Trip Insurance for Your Montana Fishing Trip: A Small Investment with Big Benefits

Trip Insurance: A Small Investment with Big Benefits

On March 18, 2020, I was at Bozeman International Airport, full of anticipation. My destination? Alphonse Island in the Seychelles — a true angler’s dream.

As the Delta 727 began to taxi, I could barely contain my excitement… until the plane came to a sudden halt.

The captain’s voice came over the intercom: “A 5.7 magnitude earthquake has just struck Salt Lake City.” My connecting airport was immediately shut down. Just like that, my dream trip was over before it even began.

Fortunately, I had purchased a $175 trip insurance policy — a modest investment that saved me from losing the full $6,200 cost of the trip. Everyone involved — the airline, lodge, outfitter, and guides — was still compensated as if I had traveled.

What could have been a devastating financial loss turned into a shared win for all parties.

This wasn’t an isolated incident. On a Seychelles trip back in 2016, three out of ten travelers had to rely on trip insurance due to weather issues and airline strikes.

The reality is simple: travel is unpredictable. Trip insurance turns chaos into calm when it matters most.

From an Outfitter’s Perspective: Why Trip Insurance Matters

From my seat as the owner of Montana Trout Hunters, I’ve seen firsthand how trip insurance can protect both the angler and the outfitter.

A group of four anglers booked their annual Montana fly fishing trip. Two weeks before arrival, their airline issued a major itinerary change, turning a short flight into a two-day mess with overnight stays. Understandably, they canceled.

According to our policy, cancellations within 90 days mean deposits are forfeited. But wanting to preserve the relationship, I personally refunded their deposit — guides waived fees, the lodge refunded its deposit, and collectively we absorbed over $6,000 in losses.

Fortunately, the group rebooked the following year.

But had they spent less than $100 per person on trip insurance, none of us would have been put in that financial bind.

Trip insurance isn’t just about the traveler. It’s about sustaining the guides, outfitters, and lodges that make these experiences possible.

Why It’s Even More Important Now

Montana’s fly fishing scene is booming. In 2021, Montana Trout Hunters’ calendar nearly filled by early spring.

But after the cancellations and financial hits of 2020, guides, lodges, and outfitters are still recovering.

While most of us were flexible last year because of COVID-19 and global uncertainty, continuing to absorb cancellations without protection just isn’t sustainable.

Trip insurance provides a vital safety net — not just for anglers, but for the health of the entire fly fishing community.

The Bottom Line: Protect Yourself and the People Who Make Your Adventure Possible

Booking a Montana fishing trip is an investment — not just financially, but emotionally.

Purchasing trip insurance protects that investment. It ensures that, should the unexpected happen, your outfitter, guide, lodge, and service providers aren’t left unpaid.

More importantly, it gives you peace of mind.

Because when the day finally arrives and you’re floating down the Missouri or Madison River, you deserve to be thinking about the fish...not about what could go wrong.

Protect your adventure before it begins. Click here to learn more and secure your trip insurance today — so you can fish Montana with total peace of mind.