When we go away travelling or on holidays, we all should take out adequate travel insurance. If we don’t, then we are leaving ourselves exposed to a world of potential financial pain.

Do you know if your insurance would cover you if you were on an elephant in Thailand and accidentally fell off it? They probably would, but there could be some reduction in benefits.

But if you were on holiday and an elephant trek or camel trek was included in the holiday, then you wouldn’t be covered as the activity would be classed as “non-incidental”! This is where a lot of the confusion comes from regarding travel insurance and the different policies.

Just to clarify – most travel insurance companies will cover “incidental” activities. These are things that happen on the spur of the moment. On the other hand, “non-incidental” means sport tours, activity trips or white water rafting.

It’s helpful to have some safety equipment of your own while you are travelling, just so as you are prepared for any eventuality.

Travel insurance policies will most likely contain a general exclusions clause. This places the onus on you to try as best you can to prevent illness, injury or loss/damage to your property. So in other words – you should always act as if you have zero insurance and don’t take any unnecessary risks.

Before you take out any insurance, you must read the terms and conditions. Because the policies change from company to company – you need to know exactly what it is you are covered for. There might be no liability cover under certain situations or for certain activities. While you may be covered for some potentially risky activities, you might only be covered if you keep within certain guidelines for that said activity.

There are some fantastic prices at places like PureSafety on a variety of personal safety equipment that would benefit you on your next sports related adventure.

Just make sure that you read the travel insurance policy from the start to finish before you sign up for it. The last thing you want is to be enjoying a camel trek in the Sinai desert in Egypt, falling off and breaking your leg – only to not be covered adequately.

In this situation, you should be covered as it was purely incidental, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Want to have a great, memorable experience in Paris but hate the idea of waiting in endless lines to see the Mona Lisa, Notre Dame and typical Paris sights? While you surely can’t miss a trip to the Louvre or one of the Eiffel tower tours, make sure to also fit in these activities off the beaten tourist track:

Climb the Tour de Montparnasse

It may not be the most beautiful building in the city…in fact, many people would call it the ugliest! But climbing to the top of Paris’ largest skyscraper has 2 advantages: you don’t have to see the building itself, and you’re granted one of the best cityscapes of anywhere in the city.

Find the “I Love You Wall”

If you’re anything like most travelers, you’re all about activities that cost little or nothing. You’ll be spending enough on other Paris attractions tickets that a few freebies are sure to be welcomed. The “I Love You Wall” in Montmarte is an adorable tribute to the world’s most romantic city. The artists who created the wall chose 311 written samples of love quotes and put them on blue glazed tiles to make up the wall.

Eat at Paris’ Oldest Restaurant

It must be mentioned that part of a Paris holiday is enjoying true French cuisine in French atmosphere, so where better to do that than at the oldest restaurant in the city? Le Procope was originally opened as a gentleman’s establishment in 1686, and today it serves classic bistrot fare in a lovely atmosphere. Reservations are best if you’d like to eat dinner, but if atmosphere is what you’re after you can simply pop in for an afternoon coffee.

Check out the Orangerie Museum

Everyone knows that as far as museums go, the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay are tops. But as far as avoiding crowds go, you might want to check out some of the city’s smaller museums. The Orangerie has got an impressive collection of Impressionist works along with 8 large Monet water lily paintings. It’s located in the beautiful Tuileries gardens so you can enjoy a walk before or after the museum.

Get Lost in the Latin Quarter

Spend half a day without a plan, and simply wander through the Latin Quarter. You’ll find yourself in a maze of charming alleys and café-lined squares just far enough from the touristy areas to feel like you’re a real local. Grab a baguette and ball of cheese from a local shop, find a street bench and watch the Parisian world go by with a typical French lunch.