150 Sports and Activities Covered for Free with our Travel Insurance!

While chilling on a beach or by the pool may be your perfect idea of a holiday, others seek out the thrills and spills of adventure sports, and with 150 covered for free with your Columbus Direct policy, now is a better time than any to try out something new!

Adventure travel is what you make of it. It could mean hiring a kayak and taking a slow, but steady paddle across one of Canada’s amazingly blue lakes, or staying at the lakes edge and having a go at a serene yoga class. On the other end of the spectrum, it could mean hopping on a horse and going for a hack through the forest, or throwing yourself around, gunning for the win in beach volleyball.

Everyone is different, and that’s why we have so many sports and activities available at no extra cost on your travel insurance. If you have something specific in mind, you’re more than likely to find it on our list, or with our Adventure sports add-on. But if you don’t see what you’re looking for, please do give us a call and we will try our best to accommodate you. 

• What we cover for free as standard:

  • ✓ Abseiling ‡ ✓ Aerobics ✓ Aikido (non-contact training only) * ✓ Angling ✓ Archaeological digging * ✓ Archery * ✓ Assault course ✓ Athletics (non-competitive, track only) ✓ Badminton ✓ Bamboo rafting (only on inland waters) * ✓ Banana boating ✓ Bar/Restaurant work ✓ Baseball * ✓ Basketball ✓ Beach games ✓ Biathlon (training only) * ✓ Billiards ✓ Blading (no stunts) ✓ Board sailing *Ω ✓ Body boarding Ω ✓ Boogie boarding *Ω ✓ Bowling/Bowls ✓ Boxing (non-contact training only) ✓ Bungee jumping ‡ ✓ Cable car ride ✓ Camel riding (excl trekking) * ✓ Canoeing (incl white water up to grade 3) *Ω ✓ Catamaran sailing (within European waters only, no racing) * ✓ Clay pigeon shooting * ✓ Climbing (on climbing wall only) ✓ Cricket * ✓ Croquet ✓ Cross country running ✓ Curling ✓ Cycling (excl BMX, mountain biking & touring) * ✓ Dancing ✓ Darts ✓ Dinghy sailing *Ω ✓ Dragon boat racing * ✓ Elephant riding/trekking ✓ Fell walking (below 2,000 metres) ✓ Fishing ✓ Fives ✓ Flag American Football ✓ Flying as a passenger in an aircraft (private plane, small aircraft, glider or helicopter) ✓ Football ✓ Fruit or vegetable picking (under 3 metres) ✓ Glass bottom boats ✓ Go karting * ✓ Goalball ✓ Golf ✓ Gorilla trekking ✓ Gym - Fitness ✓ Gymnastics ✓ Handball ✓ Helicopter rides (passenger only) ✓ Hiking (2,000 to 4,000 metres altitude, no overnight stay) ✓ Hiking (below 2,000 metres) ✓ Hobie Cat sailing *Ω ✓ Hockey (field) ✓ Horse riding (maximum 7 days, no polo, hunting, jumping) * ✓ Hot air ballooning (passenger only) ✓ Hot dogging (grade 1-3) ✓ Hot springs ✓ Hydro zorbing ✓ Ice skating (rink only) ✓ In-line skating (no stunts) ✓ Jet boating (passenger only) * ✓ Jogging ✓ Judo (training only) * ✓ Jujitsu (training only) * ✓ Karate (non-contact training only) * ✓ Kayaking (incl white water up to grade 3) *Ω ✓ Kendo (non-contact training only) * ✓ Kickboxing (non-contact training only) * ✓ Kite surfing/boarding (on a lake) * ✓ Korfball ✓ Llama riding * ✓ Marathon running (training only) ✓ Martial arts (non-contact training only) ✓ Modern pentathlon (training only) * ✓ Mopeds (maximum 125cc) * ✓ Motorcycling (maximum 125cc) * ✓ Mule trekking * ✓ Netball ✓ Non-manual labour – excl animal sanctuary/ refuge work * ✓ Octopush ✓ Orienteering ✓ Ostrich riding * ✓ Paintballing * ✓ Parachuting (single jump/tandem only) ‡ ✓ Parasailing/parascending (towed by boat/ over water) ✓ Pedalos * ✓ Pilates ✓ Pony trekking ✓ Pool ✓ Power boating (passenger only) * ✓ Rackets ✓ Racquet Ball ✓ Rafting (incl white water up to grade 3) *Ω ✓ Rambling (below 2,000 metres) ✓ Reverse bungee ✓ Rifle range ‡* ✓ Ringos ✓ River bugging (Grade 1-3) * ✓ River sledding * ✓ River tubing * ✓ Roller blading (no stunts) ✓ Roller skating (no stunts) ✓ Rounders ✓ Rowing * ✓ Safari in vehicle/on foot (not involving use of firearms) ✓ Sailing (incl yachting and catamaran, within European waters only, no racing) * ✓ Sand duning ✓ Sand skiing ✓ Sandboarding ✓ Scuba diving (to 30 metres) ✓ Sea fishing ✓ Shark diving (cage only) ‡ ✓ Skateboarding (no stunts) ✓ Skydiving (single jump and tandem only) ‡ ✓ Sledging or sleigh riding (passenger only, pulled by horse, reindeer or dogs) ✓ Small bore target shooting ‡* ✓ Snooker ✓ Snorkelling ✓ Soccer ✓ Softball ✓ Speed boating (passenger only) * ✓ Sphereing ✓ Spinning ✓ Squash ✓ Surfing * ✓ Swimming Ω ✓ Swimming with dolphins ✓ Sydney Harbour Bridge walk ✓ Table tennis ✓ Taekwondo (non-contact training only) ✓ Ten pin bowling ✓ Tennis ✓ Touch Football ✓ Trampolining ✓ Tree top trekking ✓ Trekking (2,000 to 4,000 metres altitude, no overnight stay) ✓ Trekking (below 2,000 metres) ✓ Triathlon (training only) * ✓ Tubing ✓ Tug of war ✓ Tuk tuk ride (passenger only) ✓ Volleyball ✓ Wakeboarding * ✓ Walking (2,000 to 4,000 metres altitude, no overnight stay) ✓ Walking (below 2,000 metres) ✓ Water hockey ✓ Water polo ✓ Water-skiing (no jumping) *Ω ✓ Whale watching ✓ Wheelchair basketball ✓ Wind tunnel flying ‡ ✓ Windsurfing *Ω ✓ Yachting (within European waters only, no racing) * ✓ Yoga ✓ Zip-lining/trekking ✓ Zorbing
    ‡ no cover under the Personal Accident section * no cover under the Personal Liability section Ω covered on inland waters or within 12 miles from the coast only

