en de en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en te en en en en en en en en en en en en en en ja en en en en de ru de en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en sv en en en en en fr en en en en en en en fa en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en it en en en en en en en es en en en en en
I travel to 20+ countries a year sharing my firsthand knowledge of reward travel, travel credit card deals, travel tips and more.
I was recently interviewed by NBC’s Today Show to comment on a zipline accident in Mexico that left a California man tragically in a coma. The show asked me how travelers can tell if an adventure company outside the United States is safe, and to comment on the importance of travel insurance. Below is the video with my answers and below that, my notes—most of which did not make the short segment:
How can you tell if an adventure company is safe?
You can also research what standards the zipline course was built to meet and educate yourself about the process for training their guides. When in doubt, ask to see a copy of their inspection report and find out if they’re fully insured.
Is ziplining covered by travel insurance?
One thing that was cut from my interview—and that I personally found interesting—is that ziplining is actually covered by most travel insurance plans. Still, you should keep in mind that with most travel insurance, you’ll have to pay out of pocket before getting reimbursed no matter what the accident is. I learned all of this in my experience with InsureMyTrip.com (here’s why I use them), known as the “Kayak of travel insurance.” They work with 27 different insurance providers to help you find the right plan.
I’m planning on going to Mexico for a conference in September so I called (the same information can be found on their website) to find out what’s generally covered. Here’s what I learned:
The insurance plans InsureMyTrip.com offered me aren’t expensive, and they all include medical evacuation. For my Mexico trip, travel insurance costs $50 for a $50,000 policy or $64 for a $100,000 policy. I could get more if I wanted. It’s secondary insurance and I told them that my primary insurance probably wouldn’t cover me for anything outside of the U.S. As they told me, that’s okay but in event of an accident I’d still need to file a claim with the company and then send the rejection letter to the secondary insurance provider, who would then reimburse for any costs up to the amount you purchase.
Another surprising thing? Scuba diving without a dive master was not covered, nor was skydiving and mountaineering.
Don’t worry: I’m not planning on doing any of those activities—including ziplining. I’ve done ziplining four times in four different countries (Costa Rica, Belize, South Africa, and the USA) and it was fun each time, but I think I’ve got my fix for now.
How about you? Have you been or would you go ziplining in a foreign country? Would you do it without travel insurance? Let me know in the comments below!
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Enjoy benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
3 Comments On "How to Tell if an Adventure Company is Safe Abroad"
July 30, 2014 at 7:07 pm | Reply
Sadly the video didn’t work for me, however…you should absolutely ALWAYS travel with insurance, it’s simply not worth the risk not to. You should, however, always check to see what your insurance covers before travelling as you often have to pay more if you want to participate in riskier activities (diving, bungee jumping etc..) and this in not always obvious.
When travelling to places such as India – where there is zip lining – it’s unlikely that companies will have been endorsed by e.g. a Hilton or a Marriott.
In these kind of situations it’s worth thoroughly researching the background of the company; who is owned by, what safety standards to they adhere to (local v.s. e.g. UK safety standards) and where else they have zip lines, as well as checking what safety precautions they publish on e.g. their website. It’s worth checking reports by other travellers on e.g. Tripadvisor too.
And finally, it’s tempting (especially if you’re younger and don’t have a huge amount of money) to go for the cheapest option. Don’t, unless you can be absolutely certain that they’re safety standards are up to scratch.
July 31, 2014 at 3:07 am | Reply
I have done zip lining in Fiji and Mexico. I don’t think either line would have passed OSHA standards. It was pretty primitive in both areas,and, knowing what I know now from your report, I won’t be doing it again. I am also a proponent of travel insurance, but read the policy very carefully so you know exactly what is covered.
July 31, 2014 at 1:07 pm | Reply
Thank you for info on travel ins I’m always torn whether to take or not now ill use sight you mentioned
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Required fields are marked *
OUR FAVORITE PARTNER CARDS
80,000 points bonus, 3x points on gas, $100 annual hotel savings. Terms apply.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
75,000 bonus miles, at least 2x miles on everything. Terms apply.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
60,000 points bonus, 3x points on dining, $50 annual hotel credit. Terms apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
100,000 points bonus, 5x points on select travel. Terms apply.
Best Credit Cards For Dining, Restaurants, Takeout, & More
The Best Gas Credit Cards for 2022 (Rewards, Cash Back, & Bonuses)
In-Depth Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review 2022
How Hard Is It To Get The American Express Platinum Card? (Review)
Coronavirus: Should You Travel to Europe Right Now?
World of Hyatt Grows More With Thompson Hotels
Popular Credit Card Topics
How Hard Is It To Get the Capital One Venture
Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture
Best Credit Cards for International Travel
Best Travel Credit Cards for Beginners
Best Chase Credit Cards
Best American Express Credit Cards
Food & Wine All-Star Weekend: Day 1
Whenever anyone asked me if I wanted to go to Vegas I always thought – “I don’t gamble – so what am I going to do there?” But when the…
The Pitcher Inn: The Perfect Vermont Getaway
By Carol Calicchio: My husband and I stayed at The Pitcher Inn in Vermont for a long weekend and marveled at the great attention to detail in its architecture, service…
New York Marriott Downtown
By Amy Scott: When I went to New York City for a conference a few weeks ago, the New York Marriott Downtown offered the perfect spot to lay my head…
The Best Travel Credit Cards for 2022 Citi Premier Card Review Best Airline Miles Credit Cards The Best Chase Business Credit Cards
About Johnny Press & Media Advertise With Us Contact Join Newsletter Privacy Advertiser Disclosure
Advertiser Disclosure: The card offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Johnny Jet receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Johnny Jet does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace. Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.