Scale new heights on holiday with climbing travel insurance from InsureandGo. From indoor walls to bouldering², we cover some climbing activities as standard. Want more of an adrenaline rush? Our extreme sports cover lets you add outdoor rock climbing to your itinerary. You can take us with you, all the way to the summit!
What is rock climbing travel insurance and do you need it?
Brits may have a reputation for seeking home comforts on holiday. But our survey revealed the UK is a nation of adventure seekers. 59% of travellers said they wanted active holiday experiences. And 7% of those favoured thrill-seeking extreme sports like rock climbing.
From the crags of Kalymnos to the dizzying heights of the Dolomites. Rock climbing isn’t just exhilarating, it lets you explore the world like never before. But having the right travel insurance is as essential as your harness and helmet. No matter how experienced you are, accidents can happen.
Falls. Equipment failure. Altitude sickness. Climbing can have its risks. And that’s where travel insurance for rock climbing comes in.
The best rock climbing holiday insurance covers:
Emergency medical costs: Climbing in California? Yosemite is the place to be. But an unexpected trip to a US emergency room could cost you thousands. Think it won’t happen to you? Between 30% and 50% of sport climbers have experienced some type of climbing mishap. Standard travel insurance does not cover you for rock climbing. Adding rock climbing travel insurance to your policy (also known as hazardous activity cover) ensures you’re not left in pain – or out of pocket.
Repatriation cover: Accidents can happen with any activity. But rock climbing has an inherently high risk of serious injury. One study found rock climbing had a higher injury risk than both American football and motorbiking. If you need to fly home in an emergency, travel insurance with rock climbing cover can help. It’s important, even if you’re just hopping over the border to climb in the Alps. Typical medical repatriation costs from France are £12,000. And they’re not covered by the GHIC or EHIC schemes.
Covers trip cancellation: Dream of scaling the bright orange boulders of Rocklands in South Africa? From flights to hotels, holidays in the world’s climbing hot spots can be expensive. If you have to cancel your trip, rock climbing travel insurance can reimburse non-refundable expenses.
Protects against delays: Rock climbing trips can involve careful planning. You may have booked an organised climb weeks or months in advance.Don’t let travel disruptions ruin your adventure. If a delayed flight disrupts your trip, we’ll help cover the cost of unused accommodation and travel expenses.
Help when you need it: Sprained your ankle climbing in a remote location? 76% of all climbing injuries are of the lower extremities. Our 24-hour emergency assistance team is available to call, day or night. They could save you a painful hobble to the wrong hospital.
‘Rock climbing travel insurance’ is a general term. It applies to cover included within our standard policies and hazardous activity add-on. We don’t offer specialist cover for this specific activity.
Make sure the policy you’ve chosen covers you for the duration of your trip. It also needs to cover all the climbing activities you have planned. Our policy wording provides full terms and conditions of what is and isn’t included.
You’ll need to tell us about your pre-existing medical conditions. We can’t cover any costs related to medical issues that aren’t declared. If your medical history isn’t accurate, you may have to pay for unexpected medical costs.
What types of rock climbing are covered?
All our travel insurance policies cover bouldering (up to 4m, with a crash mat), abseiling, indoor climbing and climbing walls as standard.
Want to try something more adventurous? No problem! We can cover outdoor rock climbing, too. Just add optional adventure and extreme sports cover to your policy. This option also covers other climbing activities, like canyoning and via ferrata.
You’ll only be covered if climbing is NOT the main purpose of your trip.
What else does InsureandGo’s rock climbing travel insurance cover?
Planning on rock climbing on holiday? You’ll need to add hazardous activity travel insurance. You can add it to any of our travel insurance policies. This will also cover you for skydiving, bungee jumping and a whole host of other adventurous activities.
What’s covered?
Your travel insurance policy with rock climbing cover includes:
The excess and amount of cover available varies. It depends on the level of travel insurance for motorcycling you buy. Make sure you check the policy wording to see the full terms and conditions.
Safety precautions
We can cover rock climbing as long as you wear the appropriate safety equipment, clothing and headgear.
Trip length and purpose
Planning rock climbing as a fun holiday activity? Our rock climbing insurance will cover you for up to a maximum of 15 days.
What’s not covered?
Each provider will have different things it can or cannot include in a policy. However, there are some situations no travel insurance will cover. For example:
You cannot cover events or reasons to claim which took place before you booked the trip or purchased insurance. Insurance exists to cover unexpected events outside the insured’s control
Claims which are less than the excess for that section of cover. For example, you cannot claim a £40 lost item if your baggage excess is £60
All of our travel insurance policies include cover for cancellation of your trip. But there may be some exclusions. For example, you won’t be covered to cancel if you simply decide not to go
To check the policy exclusions and what is and isn’t included, take a look at our policy wording.
Safety precautions
We cannot cover rock climbing if it is not professionally organised. You need to be accompanied by an experienced or suitably qualified instructor or guide,
Trip length and purpose
We cannot cover you if rock climbing is the main purpose of your trip.
The best rock climbing travel insurance for your trip
Ready to test your head for heights? Our flexible policies cover trips to the world’s best climbing destinations. Not sure what you need? Here are a few suggestions:
Scaling El Capitan? It’s a bucket-list destination for experienced climbers. Just add rock climbing touring travel insurance to our USA policies.
