as a combined person policy, but you effectively double much of the coverage and amounts covered in many cases.

IF YOU HAVE TO CANCEL YOUR TOUR WITH US

Read through your insurance policy, to understand what is covered and why.
Please call us before informing your travel insurance provider. We will help ensure that you have all the correct paperwork you need before starting your claim.
Thank you for your understanding that we will be adhering to our Terms and Conditions and the importance of travel insurance.

Some Options for Travel Insurance

Using a travel insurance aggregator can be useful in comparing plans and pricing from different companies. Some websites that we have found helpful include:

If you are from anywhere: WorldNomads.com

WorldNomads is an insurance option for guests visiting us from outside of Canada and the US.

If you are from Canada: Manulife

With Manulife, Canadian residents are able to compare plans and rates under the Manulife name.

If you are a US Resident: Aardy.com

Aardy.com is a site for American residents to explore different insurance rates and get the cheapest quotes available.

Travel Insurance FAQ

+ What is Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance typically refers to four types of coverage that you can buy individually or all together in what is often called comprehensive insurance.

Trip Cancellation: covers cancellation of your trip before you start on your journey
Trip Interruption: covers delays and interruptions once you have started on your journey (e.g. flight/weather delays; missed connections; and sometimes may cover things like lost baggage, car rentals, etc.)
Medical Coverage: covers any issues regarding your health and sometimes the health of your travel partner/medical issues with family members
Cancel for Any Reason Coverage: as the name implies allows you to cancel for more reasons than traditional cancellation coverage (e.g. your dog is sick, you are called to work, travel restrictions are in place and you can’t travel or don’t feel comfortable traveling)

+ Is Travel Insurance Mandatory for Joining a Tour?

While travel insurance is not mandatory for our BC based tours, we can’t recommend it enough. Having adequate coverage can really take the stress out of the unforeseen or the challenges of the ever-evolving travel landscape as a result of COVID. While helpful for everyone, we especially are encouraging guests from outside of Canada to purchase coverage that will cover you if travel restrictions etc.

For our tours in Chile and the Bahamas, we require all guests carry trip cancellation, interruption, and medical insurance.

+ Why Would I Need Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance can help with costs arising from unforeseen circumstances that affect your travel like ash clouds from volcanoes grounding flights, travel advisories because of a safety risk for visitors, unexpected medical issues, etc. No one ever plans on breaking their leg, not being able to vacation because of a virus outbreak, or having their travel partner have to back out of the trip because of a family emergency.

+ When Should I Buy Travel Insurance?

The simple answer is: as soon as you pay for any portion of your trip and before you need it. When you place a deposit with Spirit of the West Adventures or purchase your flights the clock starts ticking in the eyes of insurance companies. Every plan has different requirements but in order to maximize coverage and be eligible for cancellation insurance, you typically need to purchase insurance between 72 hours – 21 days after you pay for any portion of your tour.

+ Don’t I Have Coverage Through My Credit Card?

Credit cards often have some level of interruption insurance, but this is usually a very limited amount and only the interruption-type of coverage, not trip cancellation, cancel for any reason, or medical coverage. Some cards offer more comprehensive coverage but read through the details and determine what your credit card insurance includes and if this only covers the primary cardholder or travel companions as well. Be sure to read the fine print!

+ Doesn’t Canada Have Free Medical Care?

You will never be refused medical care in Canada regardless of if you can pay or not, but health care is not free for people who are not citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada. Emergency services like helicopter evacuations, hospitalization, and diagnostics can add up quickly.

+ Where Can I Purchase Travel Insurance?

We recommend using a travel insurance aggregator to compare plans and pricing from different companies. Some websites that we have found helpful include:

If you are from Canada: Rates.ca