Going on an ayahuasca retreat in Europe...will I be able to get travel insurance for the actual retreat?

[Sundiamondtree]

I'm about to book to go on a weekend ayahuasca retreat in Europe, run by a very reputable centre who has places in Netherlands and in Spain. In the Netherlands, these retreats/ceremonies recently lost their legal status, but they are tolerated. And the retreats are open, and upfront online about country location.

I would like to get travel insurance, in the event I am forced to cancel for illness etc - but will I be able to get it for the retreat cost? And if so, where and how to go about it?

*sacred

Just checked on Google Scholar - there are no reliable studies into the safety of Ayahuasca in pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding

UK mothers used to give teething powders containing mercury to their babies so common usage doesn't equal safe usage

Not a tabloid reader or 'frother' FYI

Fascinating how people frothily defend indefensible choices and attempt to rationalise them. If people wish to fry their cerebral neurotransmitters that's their affair. It's, imo, unnecessary, reckless and , rightly, uninsurable.

Post about it afterwards? I’ve always wanted to.

No judgement on the ayahuasca but do you really think it will be easy to get health insurance to cover you while you choose to take a potentially dangerous substance? They look for any excuse not to pay out and any health impact of the ayahuasca would be completely self inflicted! They would probably argue any unrelated health issues following were due to the ayahuasca too!

Hi OP, insurance claim assessor here. Nearly every policy I've ever seen has had specific exclusions for intoxication by alcohol or illegal drugs/substances. If you were to fall and break your leg while under the influence, then you wouldn't be covered and the entire police may well be invalidated. A normal travel insurance policy will cover flights in the event of cancellation/postponement, but none that I know of will offer you medical cover while you're there and under the influence, or the after effects of the same. We had a claim for someone who had an extremely bad injury while under the 'care' of one of these shaman (was in the media) and the decline was almost instant, and the FOS found in the insurer's favour all the way to judicial review.

Well this Pearl-clutcher has actually attended a ceremony in the forest in Peru in the early 90s before it became so fashionable. Some kids in the peace corps spent hours violently purging - it’s not a gentle puke and poo behind a tree, it’s a violent physical reaction against the toxins. But hey they got to astrally travel but ye gods putting that kind of response into a child via breastfeeding? No thanks.
Be aware that a lot of the nu-shamen and spa break ayahuasca retreats are quite far removed from the real McCoy but hey Gabor mate and great dinner party chat!

I know a bereaved family of a son tragically taken too young because of what happened during an ayahuasca 'trip' gone wrong... but yes, everyone is intolerant. Such an easy thing to say and talk so blithely of drug use without any regard for those whose lives have been severely impacted and affected

I read the Guardian, and class myself as fairly Radical, and I agree completely with the above. Burn your brain with some dipshit hippy nonsense if you want to, but don’t expect others to bail you out afterwards.

Yes its not all a fun jolly

I really hope you’re not going to any of the inner mastery retreats. It’s a cult and the whole thing very unprofessional. Total money making machine using vulnerable people. Talking from personal experience.

OP you’re going to get MN pearl clutching brigade falling on you like a hammer for this 🤣

I might have me some mind altering drugs down pub, in the form of wine

I had no idea what this was so I googled it and found this: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ayahuasca#uses

It's not something I would want to do. It would trigger my IBS for a start.

I hate the term "pearl clutching" by the oh so cool mumsnetters who accuse anyone who isn't interested in trying mind altering drugs of being daily mail readers. It's a rather childish defence.

@Sundiamondtree you would be covered if you had to cancel for legitimate reasons, but I'm not sure it would cover medical expenses if you had an adverse effect from trying this experince.

I've taken LSD, magic mushrooms, mdma, salvia divinorum, ketamine, etc etc. Many many times in my teens and twenties.

so you will fail if you try to insult me by calling me a 'daily mail reader', 'pearl clutcher' or whatever.

What I find so stupid about your post is that you want to try to portray yourself as so edgy and cool, and at the same time, you're worried about travel insurance !

It's ridiculous and stupid, and the poster who described it as middle-class cultural appropriation is spot on.

Not once when I was taking hallucinogens / psychedelics did I worry about fucking travel insurance.

I mean, pick your lane. Either you're a crazy risk taker who's so far outside society's boring rules - or you're expecting to be protected by a fucking insurance company in the (quite likely) event of something going tits up.

Have the fucking courage of your convictions. Travel insurance for tripping? What a joke.

There are also no reliable studies into the safety of chamomile tea during pregnancy either. In reality that means no one could get funding to research this because no pharmaceutical company could see a way of making money from it.

Sure

But as far as I know camomile tea has never been implicated in causing psychosis

I will really fry your prejudices and pre-conceived notions then. I am a lawyer with a science background. Guess I am the unicorn that doesn’t exist or stay in her lane!

The last ceremony I attended there were two doctors, a biochemist, an accountant and a very well-known business man all in attendance. All clearly crazy risk takers.

Normal travel insurance should cover flight issues, if you get ill before going. No idea if it would cover you needing medical treatment due to the retreat. Most policies exclude high risk sports. Can you ask the retreat centre for advice? Although i guess they won't admit there could be adverse effects. But enjoy, ignore the negativity here.

@Sundiamondtree I am checking out of this thread as it’s not helpful or conducive to understanding. Please don’t let it put you off . You know some of my experience and I really would not be alive today without it. Stay strong and stay positive and I wish you all the best.

There's idiots in every profession

Who knew

@Efacsen when you can’t attack the argument attack the person. Play the ball not the (wo)man.

It’s like something out of Absolutely Fabulous.

“Darling, darling, I’m so excited for the ayahuasca retreat but I’m having terrible trouble sorting out the travel insurance “

I'm talking about expecting travel insurance to cover you while boasting about how crazy and wild and boundary- breaking you are.

Not what your job is.

I am also a professional and have a PhD. There is nothing impressive about you, and you're not a unicorn. You're a very middle-class person cosplaying genuine spiritual and psychedelic experiences with a bunch of accountants and businessmen. How embarrassing.

Exactly. What a sham.