Abseiling is a sports activity that is the opposite of rock climbing. Abseiling, also known as rappelling in some places, is a kind of controlled falling. A rope is tied around your waist and is attached to the top of the point from where you would abseil. The rope will lower you down from that point – mostly a rocky top, but it can also be the top of a skyscraper (e.g. Burj Khalifa in Dubai or the Empire State Building in New York City).
If you have any plans to go abseiling while on vacation, is critical to have the appropriate travel insurance, as the sport is fairly hazardous. Abseiling is a popular sporting activity in many mountainous locations around the world, especially where the terrain is rocky and dry. In any sports activity in such locations, you need travel insurance for mountaineering, as the case might be.
Travel Insurance for Abseiling
Injuries caused by abseiling activities can be serious. So, when you are travelling to a location where you plan to indulge in abseiling, you must make sure to purchase abseiling travel insurance first. Travel insurance for abseiling is critical in saving you from high medical expenses, especially abroad.
Many off-the-shelf travel insurance plans might not cover abseiling. So, you might need to take an add-on to the policy. Be sure to read your policy carefully so that you understand the fine print. Feel free to contact any of our licensed, experienced representatives if you’re not sure you have the coverage you need. Travel insurance for abseiling or rappelling is a must before you participate in the sport.
Introduction to Abseiling
Abseiling was formerly a specific skill for those in the defense forces or rescue teams. But over time, it has become a sport in its own right. People love the experience of a controlled fall down cliffs, sheer rock faces, skyscrapers, etc. – all for the adrenaline rush.
Abseiling works on the basis of friction between you and the rope that harnesses you. Too much friction means no falling. No friction means a free fall. When you abseil, you are at the midpoint of these extremes.
You need a strong climbing rope to tie around yourself and to the abseiling starting point. You also need a belay device that creates friction and a pair of gloves to prevent rope burns to your palms.
Risks of Abseiling
Abseiling is fun, but it’s also fraught with dangers. You must do it under professional supervision, preferably with a specialist operator who will provide all the equipment and arrange for a demonstration and further guidance. The operator will take all possible precautions against danger. However, all that precaution doesn’t eliminate every risk.
In abseiling, you run the risk of a snapped rope or breakage of the belay device. Either of them can be fatal or cause grievous injuries. Your helmet might not be enough to protect your head from a falling piece of rock or other debris while you are abseiling.
Apart from these, there are also chances of you getting affected by a headache, nausea, rope burns, a sprain in the arm/shoulder, etc. All this necessitates abseiling travel insurance.