Travel Insurance

[Craig]

I am thinking it may be prudent to purchase travel insurance for some of the hiking trips I go on. I’m mainly interested in insurance for trips out west and perhaps abroad.

I never really gave it much thought but if I was injured, required rescue with a long rehabilitation out of state, the costs could escalate pretty quickly. In that scenario I’m not sure how much of that cost would be covered by my health insurance if any.

It appears from the little research that I have done that you can purchase per trip insurance w/ a rider that would cover mountaineering, rescue and the like. I haven’t investigated further but am wondering if this is an economical solution.

Does anyone have experience purchasing travel insurance for this reason?

 

[Chugach001]

I have carried insurance from these guys in the past. I agree with you in thinking it was always the responsible thing to do. Although boaters and hikers get free rescues without being villified in the media, I never wanted to be that climber strung-up as a bad example..

http://www.alaskanalpineclub.org/Rescue.html

 

[DougPaul]

FWIW, when I broke my leg in the "wilds" of NH (I reside in MA), my health insurance covered the ambulance ride from the trail head to the hospital (Plymouth, NH), initial assessment in the ER, 2 operations, 5 days in the hospital, and a platform walker. At that point, I was in good enough shape for a friend to drive me home.

I was asked if I wanted to be transported to a hospital in the Boston area for the operations. Don't know who would have paid--it probably would have been in an ambulance--ie expensive.

We also discussed transferring me to a rehab facility (before deciding that I could go home with support from some friends)--I think the insurance would have paid for some period.

I think most health insurance (in the US) covers emergency treatment away from the home area (at least in the US), but I'm not sure about such things as post-emergency transport and extended care. Check your policy and talk to your provider.

Doug

 

[sardog1]

I have carried insurance from these guys in the past. I agree with you in thinking it was always the responsible thing to do. Although boaters and hikers get free rescues without being villified in the media, I never wanted to be that climber strung-up as a bad example..

http://www.alaskanalpineclub.org/Rescue.html

I find it utterly impossible to support the objectives of an organization that states the following as its policy at http://www.alaskanalpineclub.org/Rescue.html:

"The Fund will not pay the government for any rescues in the U.S. which are controlled by any land managing agency. The Fund endorses the Alaska Outdoor Council's policy on proper agencies for rescue missions. That policy concludes that resource managing agencies which usurp emergency services detrimentally divert funds from resource management goals, and fragment public rescue capabilities.

There is also a deadly conflict of interest when the same agency that writes visitor regulations which can affect accident potential, then in turn gains budget excuses from accident and rescue events within its land jurisdiction. The incentive is to facilitate increased potential for accidents and expensive rescues through regulatory policies. Power corrupts, and budget excuses are a notorious priority over stated government agency goals. With budgets always under threat in the debt-ridden U.S. government, deadly abuses in this regard, some of them proven in court, are prevalent among U.S. land managing agencies, especially involving the thoroughly corrupt and abusive National Park Service.

At those times when a land managing agency in the U.S. refuses to surrender jurisdiction and financial control of a rescue mission involving a Fund member, the public news media will be made aware that the public tax burden for the rescue would have been reduced if the rescue mission had been conducted by a proper emergency services agency."

Count me out when it comes to bashing the NPS folks and personnel from other "land management agencies", many of which put their own lives on the line to rescue others. This piece sounds like it could have been written by Joe Vogler or some other Alaskan Independence Party member, to be perfectly candid.

 

[Waumbek]

insuremytrip.com is a good place to start your homework for emergency medical travel insurance. There are per trip policies and annual "frequent flyer" options, e.g. Medex.

If you are on Medicare, you may not be aware that Medicare does not pay for emergency medical costs incurred outside the U.S., including Canada. Canada and the U.K. may once have given free emergency medical care to U.S. citizens, but no more. If you have "complementary" medical insurance beyond Medicare, it won't pay either, as it only complements what Medicare already pays the major portion of. "Secondary" insurance may cover what Medicare does not. In any event, out of the country, you will still have to pay up front and get reimbursement from your insurer. Medex will cover up to $100,000 for emergency care out of the country.

Some emergency medical insurance companies take a dim view of signing up for coverage the day or so before you leave on the suspicion that you may be sickening and hedging your bet. Most of them don't cover pre-exisiting conditions.

 

[Stuart]

I carry rescue insurance with Global Rescue, www.globalrescue.com
They specialize in mountaineering rescue. If you belong to the American Alpine Club, the base level insurance is included in your membership. You can add layers of coverage for additional premiums. Also, check with your credit card companies. Several credit cards offer some levels of insurance if you charge your air tickets with their card.

 

[Maddy]

Check your policy and talk to your provider.

Doug

Most definitely. I would also call x2 and speak to different people. Document the day, time. and the name of the person you spoke with. It's always best to see it in writing.

Recently I had a 7 month $330 nightmare for a Herpes Zoster vaccine. I didn't trust them so I called to be sure it was covered prior to receiving the injection. Two people said YES...NO PROBLEM. When it came time to pay they refused. I did not give up. I called and documented each call and the individuals involved. I sent registered letters. I called my state Group Ins. Commission. The hospital where I received the injection was as obnoxious as the Ins Co. It took many months but I finally was in touch with one person who was inclined to deal with the problem. They finally paid for the med itself but not the injection. I continued to do battle and approx 2 months later they paid that last $33.
They thought they were very convincing when they told me over and over again it was my responsibility but having worked in a hospital for years I knew better.

I have excellent insurance but that means nothing when they dig their heels in and someone rejects your claim.
You want all the proof you can get that you are covered so you will have something to fight back with.

Travel insurance sounds like it might be a good deal but don't trust any of them implicitly. Cover all you bases.Leave no stone unturned.

Hope you have a wonderful time on your great adventure.