Thread: Over 50 percent of expats aim to take up extreme sports

In light of new research showing that a large percentage of people living abroad expect to take part in extreme sports, an international private medical insurance provider is advising expatriates to check the small print of their healthcare policies.

MediCare International reports that 51% of respondents to its continuing poll now said they expected to take part in some kind of extreme sporting activity while living abroad – 10% more than a year ago.

The term ‘extreme sports’ has become a buzzword for non-conventional sports, usually with a perceived higher element of risk. Activities such as off-piste skiing, boarding, quad biking, skydiving, hang gliding, jet skiing, windsurfing, kayaking and rock climbing have become increasingly popular since the early 1990s.

When taking out international health insurance, the focus is usually on the more predictable medical concerns, such as whether day-to-day GP visits are covered, or, in case of emergencies, the extent to which hospital visits, chronic care treatments and repatriation are included in a policy.

Research reveals that a significant number of international private medical insurers will not cover the cost of treating injuries sustained as a result of taking part in amateur sports deemed to be extreme or dangerous, many of which are very popular with expatriates. The advice is to check your cover before you start.

Generally, expatriates today have a good holiday allowance coupled with a high disposable income, which means they can take part in more adventurous, activity-oriented holidays. While the majority of leisure pursuits will not affect an insurance application, participating in what are considered extreme sports could affect international medical insurance.

Activities such as bungee jumping, mountain boarding, paragliding, quad biking, sand boarding and skydiving are often excluded from policies because of a perceived greater risk of injury. While dangerous in comparison to some, correctly supervised and with the right training, there is no reason why they should not be enjoyed to the full.

With the growth in alternative sports in mind, it is wise to pay close attention to your international medical insurance as more and more people push themselves to ever-more-challenging sporting endeavours. Even if you are not going on an extreme sports holiday, make sure your international health policy covers you for events you may wish to try, perhaps as part of a normal holiday.

It’s another of those small-print items you should check before you take out your insurance. If you have an interest in sports, there’s a good chance you will want to try some of these more exotic activities while living abroad.

The most extreme sport I have participated in since moving to Australia has been avoiding the sharks whilst swimming in the sea in WA shark attack hotspot!

I wonder how many expats actually do take up one of these things ? I would imagine about the same proportion as locals, a few percent ?