Health Insurance for Climbing Trips Abroad

[JayB]

Just thought I'd get a thread going in case anyone else out there has had to think about this stuff before heading overseas for a climbing trip, or a trip that involves climbing.

 

If you've traveled over seas for a climbing trip and have gone to the trouble over getting insured in the case of a catastrophic injury - how have you done it? I don't carry comprehensive health insurance, so I'm not sure if those policies will cover you if you have Joe Simpson style epic somewhere.

 

I've include the stuff below the dashes in the event that it'll potentially be useful to someone, but hopefully other folks will chime in with additional info.

 

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My wife and I were overseas for an extended period of time last year, and while preparing for the trip I looked into a few health insurance options that'd cover us in the event of a serious accident or illness. Basically I wanted catastrophic coverage for any hospital charges that we might incur while overseas, and medical evacuation coverage to fly one or both of us back to a hospital of our choosing in Seattle in the event that either of us really got messed up. We maintained our existing health insurance policy to cover us in that case.

 

Finding a policy that'll cover overseas medical expenses isn't terribly difficult, but finding a policy that'll cover relatively dangerous activities in the outdoors can be a bit more challenging. For example, most "riders" that you can add to your travel coverage specifically exclude mountaineering, accidents that occur over a given elevation, etc.

 

I eventually purchased coverage from "The International Medical Group" (http://www.imglobal.com). I can't remember if I got a standard policy plus an "extreme sports" rider, or went with their "Patriot Extreme" plan, but I think it was the latter of the two. In any event, I had to choose between a policy that had a high policy maximum that wouldn't cover mountaineering, or a policy with a relatively low policy maximum that'd cover us no matter what we were doing. In the end I picked up a policy for $50,000, with a $1000 deductible, and the cost was about $350 for seven months.

 

In the end, I think I got overruled on the medical evacuation coverage, but this outfit (http://www.medjetassist.com/) looked like they had the best coverage/reputation, and it looked like it'd run just over $700 for the both of us.

 

 

 

 

[CaleHoopes]

I'm travelling to Ecuador in January with IMG. They directed me toward CSA Travel Insurance.

 

http://www.csatravelpro.com/

 

Their "Custom Luxe" plan covers Mountain Climbing.

 

Additionally, you can consider joining American Alpine Club and getting their Rescue insurance.

 

Anyway, I feel covered enough at the moment.

[Le Piston]

You might also check into the American Alpine Club. Members get enrolled in a Trailhead Rescue service with Global Rescue (which I luckily haven't had to try out) which can be upgraded to full rescue and evacuation coverage up to $500,000. I don't know all the details, but I'm sure their website has all that. You can get discounts on hut fees (came in handy in Switzerland), and other benifits. I believe UW and Virginia Mason offer Travel Medicine clinics also that can be good resources for immunizations and such before traveling overseas. I used one of the travel clinics before going to South America and they got me all the shots I needed, told me what health risks to be aware of, and had state department reports on the countries I was going to visit. Cheers, and enjoy your overseas adventures!

[ScaredSilly]

Hmmm, I have done nothing because my insurance will cover medical costs no matter where in the world I am. I might be paying up front and only be reimbursed 80% of the "standard and customary" costs but I will be reimbursed.

 

What is not covered is rescue and repatriation. But for that there is coverage via Assist American and over similar programs that I get through diving (DAN) and climbing (AAC). The kicker for these is that you must contact them when you need assistance not after the fact as they want to be in control of the resources used.

[jmace]

but finding a policy that'll cover relatively dangerous activities in the outdoors can be a bit more challenging. For example, most "riders" that you can add to your travel coverage specifically exclude mountaineering, accidents that occur over a given elevation, etc.

 

My insurance policy is 1 dollar a day covers mountaineering and ice climbing and all that stuff, as long as I dont participate in competition type events. Depending on which country you go to it may be possible to join their club and get medical coverage through them. I belong to the CAI for my trips to the Dolomites, covers heli costs for minor stuff like a twisted ankle or I even saw someone have visine dropped off.

 

of course you need your basic Canaddian insurance first.

[Hugh Conway]

Since most of the world requires payment right after service and won't accept you8r insurance, the Austrian Alpine Club. $80 a year including emergency care insurance, evacuation, hut discount, and other shit like repatriation.