Rescue Insurance for Backpackers

This topic has 47 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 4 months ago by MJ H.

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Jan 18, 2014 at 10:51 pm #2064353

Mobile Calculator
Spectator

@mobile-calculator

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Feb 12, 2014 at 5:20 pm #2072810

HElinTexas C
BPL Member

@helintexas

I work for a retail business. We had a customer collapse unconscious in the store and go into seizures. We immediately contacted 911 who came and provided assistance to the customer. The lady later got a bill. She refused to pay. And, yes, they sent a bill to our store trying to get us to pay for it since we called 911 for her without her permission. I was shocked.

Also, if backpacking out of the country, be sure and read the fine print of the rescue and medical insurance. I was going trekking in Nepal. Even though I was not mountain climbing, I was going to hike over some high passes. There was an altitude clause in most of the insurance companies' details. When I called a few to explain that I wasn't doing "high risk" activities, merely hiking, they told me that no matter what I was doing….if the activity was over a certain altitude the insurance would not cover me. Needless to say, I had to read a lot of tiny, boring, insurance details to find one that covered it all. The trouble clause was usually one line in very small print that was an asterisk to the activity covered list. It was by sheer accident that I noticed it with the first insurance company.

Feb 12, 2014 at 5:56 pm #2072816

John S.
BPL Member

@jshann

Helintexas, tell us which company "covered it all"?

Feb 13, 2014 at 1:59 pm #2073168

HElinTexas C
BPL Member

@helintexas

I believe it was WorldNomads. It was almost 5 years ago. I have not checked in recent time as to who has the full adventure coverage. But I know that company seems to market to 'adventure travelers'. They are owned by one of the bigger insurance companies now.

Feb 13, 2014 at 8:37 pm #2073312

Rex Sanders
BPL Member

@rex

To find World Nomads terms and conditions you must drill down, specify your state of residence, and choose between their Standard and Expedition Plans.

http://www.worldnomads.com/travel-insurance/prices-and-benefits-country.aspx?Country=USA

The Expedition T&Cs for California residents are about 14,594 words.

A casual browsing finds:

"Travel must be more than 100 miles from the Insured’s Primary Residence."

"PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION EXCLUSION:" (goes on for 113 more words).

"Expenses for Transportation must be: … (c) authorized in advance by Travel Guard." Plus more conditions.

Even at that, it has this disclaimer:

"If there are any conflicts between the contents of this document and the Policy (form series T30337NUFIC), the Policy will govern in all cases."

You might need to keep digging, and read carefully before buying.

— Rex

May 6, 2015 at 8:30 pm #2197419

Rex Sanders
BPL Member

@rex

Good article from Peter Eavis for the New York Times on air ambulances:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/06/business/rescued-by-an-air-ambulance-but-stunned-at-the-sky-high-bill.html

Since 2000, the number of US medical helicopters has more than doubled, while the number of flight hours per helicopter has dropped a little.

And in 2014 the largest air ambulance company charged a per-flight average of $40,766. A non-profit air ambulance operator says their full-up flight cost averages $7,400.

The article highlights several horror stories of large bills, lawsuits, and home liens. It also mentions that many insurance companies no longer cover air ambulances.

If you are rescued, EMS calls for an air ambulance – not you. You can refuse – if you are a conscious and reliable patient, and you are willing to accept the consequences.

Be careful out there.

— Rex

Edit: And of course, I posted this before I saw this thread, sorry:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=102977

Aug 5, 2015 at 7:11 pm #2219269

Rex Sanders
BPL Member

@rex

A good, long story in WIRED about how Global Rescue saved their (rich) clients after the devastating earthquake in Nepal, while making life-and-death decisions for the locals.

The Tricky Ethics of the Lucrative Disaster Rescue Business, by Abe Streep
http://www.wired.com/2015/08/search-and-rescue-for-sale/

— Rex

Aug 5, 2015 at 7:54 pm #2219277

John S.
BPL Member

@jshann

Thanks for sharing Rex. I know one of the MD's that works with GR and will forward for his opinion. Their website seems down at the moment to read the link.

Jun 12, 2018 at 2:41 am #3541586

Rex Sanders
BPL Member

@rex

Air ambulances, backed by private equity firms, leave patients with $45,000 bills

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-air-ambulance-cost-20180611-story.html

Long story, but worth it, especially for those of us who play outdoors with higher risk of trauma. Or anyone else.

Here’s one key section, emphasis added:

While adding helicopters has expanded the reach of emergency care, “there are fewer and fewer patients that are having to pay higher and higher charges in order to facilitate this increase in access,” Aaron D. Todd, chief executive of Air Methods, said on an earnings call in May 2015, before the company was taken private. “If you ask me personally, do we need 900 air medical helicopters to serve this country, I’d say probably not,” he said.

Despite the apparent glut, air-ambulance operators are profitable.

— Rex

Jun 12, 2018 at 2:51 am #3541595

Roger Caffin
BPL Member

@rcaffin
Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

Make America Great Again. Yeah, right.

In Australia, ambulance services are either free or are covered by standard (government) medical insurance. This includes choppers.
ER services at public hospitals are also covered by the government.

You can get private medical insurance, to cover the use of a private hospital. But in general, it’s the same doctors practicing at both places. Perhaps private hospitals have better food? Doubtful.

