Looking to hit the trails this summer season? Travel insurance can cover you as the rider and, in some cases, the bike you ride—even for downhill mountain biking! Below, we answer the most frequently asked questions we’ve received from Canadian mountain biking enthusiasts.
Do I need travel insurance if I’m going mountain biking in another province?
While your provincial healthcare plan will cover medical emergencies within Canada, it won’t cover everything. If you do have an accident and need air and/or ground ambulance, essential medical supplies like a wheelchair or crutches, and more, you’ll want to consider Emergency Medical Insurance to cover these expenses. Otherwise, an air evacuation alone can leave you thousands of dollars out of pocket without travel protection.
What kind of travel insurance do I need?
TuGo’s Traveller policy defines downhill mountain biking as: “Biking down mountain trails or rough mountain terrain (whether as part of a race or not) and often features jumps, drops, rock gardens or other obstacles. It often requires the use of mechanical lifts or elevators”.
If this is how you like to ride, here’s what you need to know to ensure you have the right travel insurance coverage:
Comprehensive Emergency Medical Insurance – Emergency Medical will cover you from hospital services (when travelling outside Canada) to ambulance services and emergency dental care.
Sports & Activities Coverage – For downhill mountain biking, you’ll need to add Sports & Activities Coverage to your Emergency Medical policy.
Consider adding on Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption if you’ve reserved flights, tours, or accommodations in advance. Plus, if your travelling companion is injured on the trip, you’ll be covered by Trip Interruption if you have to cut your trip short or return home early (that is, if their claim meets the policy’s terms and conditions).
Having travel insurance for travelling in the US is important for Canadian mountain bike enthusiasts since US medical costs are some of the highest in the world.
What about bike competitions?
If you purchase Sports & Activities Coverage with Emergency Medical Insurance, you’ll be covered as per the definition of downhill mountain biking stated above.
What about bike theft?
Baggage Insurance covers lost, damaged or stolen bikes, up to 25% of your sum insured amount, only if checked as baggage with a common carrier, defined as: “A boat, cruise ship, airplane, bus, taxi, train or other similar vehicles that are licensed, intended and used primarily to transport passengers for hire”. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, if something happens to your bike, you’d claim that under homeowner’s or renters’ insurance.
Note: If you’re a professional mountain biker, professional/occupational equipment is excluded under Baggage, so your mountain bike wouldn’t be covered—even when checked in as baggage.
If you have any other questions about mountain biking and travel insurance, leave a comment below!
Safe travels,
Melissa