Water you mean I’m not covered? Brits urged to check travel insurance before planning holiday activities
Quad biking, white water rafting and jet skiing are the activities least likely to be covered
With new research revealing that a surprising number of holiday activities aren’t covered as standard by travel insurance, the experts at Go.Compare are issuing a warning to holidaymakers: always check your policy before taking the plunge.
Go.Compare reviewed 932 single-trip travel insurance policies and found that while some insurers offer extensive cover, others require you to pay extra or don’t offer cover at all for certain activities.*
Just 5% of single-trip policies cover quad biking as standard, and only around a fifth cover Grade 4 white water rafting (21%). Even activities such as horse riding aren’t automatically covered as standard - in fact, Go.Compare’s analysis revealed that 10% of single-trip policies don’t provide cover for horse rides.
And while activities such as cycling are widely covered - 98% of single trip policies provide cover as standard - it’s important to be aware that if you're doing any of these activities after a few drinks, your insurer is unlikely to pay out should you need to make a claim.
|
X |
% of single-trip policies with… |
||
|
Activity |
No cover |
Standard cover |
Additional premium cover |
|
Quad bike |
74% |
5% |
21% |
|
White water rafting |
41% |
21% |
38% |
|
Jet ski |
34% |
55% |
11% |
|
Sea kayaking |
23% |
55% |
22% |
|
Bungee |
19% |
66% |
15% |
|
Horse Riding |
10% |
76% |
14% |
|
Parasailing |
5% |
91% |
4% |
|
Banana Boat |
3% |
96% |
1% |
|
Hot air balloon |
3% |
84% |
14% |
|
Snorkelling |
2% |
98% |
0% |
|
Cycling |
0% |
98% |
2% |
|
Scuba diving |
0% |
97% |
3% |
Rhys Jones, Go.Compare travel insurance expert, said: “With a recent BBC article highlighting that risky behaviour is on the rise for outdoor adventure activities and those all-important insta snaps to commemorate them, it’s important for Brits to think carefully about what activities they plan to do on holiday, both abroad and in the UK.
“While it’s no big surprise that high-risk activities like white water rafting or quad biking aren’t covered by most policies as standard, travellers might be shocked to find that horse riding, sea kayaking and snorkelling aren’t always included. That’s why it’s also crucial to check your policy documents if you plan to do some water sports or other adventurous activities on holiday. What may seem low risk to you, might not be seen that way by your insurer.”
Rhys added: “If you’re planning a sports-focused break – whether it’s wind-surfing, paddle boarding, alpine hiking, or a long-distance cycling tour, take time to properly read the small print on your travel insurance policy. Look out for things like altitude limits, competitive sports exclusions or clauses in your insurance cover about using appropriate safety gear. You might even consider taking out specialist travel insurance to cover you for this kind of trip.
“And of course, staying sober and avoiding risky behaviour is also key to ensuring that you can claim, should the worst happen. As we say with all insurance policies, it’s essential to review your policy documents thoroughly so you understand the conditions, exclusions and limitations on your cover before your trip and plan accordingly.”
For more information about sports cover and travel insurance, you can read Go.Compare’s guide, here: https://www.gocompare.com/travel-insurance/guide/adventurous-sports-insurance/
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
*As of 31 July 2025, Defaqto Matrix shows out of 186 providers of 932 single-trip travel insurance policies these are the numbers that cover these leisure activities as standard.
For further information please contact:
Lynsey Walden on lynsey.walden@Gocompare.com, or Kath Chadwick on Kathryn.chadwick@Gocompare.com.
Keep up-to-date with Go.Compare on X (Twitter); @Go.Compare
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.Go.Compare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.