Cheers

Sep 22, 2018 at 5:34 am #3556834

Rex Sanders
BPL Member

@rex

There’s a big difference between rescue insurance and rescue assistance – in this case, about $71,000 for a 140 mile air ambulance trip from Mammoth Lakes, CA to Reno, NV.

http://www.latimes.com/business/lazarus/la-fi-lazarus-medical-emergency-insurance-denial-201800921-story.html

“… the terms of the contract are the terms of the contract …”

Lucky for the patient, her Blue Cross medical insurance appears to be picking up most of the tab.

— Rex

Sep 23, 2018 at 3:30 am #3556931

AK Granola
BPL Member

@granolagirlak

Health care in capitalist hell. I don’t even try to go to the doc any more until something is acute due to poor service, expensive, and a long waiting period. I’d never thought about SAR or air ambulances until seeing this thread just now! Although the ranger orientation prior to the Chilkoot Trail hike this summer included “bring a credit card with a high limit, in case you need helicopter rescue!” But I think that was only on the Canadian side; U.S. evac was free. Canadians are covered on the Canadian side.

Thanks guys, now I have something else to worry about! Or another glass of Merlot and read some trip reports instead.

Jun 22, 2019 at 5:55 am #3598791

Rex Sanders
BPL Member

@rex

Haven’t seen this before: on-demand accident insurance, mostly to pay for sky-high health insurance deductibles. Pay by the day, week, month, or any range of dates with an immediate start. Available in only six states right now.

Backpacker magazine article:

https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/should-you-buy-backpacking-insurance

Buddy Insurance:

https://buddyinsurance.com

Always read all of the fine print!

— Rex

Jun 22, 2019 at 5:59 am #3598792

Rex Sanders
BPL Member

@rex

Yet another bungled rescue horror story, with everyone blaming everyone else.

Did Red Tape Kill a Man on Annapurna?

When Wui Kin Chin collapsed high on the deadliest mountain in the world, he urgently needed a rescue. Instead, he sat alone at 24,000 feet for more than 40 hours.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2395761/annapurna-death

— Rex

Jul 6, 2019 at 5:00 pm #3600850

Rex Sanders
BPL Member

@rex

Why the flight to the hospital is more costly than ever

Air ambulance rates in the United States are soaring.

The cost of a medical ride in a helicopter or airplane climbed about 60 percent from 2012 to 2016, to a median of $39,000, according to a study of federal data released Monday.

More from the Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/why-the-flight-to-the-hospital-is-more-costly-than-ever/2019/07/01/9dd66736-99dc-11e9-916d-9c61607d8190_story.html

— Rex

Jul 6, 2019 at 10:52 pm #3600877

Roger Caffin
BPL Member

@rcaffin
Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

Oh, the virtues and glories of private enterprise. :(

A lot of air ambulance rescue work here near Sydney (Oz) is done by either PolAir (Police helicopter) or one or two other choppers run by charities.

Cheers

Jul 7, 2019 at 12:03 am #3600881

MJ H
BPL Member

@mjh

Honestly, rescue helicopter prices in the U.S. seem like a problem, but I think we should worry more about the cost of insulin.

Jul 7, 2019 at 3:57 am #3600906

Greg Mihalik
Spectator

@greg23
Locale: Colorado

Colorado capped insulin co-pays for insured people at $100 per month.

“Surprise” medical transport bills should be next.

Jul 8, 2019 at 1:38 am #3601062

obx hiker
BPL Member

@obxer

in other news a new start-up; Breath of Life. financed by private equity capital, will shortly be offering a subscription service for wholesome pure air imported from the Antarctic and available in metered quantities according to the customers subscription plan during severe pollution events in select locations like Beijing, L.A. Delhi as well as other locations world wide.

A spokesperson from Breath of Life noted that the Roaring Forties in the southern hemisphere was just full of unused air but declined to answer follow-up questions.

Sorry for the thread drift. Rex has done and continues to do a great job and laudable service in bringing this information together and to our attention and keeping it up-dated. I’m just finding the gist of it to be a bit depressing :(

Jul 8, 2019 at 4:07 am #3601085

Roger Caffin
BPL Member

@rcaffin
Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

Breathe of Life: very John Brunner. :)

Cheers

Jul 8, 2019 at 8:55 am #3601103

Geoff Caplan
BPL Member

@geoffcaplan
Locale: Lake District, Cumbria

If you’re wanting coverage for mountain walking, scrambling, rafting etc I’d strongly recommend checking out the insurance from your local alpine clubs. It’s more likely that the terms and conditions will cover real-life requirements, as they were developed by mountaineers for mountaineers.

The the UK, for example, the British Mountaineering Council (not mentioned in the article) offers a range of 5 relatively affordable products to cover different levels of risk, with generous limits:

£10 million medical cover
£100k for search, rescue and recovery
£10k for personal accident
£5k for cancellations
£2,500 for baggage.

They will also quote for expeditions to exceptionally high or remote areas.

They are very clear about what is included and excluded at each level of cover.

I suspect that you’d struggle to find coverage like that in a general travel insurance policy.

Jul 8, 2019 at 11:13 pm #3601170

Bruce Tolley
BPL Member

@btolley
Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

Here is the link https://americanalpineclub.org/rescue?

Jul 9, 2019 at 2:09 am #3601203

MJ H
BPL Member

@mjh

£10k for personal accident

My hiking pants aren’t anywhere near that expensive.
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