If boating is like driving a car on water, then jet skiing is the aquatic equivalent of riding a motorcycle. The speed, the maneuverability, the swift turns, and the effort it takes to ride are all sure to get your adrenaline pumping. It's easy to see why so many people wish to try it. But in jet skiing—like in most activities—where there is thrill, there is also risk. Hence, it is important to purchase travel insurance for jet skiing before you head out on the water.
Travel Insurance for Jet Skiing
Travel insurance for jet skiing will mitigate the financial risks of an injury. This can ease some of the mental strain an injury can cause. Standard insurance plans may not offer coverage for potentially hazardous activities like jet skiing or, which is why it’s important to purchase hazardous sports travel insurance for jet skiing or personal watercraft riding to stay covered. When choosing an insurance plan, be sure to read the certificate wording meticulously.
The right insurance plan will offer coverage for hazardous or adventure sports. Take your time, and ensure that you select the jet skiing travel insurance plan that best fits your needs.
Jet Skiing Basics
Jet skiing as a recreational activity is mostly done close to shore and can be an amazing pastime. As is often said, you have to experience it to truly understand the rush.
Beginners generally have a hard time getting the jet ski to work. Instructors never allow beginners to jet ski by themselves because of the risks involved. This is especially true for ocean jet skiing; the currents are much stronger in the ocean than on a lake, so beginners are usually asked not to go by themselves.
This doesn't mean that experts aren’t immune to the sport’s risks. Even they have to take the necessary precautions to ensure safety. Jet ski riders must wear a life vest (or life jacket) at all times. This is mandatory even for experts—it’s not just a custom or common sense, it’s the law. Goggles and a helmet give added protection. Riders also wear footwear specifically designed for watersports.
Due to the dangers of jet skiing in the ocean, these precautions are a must.
Risks of Jet Skiing
Out in the ocean, all it takes is a single mistake for things to go south. Jet ski riders have to fight the constant barrage of waves to stay on course, and ocean waves are much larger than the ones in the river or on a lake.
You must also be careful when the jet ski skips on the waves. You could easily capsize the vehicle and be seriously injured upon impact. If you’re riding with a passenger, be careful of other boats and jet skis on the water, as well as any nearby swimmers. Some riders purposely place themselves on a collision course with another jet ski as a joke, intending to swerve at the last minute, and then mis-time it or lose control. This type of dangerous maneuver has led to innumerable injuries, some of them fatal.
Weather is another serious concern that you will need to track. Many experts carry a marine band radio that gives constant alerts on the weather and ocean currents. The weather can change in an instant, unbeknownst to the rider. As the weather gets worse, such as storms or increasing winds, the chances of an accident rise instantly.
These risks highlight why it is important to get jet skiing travel insurance. Such extreme sports travel insurance can keep you safe financially.