Lloyd’s Writes the Ultimate Travel Policy for Sarah Outen

Lloyd’s has insured a football player’s hair, the anatomical attributes of various celebrities, and even a Frenchman’s heroic crossing of the English Channel in a bathtub.

So, where else would English adventuress and world record holder Sarah Outen go to get coverage for her projected globe girdling – all under her own power – trip around the world than Lloyd’s?

She has “set off on a two and a half year journey to kayak, cycle and row around the world, protected by a £1.25 million [$2 million] insurance policy,” which Lloyd’s said was “one of the most complex policies” it has written in years.

Lloyd’s described Outen’s global expedition to power around the world under her own steam, as being as “unique as they come and demanded a little more than the average travel policy.”

Her route begins at Tower Bridge in London by kayak down the Thames and across the English Channel. She’ll then cycle through France, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, China and back into Russia before kayaking to Japan.”

From there Outen will put away the kayak, as she plans to row across the North Pacific, and then to cycle from Vancouver to New York. In the final leg, she’ll row across the North Atlantic back to London.

“Sarah’s dangerous journey gave Lloyd’s underwriters the unusual task of valuing a person enduring a physical and mental battle for an exceptional length of time,” said Lloyd’s.

Jonathan Thomas, the Lloyd’s underwriter at Watkins syndicate, who designed the policy, explained: “Sarah has presented one of the most challenging underwriting propositions of any person I have quoted for Personal Accident and Medical expenses coverage in the last quarter of a century.

“She is possessed of incredible levels of mental and physical resilience, but this trip is over years not months and her Pacific and Atlantic solo rows will be preceded by long periods of cycling across continents alone, often on uncertain rations. Accordingly, one of the many elements of risk I have had to consider is whether the muscle wasting that will happen while she is cycling will leave her able to row those oceans safely.”

Outen isn’t exactly a novice rower, however. She is the first woman, as well as the youngest person, to row solo across the Indian Ocean.

Provided she makes it past the Thames Barrier, she’ll be on her way to accomplishing an incredible journey – with Lloyd’s help.

Source: Lloyd’s of London

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