Which sports and activities are the most popular?

People may not realise that many of the sports and activities they participate in whilst enjoying their holiday are required to be covered by your travel insurance policy to be covered in the unlikely result of an accident or injury. Regardless of whether you’re on an adventure holiday, ski or snowboarding or simply recharging your batteries, it’s worth taking a look at your policy wording to familiarise yourself with the details before you travel, and ensure all the activities you plan on participating in.

Most popular water sports and activities

• Kayaking - As mentioned above, kayaking can be a leisurely paddle across a lake or a fjord, taking in the sights surrounding you, or you could fancy taking on the white water rapids of a fast-flowing river. In Voss, Norway, they say it’s so exciting that their slogan is “We guarantee to wet your pants!” Good luck!

• Kite Surfing – As with any extreme sport, there’s always an element of danger involved and you’d argue that’s the reason why people participate. With kite surfing, you’re relying on two external variables in wind, and the sea. Always seek an instructor if you’re new to the sport and if you’re an advanced kite surfer then always check the forecast and do a spot assessment before heading out to sea.

• Scuba Diving – Many people wonder what lies beneath, so they don a face mask and stick their head in the water to have a look. Scuba diving is one step further than snorkelling, where you can experience the underwater world first-hand. But again, the risk involved in scuba diving is high, so ensure you’ve had some proper training before you head out to sea. You can read our blog on scuba diving safety here.

• Horse Riding – A great way to get out in to the fresh air, and discover the great outdoors without much effort on your part. Many stables offer lessons and a variety of hacks with different time variations and places to visit. If you’re near the coast, you can go for a trot along the beach, or you can head for the hills to take in your surroundings from up high. Of course, not everyone takes to horse riding like John Wayne, so don’t expect to be galloping if you’re a beginner!

• Body Boarding – When you were growing up, you might have been gifted a body board – they have been developed from those unreliable polystyrene moulds to stronger materials, so they will last longer than a weekend trip to the seaside! It’s easier to learn the basics of body boarding compared to surfing, and it’s just as fun. Give it a go!

• Zip Lining – One of the closest ways you’ll ever get to flying, zip lining gives you treetop (or just high-up) views of the landscape and your surroundings. Feel the wind rush through your hair as you hurtle along the line to your destination.

Most popular Martial Arts 

• Jujitsu (Training only) – The art in which you’re taught to defeat an opponent who is either armed, or armoured. Learning this will help you to control, and manipulate the attacker. It’s a good place to start with basics of self-defence, so if available to you and you’re interested, try it out!

• Karate (Non-Contact) – A striking art, which requires a huge amount of focus, strength and a willingness to learn. It’s excellent in order to improve your posture and concentration. Sean Connery fought Kyokushin style, while Jean-Claude Van Damme fights Shotokan.

• Kendo (Non-contact training only) – A Japanese version of Fencing, except you use a 2-handed sword made of bamboo. You need to be equipped with a helmet (men), body armour (Dō and Tare) and protective gloves (Kote). Then you can learn techniques used in practice and competitions. 

What else am I covered for if I added Winter Sports to my policy?

If you’re a fan of sun and ski, then our Winter Sports Cover is the perfect add-on for your policy. You’re protected on and off-piste (as long as you’re skiing within the resort boundaries) for both skiing and snowboarding, so you have room to roam and find the best runs. You’ll also be covered for emergency medical and assistance, this includes helicopter rescue should it be deemed necessary. Not only would you be covered, but your equipment would be covered too (hired and owned), so it’s not the end of the world if your skis, bindings, boots, poles or snowboard gets lost, stolen or damaged. It also stretches further than just skiing and snowboarding. 

Depending on what’s on offer at your resort, we cover an additional 25 winter sports and activities. So if you fancy giving your legs a rest, why not take on the thrill of tobogganing, snow tubing or even air boarding and let gravity take over. Our full policy wording can be found here. Take a look through and see the full range of Winter Sports and activities which are covered. 

If you’re purchasing the Winter Sports Package on top of an annual multi-trip policy, you can add either 11 or 24 days of cover to tailor your policy to your needs.

What if I want to participate in an activity which isn’t covered in the 150 which come free with my policy?

If your love for adventure goes further than the 150 sports and activities covered as standard, we do have an Adventure Pack which you can add to your policy. The Adventure Pack provides cover for an additional 23 activities, from Athletics*‡ to White Water Rafting (Grade 4)*. Adding this as an option on your travel insurance will open up a whole new world of thrill and excitement for you to experience. So get out there and create some amazing memories (and take lots of photos!)

‡ No cover under the Personal Accident section 

* No cover under the Personal Liability section