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

woman kayaking on the sea

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. 

Look out for stables that offer horse rides around the local area

  • What we cover for free as standard:

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.

Have lessons from a qualified kite surfing instructor before taking to the sea

Most popular adventure sports and activities

  • 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.

adventurous man zip lining
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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 ( and Tare) and protective gloves (Kote). Then you can learn techniques used in practice and competitions. 

martial arts training at night

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

 
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