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White-water canoeing and your insurance
Whitewater kayaking is paddling on moving water with rapids. Where your cover stops depends on the grade of the water and on the supervision.
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
Independent advice
Several insurers
Switching arranged
Help with claims
In brief
Paddling on flat water appears in the exclusions of virtually no policy. With moving water that changes: many insurers draw a line at the grade of the river and exclude everything from grade III or IV upwards, or treat it as a high-risk sport for which you have to request cover.
The risk is not in the capsize itself, but in what happens next: entrapment under a fallen tree, stoppers and siphons, and a bank no ambulance can reach. A rescue on the river often calls for a specialist team or a helicopter. Those costs are the reason insurers are cautious.
We compare your travel insurance across dozens of insurers, explain where the real differences lie, and arrange the switch from start to finish — without you having to chase it yourself.
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What is covered in whitewater kayaking?
Three things determine your cover: the water, the supervision and your equipment.
The water
Difficulty class
For many insurers the grade of the river is the hard limit.
Flat water normally covered
Grade III and above separately
High water after rain
Guidance
Organised or your own group
With a recognised organisation more insurers accept the trip.
Rafting with a guide
Helmet and buoyancy aid compulsory
Never paddle alone
Equipment
Boat, paddle and spray deck
A craft falls outside the baggage cover of travel insurance.
Separate equipment cover
Hired equipment through the hire company
Wear is never covered
What is covered
Situation
Standard
With extension
Paddling on flat water or a calm river
Yes
Yes
An organised rafting trip with a guide
Provided that
Yes
Whitewater from grade III in your own group
No
Provided that
Search and rescue costs along the river
No
Yes
A timed descent or taking part in a competition
No
Provided that
Damage to or loss of the kayak
No
Provided that
What is actually covered is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive in advance.
What does your premium depend on?
Difficulty class: this determines the risk class
Organised or independent: a guide counts towards acceptance
Destination: an Alpine river or a remote area
Experience and certificates: the Eskimo roll and a rescue course
Value of the equipment: your own boat or hired
Sums insured: rescue and disability
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
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.
We look at the terms as well as the premium, and stay your point of contact when there is a claim.
Independent
We are not tied to one insurer and compare on the basis of an objective analysis of several companies.
One fixed adviser
You call or email someone who knows your file. No menu options, no changing call centres.
Switching without hassle
We cancel your old policy and align the start date, so you are never a day without cover.
Help with claims
We report the claim and monitor how it is handled. In urgent cases you can reach us on the emergency line.
9.5New policy
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.
Two points on which claims founder after a capsize.
The river grade is stated word for word in the conditions
In addition to mountain sports, air sports, deep diving and speed competitions many policies name whitewater sport with a grade limit. If you paddle above that grade, or the water rises to a higher grade after rain, the cover is gone. Submit the planned route and grade in advance.
take out travel policies craft from the baggage cover. You insure the boat and paddle separately. For liability, the craft clause of the AVP applies, and kayaks are usually included in it. If you hit someone, the insurer assesses that under Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
From which grade is whitewater no longer covered?
That differs from insurer to insurer. Many policies draw the line at grade III or IV, or exclude whitewater sport altogether without naming a grade. Look at the exclusions and, if in doubt, ask for written confirmation before the trip.
Is an organised rafting trip covered?
Often it is, where it involves a commercial trip with a guide, a helmet and a buoyancy aid on a standard route. Paddling independently on the same water is assessed more strictly. Report the trip in advance if the conditions mention whitewater.
Are rescue costs along the river insured?
Only if search and rescue costs are in your policy and the sport is not excluded. A recovery in a gorge or a remote valley may call for a specialist team. Always call the emergency assistance centre first for a guarantee of payment.
Is my own kayak insured on the trip?
Not on travel insurance; craft fall outside the baggage cover. Theft from the roof of the car or breakage in a rapid is insured through a separate equipment or pleasure craft policy. Wear and tear remains excluded.
More on this topic
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
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.
You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.
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