Antarctica travel insurance
Protect your polar journey with Antarctica travel insurance built for cruises and expeditions. Quick, simple, reliable.
Antarctica travel insurance is essential for anyone joining a polar cruise or expedition.
Standard policies won’t cover trips to the White Continent, which is why we created our new Travel Elite + Adventure Plus cover.
This plan is designed specifically for Antarctica, with higher cancellation cover and tailored protection for polar travel.
We also provide emergency medical cover and helicopter evacuation from key departure hubs such as Ushuaia, Punta Arenas and Port Stanley, all arranged through our 24-hour Emergency Assistance Centre.
Our cover ensures you’re protected from the unique risks of travelling to Antarctica.
Please note: A qualified medical doctor and a small medical treatment room must be on the ship. This is standard for reputable Antarctica expedition ships.
What's included in our Antarctic cruise insurance?
With our Travel Elite + Adventure Plus addon on for Antarctica cruises and expeditions, you’ll be covered for:
- Cancellation cover up to GBP 12,000 / USD 15,000 / EUR 14,400.
- Emergency medical expenses including hospitalisation abroad.
- Helicopter evacuation (from Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, or Port Stanley) when pre-approved by our 24-hour Emergency Assistance Centre.
- Repatriation to your home country if medically necessary.
- Personal belongings and baggage if lost, stolen, or damaged.
- Travel delays and missed departures due to unforeseen events.
- Adventure activities included as part of your organised Antarctica cruise or guided tour, such as kayaking, snowshoeing, snorkelling, paddle boarding, and a one-night camping experience.
What's not included in this policy?
For clarity, here’s what our Travel Elite + Adventure Plus plan does not cover:
- Independent or unorganised travel or expeditions outside of those managed by recognised cruise operators.
- Evacuation that has not been pre-approved by our 24-hour Emergency Assistance Centre.
- Extreme sports or activities not listed in your policy wording.
- Mountaineering, ice climbing, ski touring, ski mountaineering, cross-country ski expeditions, heli-skiing, heli-boarding and heli-hiking.
- Long overland expeditions, snowmobiling or other motorised land vehicles.
- Scuba diving, submarine or submersible rides.
- Competitive races, record attempts, extreme endurance events.
- Pre-existing medical conditions not declared and accepted before travel.
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Why is our Antarctica travel insurance the best?
With Rise & Shield’s Travel Elite + Adventure Plus plan, you get cover that’s built specifically for the demands of polar cruises and expeditions.
Medical Emergencies & Evacuation
We cover overseas medical treatment, hospital bills, and, if needed, helicopter evacuation from Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, or Port Stanley, all coordinated by our 24/7 Emergency Assistance Centre.
Cancellation Cover
If your Antarctica cruise is cancelled due to illness, injury, or unforeseen events, you’re protected with our high cancellation cover.
Baggage & Equipment Protection
We cover your clothing, expedition kit, and personal belongings if they’re lost, stolen, or damaged while travelling to or from Antarctica.
Plus loads more benefits...
Why do I need Antarctica travel insurance?
Travelling to Antarctica isn’t like a normal holiday.
Cruises to the White Continent take you far from standard medical facilities, and even minor health issues can become serious when help is days away.
Weather can delay ships, luggage can go missing on connecting flights, and the cost of emergency evacuation is extremely high without the right cover.
Our Travel Elite + Adventure Plus plan ensures you’re protected against these unique risks, with specialist medical and evacuation support, generous cancellation cover, and baggage protection.
Whether you’re sailing through the Drake Passage, setting foot on the Antarctic Peninsula, or joining a guided shore excursion, our cover gives you the confidence to enjoy the journey knowing you’re backed by a policy designed for polar travel.
Why choose our Antarctica insurance?
Choosing Rise & Shield means opting for insurance tailored to the unique demands of cruising in Antarctica. Here’s what makes us stand out:
- 24/7 Customer Support: Our support team is available around the clock, so you can descend with confidence, knowing help is just a call away.
- Efficient Claims Process: Our streamlined claims process ensures that you can file and get back to your adventure quickly.
- Competitive Premiums: Our rates are designed for adventurers, providing high-value coverage without breaking the bank.
- Customisable Coverage: Add optional protections for specific adventure activities, so you’re prepared for any terrain or situation.
With Rise & Shield’s polar cruising insurance, you’re ready to take on each trip with complete peace of mind.
