INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE
WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR THRU-HIKERS?
As an Australian thru-hiker, looking at the USA from a distance, the healthcare system is terrifying. The thought of attempting a five-month hike through objectively dangerous terrain without some kind of access to free healthcare was entirely unfathomable to me.
Of course, coming from Australia, I have a particular experience of universal healthcare, and am socially programmed to expect to be able to access it, for free, if I am in crisis. I was heaps uncomfortable with the thought that I could end up on a failed glissade down a Sierra Pass in a broken heap and not press my SOS because I didn’t want to be hit with tens of thousands of dollars of debt to the American healthcare system. No thank you. Enter, travel insurance.
In short, entering the USA without travel insurance was an unacceptable risk for me. Everyone will have to make their own decisions around their appetite for risk in this area.
Check back in here soon for articles on international travel insurance comparisons – I’m working on it.
Fun Little List of Misery
For context, before the trail name ‘Frostbite’ was bestowed on me, my mates wanted to call me ‘Doomsday’ because I was exceptionally good at suggesting we run all the worst case scenarios and how to plan around them. Plan for the worst, hope for the best. That’s me. Spoiler alert, I bought travel insurance. And because it was in the shadow of covid and because thru-hiking is kind of extreme, I bought comprehensive travel insurance.
Thru-hiking is an objectively dangerous activity and one that places you in such conditions continuously for (usually) around five months. Here is a fun little list of misery/a few things that hikers need to seek medical assistance or emergency medical treatment for while on trail (no fear mongering, just facts, even for the most seasoned hikers):
- Infected blisters
- Heat stroke/dehydration
- Overuse injuries including shin splints and tendonitis
- Broken bones and stress fractures
- Altitude sickness
- Hypothermia
- Puncture wounds (blow downs are a bloody nightmare)
- Illnesses and viruses from untreated water (Giardia and Norovirus are the actual worst – I contracted norovirus in the middle of Washington on a range and let me tell you wobbling myself down into Snoqualmie Pass, racing for a cathole and having to bury my vomit was truly an uninspiring experience)
- Fatigue
- Poison oak allergies and the dreaded poodledog bush encounters
- Covid-19 (remember that little chestnut?)
It was thinking about these things that made me certain I needed travel insurance when in the USA. If you have a different appetite for risk than me, you busted creature you, then do not read on.
HOW I CHOSE TRAVEL INSURANCE
When trawling the internet comparing travel insurance, and choosing a travel insurance provider, as an international hiker going to the USA to thru-hike, there are a few important factors to consider to ensure you have adequate coverage while you’re on trail. I know some people who relied on the free travel insurance provided by their credit card company, but this did not always provide full coverage for the kind of activities that you engage in while thru-hiking.
Thru-hiking is very particular, and you spend most of your time in the elements, in the dirt, and on ridgelines. Here are some key things to consider, and search the Product Disclosure Statement for, while comparing travel insurance options:
Medical Expenses
Look for a travel insurance plan that offers comprehensive medical coverage, including emergency medical assistance, hospitalisation, and medical evacuation. There’s a pretty long list of potential injuries that one can sustain on trail (see my fun little of misery above for ideas). But, to be clear, if you need medical treatment, you need medical treatment. And you really don’t want to be worried about whether you have comprehensive travel insurance when you’re in that space.
Trip Cancellation Cover
Thru-hiking requires some serious planning and throwing down a stack of money on flights if you’re coming from overseas. Check whether your travel insurance will provide cover for trip cancellation or interruption coverage in case you have to cancel or cut short your trip due to unforeseen circumstances. Cancellation costs can be steep and some bookings can be non-refundable. Make sure you know the COVID-19 rules too.
Adventure Sports Coverage
Make sure hiking is specifically listed as a covered activity, as some standard travel insurance policies may not include it. Thru-hiking can be considered an adventure sport, so make sure the travel insurance policy covers the practicalities of what thru-hiking actually is. By that I mean LONG, across multiple states, in remote areas and in some cases at altitude.
It’s not typically under ‘winter sports’ even though you’re often in the snow. Look out for the different names hiking is given: walking, trekking, tramping, backpacking, bushwalking and rambling (weird, but maybe?).
Coverage at High Altitudes
If you want to be covered at all altitudes along the length of your thru-hike, make sure to check that your travel insurance will provide cover at the highest points on the trail:
- The highest point on the PCT is Forester Pass at 4009m/13153ft, or the Mt Whitney side trip which is the highest point in the lower 48 states at 4009m/14,505 feet.
- The highest point on the CDT is Grays Peak at 4352m at 4352m/14278ft
- The highest point on the AT is Clingmans Dome at 2025m/6643ft
Often, the trails with higher altitudes might require extra coverage, like Adventure Sports Coverage. It’s annoying, but those points on trail can also be the most dangerous and where you are more likely to need to hit your emergency beacon.
Lost or Stolen Gear
Hiking gear is expensive and becomes an extension of one’s own body, to be fiercely defended and terribly mourned if lost. Look for a travel insurance policy that provides coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged gear.
I will say though, no insurer will cover you for the psychological damage caused by losing sentimental, but otherwise worthless, items. I hiked with a woman who was trying to use the same sheet of Tyvek for her Triple Crown. That raggedy and threadbare groundsheet was, I am sure, was completely uninsurable.
These provisions also typically cover other personal effects and the usual things you’d want to protect when thinking about overseas travel insurance. But also check whether the personal effects coverage includes the cost of your camera gear if you have it.
Emergency Assistance Services
Having access to 24/7 emergency assistance is heaps important. Please see my rant on taking responsibility for your own safety on trail including with an GPS/personal locator beacon. Check in with potential travel insurance policies to make sure emergency rescues would be covered, including in remote locations.
Some U.S. states provide free search and rescue coverage, but not all of them. If you are going to rely on that, make sure you’ve researched it properly and maybe throw them a donation.
Pre-existing Conditions
If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, check if they are covered by the travel insurance policy. Some plans may exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions or have specific requirements for coverage.
Coverage Duration
Ensure the travel insurance policy covers the entire duration of your thru-hike, which will not be your average weekend warrior jaunt into the wilderness. Some standard travel insurance plans have limitations on trip duration.
Coverage Limits and Deductibles
Review the policy’s coverage limits and deductibles to understand your financial responsibilities in case of a claim. You don’t want to lose your $5000 worth of hiking gear in one go (the horror), and not have the right amount of cover.
Reputation and Customer Reviews
Ah yes, research, my old friend. Read about a bunch of providers including customer reviews to gauge their reliability and customer service quality.
Cost v Coverage
At this stage in the ‘planning and paying for shit process’, it is easy to want to shave off costs wherever you can. And it is always incredibly tempting to do that here. It’s like, are you joking? Does that quote have three zeros at the end? I am probably not even going to need this! But just do it. Prioritise finding an international travel insurance policy that provides sufficient coverage for your needs rather than opting for the cheapest option that might not offer adequate protection.