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The Pacific Crest Trail is a spectacularly scenic long-distance hiking trail stretching from Mexico via the USA to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington. It follows the highest section of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges and, along the way, encompasses snowy mountain scenery, scorching deserts, deep forests and pristine wildernesses. Since it spans 2,650 miles in length, it is important to decide how much or how little of the trail you wish to experience, and over what period of time.
If you plan to cover the whole distance, you’ll need to allow 4 - 6 months, covering between 10 and 20 miles per day, and be mindful of the season as winter can be severe in some stretches. Helpfully the trail is divided into 30 sections so keen trekkers can research which is best for them. Since the trail largely avoids civilization you’ll be mostly sleeping in a tent in the wilderness, though once in a while you’ll pitch up in a town where you can enjoy a night in a hostel or motel.
Be mindful that in desert and other wilderness terrains you can be miles from a water or food source, so you need to plan your route with these factors in mind.
Most of all you need to ensure that you have the right level of travel insurance to give you peace of mind along the Pacific Crest trail. Big Cat’s standard insurance policies already cover you for trekking up to 2,500 metres, but if you want to tackle Forester Pass in the Sierra Nevada (4,009m) you’ll need our Activity Pack which provides cover for up to 4,500 metres.
The importance of PCT Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is essential for any journey, but is particularly important when undertaking potentially hazardous activities such as trekking in remote regions where medical facilities or assistance may not be close at hand. You’ll enjoy your adventure better with the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have the right insurance cover in place should a mishap occur. This can be anything from lost or stolen luggage to helicopter rescue off a mountain.
For trekking you need to ensure that your travel insurance covers you for altitude. Most standard policies provide cover for walking up to a maximum of 2,500 metres.
Big Cat Travel Insurance’s Activity Pack covers you up to 4,500 metres, which includes the very highest part of the Pacific Crest Trail (Forester Pass in the Sierra Nevada (4,009m).
If you wish to go even higher, our Extreme Activity Pack covers any altitude above 4,500 metres and is suited to the most challenging of mountain treks such as Mt Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, and Mont Blanc.
Please note for trekking in Nepal the Nepal Trekking Pack add-on will need to be included. A 7,000m altitude limit is applied to this.
Where do you live
All persons to be insured must reside at a permanent address within the EEC ( Excluding Switzerland, Russia, Belarus, Montenegro and the Ukraine) to be eligible for cover.
Can I take out this insurance if I am already travelling?
If cover is purchased after an Insured Person has departed their home to commence their journey, there is a fixed period of 48 hours prior to cover commencing. For cover to apply the Already Travelling extension must be shown on your Booking Invoice or Validation Certificate (as applicable). Any illness arising during this initial 48 hour period will be an excluded Pre-existing Medical Condition. In the event of serious injury in connection with an accident, you will be covered from the date you take out cover subject to the accident being independently witnessed and also verified by a Medical Practitioner.
There is no 14 Day Cooling off Period and no premium refund will be made if the insured Person has already travelled.
family
family family
Definition of a couple
A couple is defined as 2 adults who have been permanently living together at the same address for more than six months, who intend to travel together.
If you do not qualify as a couple, please select individual(s)
Annual Multi-Trip Durations
Annual Multi Trip policies are designed for multiple short holidays leaving from and returning to your home country.
Annual Multi Trip trip limits:
Standard policy - 30 days
Premier policy - 70 days
If you need continuous cover for a year (home visits allowed on policies over 4 months long) select Single Trip or One Way. You can travel around as much as you like, to as many different countries as you like, with a Single Trip or One Way policy.
One Way Trip
Please note a Single Trip policy can cover travels with no return ticket booked, a One Way policy is intended for:
Emigrating to new country where you intend to permanently live
Or
Returning to your home country permanently
All cover ceases upon arrival at final destination
Trip Type
Select the type of policy most suitable for your needs.
Single Trip:
A flexible policy with no limits on how many countries you visit or how long you’re away for. Suitable for all types of travel whether it be short term/long stay or backpacking. No return ticket required and unlimited home visits offered on policies over 4 months long.
One Way Trip:
Means you are Emigrating to a new country where you intend to live permanently or, returning to your home country permanently. Cover will end upon arrival at your final destination.
