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Trip insurance for Africa

Going to Africa in August. Those that have gone or are going do you get trip insurance? If so what company did you use ? Thanx

The first thing you do after booking your hunt is initiate your travel/medical coverage for the trip.

Travel Guard is who I have used for many years.

Ripcord travel protection for medical and evac. Then travel guard for trip cancelation coverage

I have gone to Africa twice, NZ once, Canada once and Alaska three times and I have not purchased trip insurance. I figure that if I could hunt in CO all these years and never get hurt I should be able to do the same in other countries. Get yourself to the airport on time and don't put yourself into a situation that you can't get yourself out of it. If you lose your luggage you are screwed too.

If you get bitten by a black mamba you are dead. If a rhino stomps you, you will probably die. If a big cat tears you up you will probably die.

The other side of that is, can you afford to pay the medical bills on your own if something should happen on the hunt? If not, get the insurance. A lot of this depends on where you are going on your hunt.

Going to Limpopo.

I am heading to Canada for a moose hunt this year and purchased insurance through MH Ross, you just never know what ca happen. I bet the people who had there Quebec caribou hunts canceled by the outfitter had wished they had bought insurance.

Banjo...Not really. Outfitter insolvency usually isn't covered. You really need to read these policies to know what is covered and what isn't. It will suprise you.

arrow1,

There are 2 types of insurance you need to consider as Db1 stated.... Trip cancellation insurance covers your non-refundable deposits, trip delays, baggage loss, etc... It is based on the total cost of these non-refundable expenses, and it is a good idea to get especially if there is any chance you may have to cancel your trip. Some companies, like Travel Guard also offer emergency medical care and emergency evacuation which are 2 entirely different things. Your health insurance here at home will not be accepted in Africa. Your health insurance may reimburse you later, but it will not be honored at the time of your injury. If you require hospitalization, you would need to make other arrangements for payment. This emergency medical insurance would cover that. Also, in the event that you were seriously injured, and needed to be evacuated by air out of the bush, you would need the emergency medical evacuation coverage. This also covers the cost of a medical jet home to the hospital of your choice in the event you are hospitalized indefinitely or want to come home to your own doctors. These type of costs can exceed $100K. Depending on the specific coverage that you elect, the cost typically ranges from $150-250 per person on a 10 day safari.

I always get the emergency evacuation coverage, and we always recommend it to our guests. However, it's a decision that you will have to consider given your personal circumstances. With regard to trip cancellation coverage, check with your credit card company to see if you have any built-in protection. For example, our AMEX card automatically provides a lot of these coverages if you use the card to book airfares.

For travel insurance & emergency medical expenses, Travel Guard is one of the better ones... For emergency evacuation, look at medjetassistance.com and medexassist.com.

Firehuntfish,

Thanks for a great explanation. I know of three hunters who had to cancel trips for various reasons and the insurance was a blessing. I know of two hunters who had to cancel hunts and wished they would have purchased the insurance. Never know what the future may hold.

I use Travel Guard for ALL trips, not just my hunting adventures.

Also the emergency medical coverage will help in the event that something unexpected happens and U.S. health insurance is not valid outside of the U.S.

A couple hundred dollars could help protect several thousands of dollars, if needed. It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

I've bought and never used it...... To me, trip insurance is very expensive considering the odds of something happening and what it covers... Most of us are overinsured and spend far too much because of what might happen... Just look at some of the largest, fanciest buildings in many large cities...they're usually insurance companies.

Thanx everyone

I booked an African hunt in 2011 with my father. About a year later, and 4 months before the hunt, my daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. The under $200 Travel Gaurd trip insurance saved me. It covered deposits, airfare, etc. In the future, I will always buy insurance for trips over $1000.

I took my N-laws and mother on a vacation 4 years ago on a 12 day Alaskan Cruise-tour and bought the insurance. neither had ever considered it, believing it was an un-due expense. Half way through the trip my Mother-n-law had a major medical crisis and had to be evac-ed from Glacier Bay, Ak to the hospital, via air ambulance. The total cost (ship sick bay, land ambulance, air ambulance and hospital) the cost of the ordeal was $48,000,00, insurance policy cost $275.00 per, the policy covered the entire bill. Its a cheap purchase if anything at all goes wrong. Sure its a gamble, but small potatoes compared to the cost of a vacation package. I later insured our African hunt and never gave it a second thought, no issues either. I never even consider it was a waste of money.

Good post, Danny.

Hope she's enjoyed every vacation since.

I'm planning on Africa next year. I will be insured.

An editor had a lion hunting platform collapse and had to get a get ride back to the states, plus African hospital expense.

He said insurance saved a major chunk of his life's savings.

I used Global Rescue and my partner who has gone six times uses them. The good news if you don't need it and the bad news is if you did need it you have it. I've done a number of mission trips overseas and also use some insurance. It only takes once and if you didn't have it to spend more than if you had it for all your trips. Just think if you had been in Nepal ready to do a short climb a couple months ago- if you didn't have a good one you would still be stuck there. It can also give a little extra security for the family back home knowing you can get out no matter the emergency.

One of the great misconceptions of "Travel Insurance" is that it covers your lost bags. It doesn't. There is an international agreement that limits the air lines to a set dollar amount, per kilo I believe for lost luggage. It does not cover your "bow" only the weight of the bow. Your home owners,if you have your bows, optics etc listed on your HO policy, will/may cover that.

Several years ago I wrote up a story here called Northwest Nightmare about my experiences with an airline and lost luggage on a trip to South Africa. What I learned was put all your gear on your HO policy in case it gets lost. You can purchase the other insurance to get you home, or to recoup your ticket prices.

Hugh,

There are a couple of companies that offer "traveling sportsmen's" policies... Travel Guard, for example, has a Sportsman's policy that specifically covers those traveling with guns, bows, golf, ski equipment, etc... Don't quote me, but I believe there is a $2,000 limitation, but your specialty gear will be covered above the weight limitations. Also, if you have gun insurance through SCI's company, travel loss is also covered.

Also, if it hasn't already been said, don't pack optics, range finders, cameras, etc.., inside gun and bow cases or regular checked bags. Keep the expensive, fragile stuff in your backpack/carry-on....

Fire, yes I know of those. I was addressing the common misconceptions etc. The specialty insurances are a great benefit.

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