Argentina travel insurance

What are you planning to do with your time in Argentina? It's worth knowing that certain activities aren't generally covered by standard travel insurance. So check the T&Cs of your policy to see if you need additional cover.

Generally, you can add extras to your policy for a fee. These include:

Golf travel insurance

With a long tradition in the sport, Argentina is the most popular South American country for golf. A fantastic range of golfing holidays await, with over 300 golf courses to choose from. Add the amazing coastlines, scenery and all-year-round weather, and you've got the perfect golfing country.

Standard travel insurance might cover a round or two as part of your holiday. But if you’re planning a golfing holiday with your own clubs and equipment, it's a good idea to consider additional golf travel insurance. This can cover the loss, theft or delay of your clubs, hiring replacement clubs and missed green fees. It may even finance a round of drinks if you get a hole in one!

Activity and adventure travel insurance

One-off activities are often covered under your standard travel insurance. While an organised tour visiting the Iguazu Falls should be ok, a hiking holiday in Patagonia may not be. Check to see if you need extra cover for activities involving increased risk.

Cover varies from provider to provider, so there’s no definitive list of what requires extra cover. This is why it's important to check with your insurer that what you have planned is covered. Not having the right cover for excluded activities could mean a hefty bill which you can't claim for.

Ski travel insurance

Argentina has some of the best skiing in the world, with around 20 resorts for beginners and intermediate skiers. And then there are the off-the-beaten track slopes for expert and professional thrill-seekers. In fact, the high-quality snow of Argentina is the destination of choice for many Olympic ski teams!

The ski season generally runs from June until October. If you’re planning on a skiing or snowboarding holiday, you must select winter sports when getting a quote. Otherwise you're unlikley to be covered for injury or medical care should you need it. If you’re taking your own equipment, winter sports insurance covers lost, delayed, damaged or stolen items - which could save you a fortune on your ski equipment.

Time zones

There's one time zone in Argentina - Argentina Time (ART), which is UTC-03:00. This is three hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. In terms of the UK, what this means is that it's four hours behind when the clocks go forward, and three hours behind when the clocks go back.

Drinking water

It's generally safe to drink from the tap, unless you're somewhere fairly rural and remote. But bottled water is usually very affordable, so you might prefer to drink this for peace of mind. Tap water isn't served in restaurants - water is always bottled and paid for. 

If you’re vegetarian

Argentina has a strong tradition, being well-known for its beef and love of meat and barbeque food. And this is even more so in smaller, more traditional towns and villages. 

As such, if you're veggie, you might be limited on choice outside big cities and towns. Be careful to check ingredients of soups and dishes that sound like they only have vegetables in! And definitely do your research on where to eat if you’re going somewhere a bit more remote. 

Carry some cash

This is especially so outside of the capital and bigger cities. Cards might not be accepted in certain places. If possible, try to have a selection of small notes and coins for smaller items. Some shops might not have much change to give if you pay in larger notes. The currency in Argentina is the Argentine peso.

Learn a bit of Spanish

It's always good to practise the basics of a country's native language. But it’s worth noting that pronunciation and dialect can be a bit different from European Spanish. If you get a chance, try to learn a little South American Spanish - such as your p's and q's.

Get a SUBE card

Score yourself a SUBE card for easy travel around the major towns and cities. It's a quick, stress-free way to get around which is valid on buses, subways, trains, trolleybuses and ferries.

Find out more about how to get and use a SUBE card at Visit Argentina.