Medical and Travel Insurance

Please note that it is a condition of booking on any Nomad tour that you have adequate medical insurance.  We require the details of your insurance policy for our records before you will be permitted to depart on tour so please keep these with you at departure.  The medical insurance is so important in the case of an emergency in a remote area (which is most areas we travel to) you will have to be airlifted.

Please double check the small print of any ‘free’ credit-card insurance.  Your insurance must cover you in the instance that you need to be airlifted to a hospital.  As many public hospitals in Africa are below western standards you might have to be airlifted to South Africa for a simple problem.  Many insurance policies do not cover adrenaline sports i.e. bungee jumping and skydiving – please check this before you book the activity.

Medical insurance is usually relatively inexpensive and we recommend that you buy a separate policy in your country of origin.  If you purchase insurance in Africa please note that it will not cover you to be returned to your own country in the event of an emergency, it will only return you to the country in which you purchased the policy.

Please ensure that your travel insurance also covers cancellation.

Travel Insurance from WorldNomads.com is available to people from over 140 countries and is designed for adventurous travellers with cover for overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities.

With travel insurance from WorldNomads.com you can:

7 things you should know about World Nomads travel insurance

Here are a few things to consider when choosing your Travel Insurance plan to make sure that you’ve got the cover you want for your adventure:

  • Cancellation: It’s no fun if you’re seriously ill before you leave and can’t go on your trip. All travel insurance plans are different and some have specific terms of cover for cancellation, so please read the policy wording relevant to you carefully.
  • Lost or Stolen Gear: While loss of your personal belongings is often the main reason most people buy travel insurance, it is arguably the least important: your things can be replaced but your health often can’t. World Nomads expects you to take ‘reasonable care’ of your belongings which means a claim may be denied if you leave your camera in a shared room in a hostel or in your car overnight (unsupervised in a public place) and it’s stolen.If you are taking your laptop, camera and other valuables with you, some of our travel insurance plans allow you to specify these items to cover their higher value. Check your policy benefits and description of coverage (policy wording) carefully for the limits on this cover and exclusions, particularly for cash, high value items and sporting equipment.
  • Medical expenses over and above evacuation: Check that your cover includes emergency treatment while away and transport to bring you home – remembering that in more serious circumstances, insurance providers will usually insist on getting you home for medical treatment if you’re fit enough to travel.
  • Adventurous Activities: Look carefully at what your policy covers as each plan is different and may only cover specific sports and activities. Check that you’re covered to do all of the adventurous activities that you are planning while you’re away.
  • Personal Liability: Accidents happen. If it’s found to be your fault and someone decides to sue you, you want to be covered. Read the full description of coverage in the policy wording and talk to the insurer first before you admit it was your fault. Also keep in mind travel insurance doesn’t typically cover liability while you’re driving (be it cars, motorbikes, scooters, boats… anything with a motor, really) so make sure you’ve got appropriate cover elsewhere if you need it.
  • Is it safe to go there? Make sure you check your Government’s Travel Warnings and keep up to date with the latest travel safety advice on the road. You may not be covered if you choose to go to a place affected by war, terrorism, civil unrest or environmental disasters (like volcanoes, earthquakes, floods) and other major events where you may be at risk.
  • Flexibility when you need it most: Had a change of plans? You can extend your policy or claim online while you are still away. You can even buy a World Nomads policy if you’re already travelling.