Annual Multi-Trip:
This policy covers an unlimited number of trips throughout the 12 month Period of Insurance. Each trip has a maximum stay validity depending on the type of policy chosen. For example, for Standard Policies, the maximum duration of any trip shall not exceed 30 days and for Premier policies, the maximum duration of any trip must not exceed 70 days.
If you are already travelling it is not possible to purchase the annual multi-trip policy.
Geographical Areas
Europe:
Europe means the continent of Europe West of the Ural Mountains, and includes the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Iceland, Jordan, Madeira, the Canary Islands, the Azores and Mediterranean Islands as well as all countries bordering the Mediterranean.
Australia & New Zealand:
a) For any period of cover purchased, a 48 hour stop-over anywhere in the World for both outward and return travel will be included.
b) If the period of cover purchased is two months or more, a stop-over of 7 days/nights anywhere in the World will be included.
Worldwide excluding North America & Mexico:
(North America means the USA, Canada & Mexico.)
a) For any period of cover purchased, a 48 hour stop-over anywhere in the World for both outward and return travel will be included.
b) If the period of cover purchased is two months or more, a stop-over of 7 days/nights anywhere in the World will be included.
Worldwide including North America & Mexico:
Worldwide means anywhere in the World including the USA, Canada & Mexico.
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Automatic Trip Extension
If the Insured Person is prevented from completing their travel before the expiration of this Insurance as stated under the Period of Insurance on the Booking Invoice or Validation Certificate (as applicable) for reasons which are beyond their control, including ill health or failure of public transport, this Insurance will remain in force until completion but not exceeding a further 31 days on a day by day basis, without additional premium.
In the event of an Insured Person being hijacked, cover shall continue whilst the Insured Person is subject to the control of the person(s) or their associates making the hijack during the Period of Insurance of a period not exceeding twelve months from the date of the hijack.
Please ensure you arrange cover for the entire duration of your travel
Where you normally reside
Where do you normally reside? Where do you normally reside?
Please use the drop down box to choose your country of residence. Note we can only insure residents of the UK & EEA Countries.
Can I take out this Insurance if I’m already abroad?
If you are normally a resident of the UK or EEA Countries and your insurance has run out, you may take out cover online with us. This is on the understanding that nothing has occurred at the time of taking out the cover which has led to a claim or may lead to a potential claim. Note you cannot take out our Multi-Trip Insurance if you are already abroad.
Do you have minimum residency requirements?
No. If you are, for example, a British Passport holder and have right of abode in the UK, we are not concerned as to how many months in the past year you have been in the UK provided at the time of arranging this insurance you have a UK residential address.
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We are unable to quote, Please ring our Offices on 0333 0033 161 for further assistance.
Trekking and Hiking
For many people a holiday means a week or two relaxing on a beach or beside a pool. But why idle all day on a sun lounger when you can be strolling through an alpine meadow, breathing in pure air, exploring glaciers, passing behind waterfalls or hopping over mountain streams?
Annapurna Circuit
The Annapurna Circuit, a 15 to 20 day trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal, is prized as one of the best treks in the world. The route encompasses a rich mix of terrain from jungle to paddy fields, waterfalls to canyons, as well as a cultural variety from Hindu villages
Everest Base Camp
While only the very few ever get to scale the mighty 8,848m peak of Everest, the next best thing for the seasoned adventurer is the classic route to Everest Base Camp.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level, is the highest mountain on the African continent. It is one of the Seven Summits – the highest mountain peaks of each of the seven continents – that requires no technical climbing skills since all of its trekking routes are pure hiking paths.
Mount Aconcagua
Aconcagua, at 6,961 metres, is the highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere. It is located in Argentina within the Andes mountain range, close to the border with Chile. It is one of the Seven Summits – the highest mountains of each of the seven continents – and the second highest peak in the world outside of the Himalayas.
Big Cat Travel Insurance Services, a trading name of Flynow.com Ltd (registration No.FRN 745388) is an Appointed Representative of Campbell Irvine Ltd (registration No.306242) who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. You may check this on the Financial Services register www.fca.org.uk or by contacting them on (0) 800 111 6768. © 2023 Big Cat Travel Insurance Services. All rights reserved.
