The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: July twenty-sixth, on flying without a safety net.

By some estimates, so- called adventure travel, from mountain climbing to horseback riding and hiking, now accounts for nearly half of all leisure trips taken in the U.S. But before you climb up on to that bungee platform or strap on those scuba tanks, ask yourself whether and how well you're covered if anything goes wrong.

Many personal health policies will pay the bills for emergency care and life threatening illness to travelers, even overseas. Few, however, pick up other costs, such as travel or evacuation from remote locations. And even special travel insurance policies frequently forbid a long list of activities you may consider relatively benign.

For example, Access America, one large travel insurer, recently revamped its policies to eliminate coverage from what it calls extreme high risk sports, including caving and backcountry skiing. Few insurers support high-altitude activities, such as ballooning, hang gliding or any kind of climbing that requires ropes. One excludes martial artists, another heli-skiers, while a third will provide insurance for scuba divers, unless they jump out of a helicopter to reach their dive site.

Clearly, it's crucial for adventurers to shop for the right policy. Read and understand the fine print. Find out what's covered and what's not. An activity is usually OK as long as it hasn't been specifically excluded, but watch for vague language requiring travelers "to avoid extreme risk" or exposure to "needless peril." Most tours with adventure operators won't fall in this category, but it's up to travelers to make sure any policy they buy is up to their plans.

Insurance savvy is one tip for traveling wisely and well in this issue of National Geographic Traveler, a supporter of our program. You can register for a free sample copy on our homepage.

FMI Companies that offer special travel insurance policies:

Access America: www.accessamerica.com

Travel Guard International: www.travelguard.com

International SOS Assistance: www.internationalsos.com

Travel Assistance: www.travelassistance.com

Unicard: www.unicard.com

CSA Travel Protection: www.csatravelprotection.com

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