Rock climbing in the Alps? Spectacular views come as standard. Add rock climbing travel insurance to our Europe policies.
Want to capture your climb? Don’t drop your GoPro! Adding valuables cover to your rock climbing travel insurance will protect your expensive kit.
Feeling adventurous? Get travel insurance that covers rock climbing and you’ll be covered for an alphabet of extreme sports. Everything from American football to zorbing!
Going as a group? Rock climbing is fun with friends. Add rock climbing travel insurance to our group policies.
Rock climbing insurance for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions
A pre-existing condition shouldn’t get in the way of your holiday activities. Declare your conditions when getting your quote. That way you’ll be covered for any related medical emergencies when you’re away.
When we surveyed our customers, 58% had at least one pre-existing condition.³ So, if you want rock climbing travel insurance that also covers a pre-existing medical condition, we can help. There’s a reason 99% of our customers would recommend us to family and friends.⁴
It’s quick and easy to get travel insurance that covers rock climbing.
Tell us about your trip
Let us know about the climbing activities you have planned. Tell us who you want to cover, and when you want the policy to start. We will also ask you about any pre-existing medical conditions.
You can do this online now or by calling our team:
You can either buy your insurance there and then, or save the quote for a future date.
“Planning an action-packed trip? You’re not alone. Our survey found that 59% of Brits want active experiences on holiday. But if climbing is on your itinerary, you’ll need to make sure your travel insurance covers it. All our policies cover indoor climbing as standard. Want more of an adrenaline rush? Our extreme sports add on covers outdoor rock climbing, offering crucial protection when you’re scaling the heights.”
“Answered all my questions comprehensively. I felt confident to go ahead and purchase the insurance for my trip to Australia and New Zealand. Good to be able to add cover for rock climbing.”
Frequently asked questions on rock climbing travel insurance
Do I need travel insurance for rock climbing?
Yes, travel insurance is highly recommended if you’re planning on rock climbing during your trip. That’s because:
Rock climbing can involve significant risks and potential for injury. Having the right travel insurance ensures you’re covered for any accidents during your adventure.
Reputable climbing centres may insist that participants have adequate travel insurance.
Because rock climbing is considered a high-risk activity, it’s not covered by our standard policies. To be fully covered, you need the extreme sports add-on. Extreme sports insurance typically provides:
Higher cover limits for medical expenses and emergency evacuation
Protection for specialised sports equipment
Personal liability cover for adventure activities
Remember that the extreme sports add-on does not cover rock climbing if it’s the main purpose of your trip. See our policy wording for details.
Is rock climbing considered an extreme sport?
Extreme sports for travel insurance include activities that involve a high degree of risk or danger. However, the activities that are considered extreme for travel insurance vary from insurer to insurer.
At InsureandGo, we cover over 100 sports and activities at no extra cost. These include some climbing activities that may be considered an extreme sport by other insurance companies, such as:
Abseiling
Bouldering
Indoor climbing
Climbing walls
You won’t need to worry about buying extreme sports cover for these climbing activities. However, there are some caveats to consider. For example, we’ll only cover you for bouldering for climbs lower than 4m. There must be a crash mat to protect you from falls.
Take a look at our policy documents for a full list of the sports we’ll cover.
Will my GHIC cover me for climbing injuries abroad?
Yes, it will. If you’re travelling to Europe, Switzerland and Australia, applying for the GHIC is a good idea. It covers emergency treatment that cannot reasonably wait until you come back to the UK. It doesn’t matter how you get injured.
However, the GHIC doesn’t replace travel insurance. It won’t cover all potential costs associated with rock climbing. This includes:
Medical repatriation
Private medical care
Lost, stolen or damaged equipment
Personal liability if you injure someone
Does rock climbing travel insurance cover mountain rescue?
Unexpected situations can happen whenever you’re taking part in adventurous activities. Our extreme sports add-on doesn’t cover search and rescue costs incurred by government or private organisations. But it does cover repatriation for medical emergencies.
Climbing in the Dolomites? Medical repatriation from Italy could set you back around £10,500 or more. Our travel insurance will cover your travel home.
Who can buy an InsureandGo rock climbing travel insurance policy?
All our rock climbing travel insurance policies are available to UK residents. This means:
Someone who has been living in the UK or the Channel Islands for at least six of the last 12 months
They must be in the UK at the time of purchase
All trips must start and end in the UK
Travel insurance guide
Frequently asked questions
If you’ve got more questions about how our rock climbing travel insurance works, or more general travel insurance queries, have a read through our FAQs.
Travel advice
Our travel advice section offers handy tips and guides to specific countries, from what documents you need to what you might visit while you’re there.
Travel insurance reviews
If you want to know what our customers think of us, and why they rate us so highly, have a read through some of the reviews they’ve left us.
Silver winner 2023 – Insurance Times Awards, Customer Champion of the Year
Up to 4m with a crash mat
Based on 4023 responses. InsureandGo Annual Survey, February 2024
Based on 2,050 responses, correct as of 22/01/2024
