When travelling to Peru
-as to any other distant or exotic location- it is highly recommended
that you take out travel insurance. Although chances are your trip
to Peru will be a wonderful experience, it's prudent practice to
cover yourself from any unforeseen event that may threaten to spoil
your holiday, from the pretty serious ones -accidents or health
problems- to the unimportant -loss of luggage, travel delays, etc.
The type of insurance policy you decide to buy
should depend on your holiday needs, of course. For example, if
you plan on doing some birding in a remote and inaccessible location
(i.e the Manu National Reserve), you should make sure that your
travel insurance includes medical evacuation. The same is true for
adventure sports such as rafting or trekking.
A standard travel insurance will usually provide
coverage for medical expenses, trip cancellation or interruption,
baggage claim loss (which may also include emergency monetary assistance),
and emergency evacuation. As said before, though, even if travel
insurance policies provide a comprehensive list of risks covered,
they do have exclusions and it is important to ensure that the policy
provides you with sufficient cover.
If you need coverage for adventure sports, be certain
that the insurance policy actually covers the sports you plan on
doing. For example, most insurance companies do not cover sports
that require the use of support ropes (that is, mountaineering and
rock climbing are usually NOT covered, whilst trekking is covered,
provided you do not need to use support ropes). Furthermore, some
sports are covered but only under certain conditions. Such is the
case of rafting, which is covered only if done with a licensed operator.
Bear in mind that there are significant differences
from one policy to the other in terms of costs and conditions, so
you might want to do some shopping before taking a decision. For
example, a one-month standard policy might cost from US$30 to more
than US$100 depending on the insurance company.
Final Considerations on Travel Insurance
Even if you have a travel insurance, hospitals and clinics may ask
for cash payment up front. Keep all receipts so that you can be
reimbursed once you return home.
If you are bringing expensive equipment (photographic,
sports, etc) it is a good idea to make sure whether your travel
insurance covers it. Moreover, check the conditions of the policy
regarding where your equipment should be kept for it to be covered,
as a claim for valuables not kept in a safe place as defined by
your policy may not be covered.
Remember that many credit cards provide a medical
insurance when you are abroad, so check if yours does -and covers
your needs- before buying a travel insurance for Peru.
If you finally decide to take the chance and travel
without an insurance, and eventually need assistance, you can contact
the Tourist Protection Bureau for information on the nearest medical
centre: