Difficulty class
- Light classes often covered
- Heavy classes excluded
- The water level can change the class
White water · float board · difficulty class
Hydrospeed and your insurance
In hydrospeed you go through the rapids on a float board with fins. Many policies cover white water only up to a certain difficulty class.
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Hydrospeed en uw verzekering.
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- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your situation
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Hydrospeed, also known as riverboarding, is a white-water sport without a boat: you lie in the water yourself on a float board, wearing a helmet, a wetsuit and fins. That makes the risk different from rafting. You have no hull between you and the rocks, and at a siphon or a submerged tree trunk the chance of getting trapped is high.
Insurers normally assess white-water sports on the difficulty class of the river. Up to a light class it is often covered by your travel insurance; above that it is excluded or insured only with additional cover. The usual exclusions also apply for races and for going on the water without recognised supervision.
What is covered in hydrospeed?
Three things determine your cover: the river, the supervision and prior notification.
Recognised organisation
Acceptance usually depends on a certified guide.
- Helmet, wetsuit and buoyancy aid
- Safety briefing beforehand
- Going out on your own usually excluded
Rescue from moving water
Help in a gorge rarely arrives quickly.
- Call the emergency assistance centre about costs
- Hypothermia sets in fast
- Keep the accident report
What is covered
| Situation | Standard | With extension |
|---|---|---|
| A guided descent on a light stretch | Provided that | Yes |
| A descent in a heavy white-water class | No | Provided that |
| Medical costs after a collision with a rock | Provided that | Yes |
| Search and rescue in a gorge | No | Yes |
| Taking part in a white-water competition | No | Provided that |
| Going on the water without a guide or during declared high water | No | No |
What is actually covered is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive in advance.
Where things go wrong in practice
Two points that decide whether your policy pays after an accident in the river.
The limit lies at the difficulty class
Alongside the standard exclusions for mountain sports off the beaten track, air sports, deep diving and speed contests many policies mention white-water sports separately. Cover then runs up to a stated class and stops above it. Check which class your conditions name and which stretch the provider actually runs.
High water changes the stretch you booked
A river that is light at normal levels can be a class heavier after rain. If you go ahead despite a warning or cancellation, then Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code comes into play: damage caused by recklessness is not covered. Report an accident immediately, as Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires.
What does your premium depend on?
- Difficulty class of the stretch — decisive for acceptance
- Supervision by a recognised guide — often a condition
- Recreational or in competition — competitions attract a surcharge
- Destination — the Alps, the Balkans or further afield
- Duration of the trip — a single day or a whole week
- Sums insured — rescue and disability
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk and wishes.
- We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
- You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
- We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.
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9.8Claims handling
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often about this.
Does hydrospeed fall under ordinary travel cover?
Sometimes, and then only up to a light white-water class and under supervision. Many insurers mention white-water sports separately in the conditions and exclude the heavier classes. Ask which stretch you will be running and have the cover confirmed in writing beforehand.
Why is this riskier than rafting?
In rafting you sit in a boat; in hydrospeed you lie in the current yourself. Collisions with rocks are direct, and if you become trapped under a tree trunk or in a siphon, self-rescue is virtually impossible. Insurers therefore rate it higher.
Is the provider's insurance enough?
No. As a rule it covers only the organisation's liability, not your own injury or repatriation. The waiver you sign limits their liability and does not replace your travel or personal accident cover.
What do I do after an accident?
Call your insurer's emergency assistance centre before you incur costs, so that they can arrange the guarantee of payment. Ask the organisation for an accident report stating the date, the stretch and the water level, and keep all invoices for your claim.
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Similar pages
Are you going down the river?
Before you leave, have it confirmed in writing up to which white-water class your policy provides cover.
Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
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About our service
Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.
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This page was written and checked by an adviser at Finass Verzekert. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.