Do I need insurance for my safari?
Yes, yes and yes. This is another very common question when booking a safari and now of course an even more pertinent one in the post COVID-19 environment. We insist that you have a travel insurance policy before you leave and you should send us the policy details well in advance of your safari.
Our safaris include emergency evacuation insurance as standard, this is not a comprehensive travel insurance policy and only covers you for air evacuation to the nearest major hospital in the event of an emergency. From there you will be responsible for medical expenses.
How Can I Get Insured?
These days it’s possible to get travel insurance from all sorts of places, we don’t recommend any particular one. Some of our clients have policies through their employers, through their credit cards, their health provider and so on. Frequent travellers will find multi trip policies more convenient than those who only travel once or twice a year. What you need to do is make sure your policy covers you for the most relevant outcomes, important ones being for example; medical expenses (check how much), repatriation expenses, missed flights, lost luggage and trip interruption. This last one is taking on a new meaning post COVID, but generally you will find policies will not cover such force majeuer events.
If possible you should take out your policy when you book your safari and/or when you book your international flights, so that you are covered in the lead up to your trip as well as on the trip itself. Should you need to cancel, rearrange and so on. Safari is often a specialist holiday in insurance terms so tailored quotes can become expensive. There needs to be a balance between risk and cost. If you want your policy to cover the cancellation, rescheduling or repatriation costs of an event like COVID-19, expect to pay a considerable sum.
Travel insurance is essential and worth doing your research on. But it’s just as important to work with people you trust, who will look after you properly before and during your safari.