Are you fond of swimming? It's a great way to pass the time on a hot summer day. But swimming is also an essential skill that might mean the difference between life and death if you ever find yourself in deep waters.

Swimming is a popular and prestigious Olympic sport. It has a lot of health benefits, as it keeps the body fit and increases your lung capacity. Learning to swim will also open up opportunities for other adventure activities like snorkeling and scuba diving.

Swimming is a risky sport. And if you're looking for the best travel insurance for adventure sports, securing yourself with swimming travel insurance can help make sure that any accidents sustained while swimming have no financial blowbacks.

Travel Insurance for Swimming

Do you want to swim in exotic locations while travelling? It's especially tempting if you vacation on a beach or by a lake. Be aware that many standard travel insurance plans exclude coverage for potentially risky activities like swimming—but don't let that put you off. Secure yourself with swimming hazardous sports travel insurance to ensure that your vacation stays unaffected by the medical bills.

Basics of Swimming

Humans have been swimming since the Stone Age. But it was not a widespread sport until the 19th Century, when the National Swimming Society of Great Britain started swimming competitions. The first Olympics in 1896 had only two swimming events. But by the 2016 Summer Olympics, it had expanded to 34 separate events.

Swimming in the sea can feel very liberating, but the risks are higher. The sea may have deceptive under-currents that can pull you out into the open waters during low tide. Before you go swimming on the beach or in a river, check with local authorities about any potential risks.

Be aware of water contamination when you go swimming outdoors. Natural water bodies may have pathogens in the water that can cause skin irritation, infections, and even botulism. Avoid the water if it has dead animal matter suspended in it. Swimming pools generally have cleaner, chlorinated water, but using too much chlorine in your pool can cause asthma.

Swimming is a whole-body workout that will keep you in shape. But there is a chance of injuries due to overuse of certain muscle groups. The shoulders and biceps are particularly vulnerable; however, proper muscle-training stretches and warm-ups can greatly minimize these risks. Overexertion may also cause a swimmer's cramp. If you are a beginner, then practice swimming only when there is an instructor present.

Risks of Swimming

Swimming is a hazardous sport. Common injuries related to swimming are shoulder inflammation, rotator cuff tendonitis, tears in the cartilage around the shoulder socket, shoulder impingement syndrome, bicep tendonitis, and kneecap pain due to overuse.

Swimming in polluted water may trigger allergic reactions and skin infection. Botulism is also a possibility if you swim in unsupervised water bodies.

There is also the obvious but very real risk of drowning. Never go swimming alone, especially in an unfamiliar body of water.

There have also been instances of one swimmer’s hand hitting another swimmer’s eye and the eye getting injured so badly that the retina gets detached, and even after multiple surgeries, the person ends up losing an eye.

The risks are real. But you can make sure that you get prompt medical treatment if an injury occurs by securing your finances with adventure sports travel insurance for swimming.

DISCLAIMER: The information within this article is intended as a broad summary of benefits and services and is meant for informational purposes only. The information does not describe all scenarios, coverages or exclusions of any insurance plan. The benefits and services of an insurance plan are subject to change. This is not your policy/certificate of insurance. If there is any discrepancy between the information in this article and the language of your policy/certificate wording, the language of the policy/certificate wording will prevail.