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It’s not uncommon to want to bring personal sports equipment on vacation with you, especially if your destination has appealing sports activities like golf, skiing or hiking.
But sports equipment is pricey and traveling with it could mean it gets damaged, destroyed or lost. Here’s how travel insurance can help.
Travel Insurance for Sports Equipment
Some travel insurance policies include coverage for sports equipment loss as part of the baggage and personal items loss benefit.
Policies with this coverage can cover sports-related items that are lost, damaged or stolen, up to the maximum amount specified by the policy, says Steven Benna, spokesperson with Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison provider.
For example, Squaremouth’s Tin Leg travel insurance policies include a Sports Equipment Loss benefit as part of the coverage for baggage and personal items.
Benna says most travel insurance policies that cover sports equipment include a maximum coverage amount per item ranging from $50 to $250. However, there are select policies with coverage up to $2,500 per item.
Squaremouth’s search filters can help you pinpoint the specific coverage you are looking for. For example, applying the filter for “Sports Equipment Loss” will show only policies that include this benefit. You can then compare policies and pricing.
What Else Is Covered?
In addition to loss or damage, if your equipment is delayed while you’re traveling, Benna says some travel insurance policies include a Sports Equipment Delay benefit to cover the cost of renting equipment if you have to.
Tim Dodge, a spokesperson with Arch RoamRight, a travel insurance provider, says plans can offer coverage for equipment rentals as long as it meets the perimeters of the policy.
For example, with the Arch RoamRight optional Baggage, Sports and Business Equipment Upgrade, if you make a trip cancellation claim you can be reimbursed up to $1,000 for non-refundable costs that were pre-paid for lift tickets, green fees, equipment rentals and lessons. And if your sporting equipment was lost, stolen, damaged or delayed for six hours or more while it was checked on a common carrier, you would also have up to $1,000 in coverage for the cost of renting sports equipment during the trip.
Weather and Sports
We all know that we can’t control the weather, but the right travel insurance policy can mitigate your loss if you are on a trip that includes a sport.
For example, most of Tin Leg’s policies include Sports Fees coverage. It can reimburse you for prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses related to sports and activities, like greens fees, lift tickets or excursion deposits, among other expenses. This coverage can apply if your trip is interrupted due to bad weather or even canceled.
Exclusions to Know About
Many travel insurance companies have exclusions for extreme or adventure sports. For example, many plans exclude activities like scuba diving, skiing and mountain climbing. Make sure your travel insurance plan covers the sport you’re planning on.
Even if you aren’t taking along sports equipment, you may want travel medical insurance to cover any injuries from adventure activities.