How do I get a quote for Antarctica insurance?
Getting a free quote with Rise & Shield is easy. Follow these simple steps to secure your trip:
1. Start your quote
- Go to go.riseandshield.com
- On the first screen, under “What type of trip are you planning?”, select: Single Trip (for one specific polar cruise), Then click Next.
2. Add your trip details
On the Destination step: Country of residency: Choose your usual country of residence from the drop-down (e.g. United Kingdom).
Where are you going?
Choose the region that matches your itinerary, for example:
- Europe – for Arctic cruises starting/ending in Europe only.
- Worldwide (including North America) – if your trip involves the US/Canada or complex flight routes.
- Worldwide (excluding North America) – if you’re flying via, say, South America without the US/Canada.
The key is: pick the region that covers every country you’ll set foot in on the way to and from your polar cruise.
When are you going?
Select your start date as the day you leave home, not just the day the ship sails.
Select your end date as the day you arrive back home.
This makes sure flights, hotel nights and delays around the cruise are all covered.
How many people are travelling?
- Choose the number of adults and children.
- Enter each traveller’s date of birth when prompted.
Click Next to move on.
3. Choose your base cover (Essentials / Plus / Elite)
On the Cover step you’ll see three plans side-by-side:
- Essentials – solid basics.
- Plus – higher benefits (often a sweet spot for big-ticket trips like polar cruises).
- Elite – the highest limits.
Your polar cruise cover does not depend on which of these you pick; it depends on adding Adventure Plus in the next step.
However, because polar cruises are expensive and remote, most people will want Plus or Elite for higher medical, evacuation and cancellation limits.
Click the card for the level you want (it will highlight).
Hit Next.
4. Add the Polar Cruise cover (Adventure Plus add-on)
This is the important bit.
On the Extras step, you’ll see several tiles:
- Adventure – automatically included for lots of standard adventure activities.
- Adventure Plus – covers higher-risk adventures such as polar cruising, trekking to higher altitudes, deeper scuba, etc.
- Adventure Extreme, Winter Sports, High Value Items, etc.
To get polar cruise cover:
- Find the Adventure Plus tile.
- Click the ADD button on that tile.
- Watch the policy summary box on the right:
The price will update. You should see Adventure Plus listed under your extras/cover.
Remember: No Adventure Plus = no polar cruise cover, even if everything else looks fine.
If you don’t need anything else, leave Adventure Extreme, Winter Sports, High Value Items and other extras switched off.
Click Next once Adventure Plus is clearly added.
5. Enter traveller, contact and address details
On the Checkout step:
Traveller details
- Enter your first name and surname exactly as they appear on your passport.
- Confirm your date of birth (auto-filled from earlier).
- Select your nationality from the drop-down.
Contact information
- Add an email address – this is where your policy documents are sent.
- Add a mobile number, including the country code if needed.
Address details
- Fill in your home address, town/city, postcode and confirm your country.
6. Payment & final checks
At the bottom of the Checkout page:
- Enter your card details securely.
- Tick the checkboxes to confirm.
- When you’re ready, click Confirm Purchase to complete the policy.
That’s the moment the policy is actually bought, so double-check:
- Dates are correct from leaving home to returning home.
- The destination region matches your full route.
- Adventure Plus is still listed in your policy summary.
7. After you’ve bought the policy
Check your email for:
- Policy schedule (shows your dates, regions, add-ons like Adventure Plus, and benefit limits).
- Full policy wording.
And then...
- Save a copy to your phone/tablet and/or print a copy to keep with your travel documents.
- Make a note of the emergency assistance number so you have it handy on the ship.
FAQs about travel insurance for Antarctica
Yes. Most cruise operators require proof of travel insurance covering medical emergencies and evacuation.
Yes, from Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, or Port Stanley, but it must be pre-approved by our 24-hour Emergency Assistance Centre.
Yes, as long as they’re part of your organised Antarctica cruise or guided expedition.
Yes. The Travel Elite plan also includes Arctic cruises and expeditions, with evacuation hubs in Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and Svalbard.
Yes, but you’ll only be protected for cancellation after the policy is purchased.
No. You must travel with a recognised operator for your cover to be valid.
Most mainstream policies exclude Antarctica cruises. Rise & Shield specifically recognises them.
Other useful resources about Antarctica
U.S. Antarctic Program: How and What to Pack
Lindblad Expeditions: Antarctica Packing Checklist
International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO)
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