Who hasn’t dreamed of sailing around the world?

While heading out to sea and traveling to exotic locations is sure to be an exciting adventure that you’ll never forget, whether you’re sailing with friends, as part of a crew, or even on your own, you first need to consider the practicalities.

One thing you need to think about before you sail off into the sunset is whether you need travel insurance. 

Do You Need Travel Insurance to Sail Around the World?

Short Answer is Yes

In short, the answer to whether you need travel insurance to sail around the world is: yes.

Without adequate insurance, you would be sailing your vessel unprotected. But there are lots of different insurance companies and policies out there, so it’s important that you determine exactly what coverage you need before you get your travel insurance.

You should also compare different insurers to get the best deal. Get started by using the fantastic iSelect travel insurance Australia comparison site. 

What Should Your Travel Insurance Include?

The one thing you must ensure is included in your travel insurance is coverage for medical expenses.

If you’re injured or become ill while sailing around the world, you could potentially end up paying out hefty sums for medical treatment if you don’t have insurance in place, and costs for medical treatment can vary greatly from one country to another.

Your insurance could also cover travel costs for getting back home if you become so seriously ill or injured that you’re unable to sail home.

You can also get travel insurance that covers the cost of rescue, should you run into trouble at sea and need saving. Furthermore, it’s more than worth taking out personal injury coverage for accidents or damage that you cause.

You never know what kinds of issues you’ll run into on the open sea, so the more prepared you are in your insurance coverage, the better.

What Else Could Your Travel Insurance Cover?

It’s a good idea to get additional coverage, but the precise insurance coverage you get comes down to your specific needs. Here are some types of coverage you should consider.

Equipment Coverage

You can take out coverage for your sailing equipment. That can include the equipment you own and hire on your trip.

Usually, the insurance covers damage, loss, or theft of your sailing equipment.

Loss of Travel Documents or Cash

If your travel documents are lost or stolen during your trip, you can get replacements more easily and cover the costs when you have the right travel insurance policy in place.

Coverage could extend to stolen or lost cash, too. However, it can sometimes be difficult to prove ownership of stolen or lost money.

Water Sport Injuries

Seeing as you love sailing, it’s likely you’ll enjoy some watersports while you’re away.

If you’re intending to swim, snorkel, row, go white water rafting, or shark cage diving, for instance, it could make sense to get specific coverage in your travel insurance policy.

Competition Injuries and Losses

If you’re a competitive sailor and you intend to get involved in sailing competitions while you sail the world, you could get insurance coverage for things like activity and race entry fee losses and injuries that occur during competitions.

Do You Need Boat Insurance?

In addition to getting the right travel insurance coverage, you’ll need to insure your boat.

In some countries, such as Greece, having insurance for your sailing vessel is mandatory. But even if you’re sailing to countries in which boat insurance isn’t compulsory, it makes sense to get it in order to gain coverage for things like damage, loss, and theft.

With boat insurance and travel insurance in place, you can safely and happily set off on your adventure around the world!

Which country will you take in on your next sailing holiday?