Cover-More has announced it will be a Supporting Partner and Official Travel Insurance Partner for next year’s LGBTQIA+ WorldPride event, hosted in Sydney.

As part of the partnership, Cover-More will offer exclusive travel insurance and safe travel education for Sydney WorldPride visitors and scholarship programs to support 100 attendants travelling to the event’s Human Rights Conference.

The insurer says the commitment to the 17-day event held on February 17 next year “shows the company’s dedication to equality and inclusion” for LGBTQIA+ employees, business partners and customers.

“As a global travel insurance business, we understand there is nothing more exciting than packing a bag and touring the world, however LGBTQIA+ travellers are often forced to deal with additional risks, depending on where they are travelling,” Cover-More Group CEO Cara Morton said.

“Rules can differ, not only from country to country, but even city to city, and it can be tricky to navigate countries and cultures that do not openly embrace the LGBTQIA+ community.”

“We are here to care for and protect all travellers and we are committed to fostering inclusivity globally. Sydney WorldPride 2023 represents an opportunity to do this in our own backyard.”

Ms Morton says Cover-More and its parent company, Zurich, hold values of respect, diversity and inclusion “at our core”.

Sydney WorldPride CEO Kate Wickett says the organiser is “extremely pleased to welcome” the insurer as a supporting partner and praised their support for the scholarship program.

Next year’s event will be the first time WorldPride will be held in the Southern Hemisphere, with over 500,000 attendants expected.