[pct-l] regarding SPOT insurance

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

I want to forward an email I received from a recent student of ours who sent out a warning to his friends in a Yahoo hiking group:


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Dear Fellow Spot Users:


I just got a notice from Spot telling me that the cost of the insurance coverage for evacuation costs was increasing by almost 50% - from just under $9 per year to just under $13.  And, conveniently, that I would get this insurance automatically by auto-renewal.  

This caused me to look at the Conditions on the insurance. It strikes me that the coverage is so limited as to be virtually useless. See policy provisions set out below.

Most real-life SARs would not be covered.  There is no coverage where rescue is provided by police, fire, Red Cross or a government SAR agency. There is no coverage for SAR caused by foreseeable bad weather, by inexperience, by drugs or alcohol or by a pre-existing or chronic medical condition.  If it takes more than 72 hours to find me after my first 911 button press, I have no more coverage.  Who decides whether any of these exclusions apply to me? The "underwriters" (i.e., the insurer itself) and "decisions are final" (good luck with that).

And if I am traveling outside the North America, the EU or Australia I have to notify them and get pre-approval and they can deny coverage by returning my premium..   

Since most US rescue agencies avoid charging for SAR and evacuations costs (see our prior thread), I do not think the coverage is needed if your most dangerous activity is something like a JMT thru hike.  I've highlighted parts of the policy conditions that make the coverage particularly questionable.  See below.

So I'm requesting that my insurance coverage not auto-renew.  I'll save myself the $13,  Of course, it is POSSIBLE that I'll lose rights to $100,000 in reimbursement, assuming I have 2 incidents of $50,000 each, but I very much doubt. it.

Note that the findmespot.com website has no particularly obvious way of declining the insurance on an auto-renewal of a prior year's subscription that included the insurance.  I ended up using the "Contact us" feature (under the help message) to send a request to not auto-renew the insurance.  (You need the serial number of your device to send this e-mail, which you can find by downloading a prior invoice under My Account - Billing.)

I still like the Spot - but some of this is pretty high-handed.

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The Policy conditions are at this URL:

http://www.geosalliance.com/sar/


[GEOS Insurance] CONDITIONS - with Bolding by John

For additional necessary and reasonable search and rescue (SAR) expenses (including helicopter with prior approval from the GEOS IERCC), up to US$100,000 per subscriber in any 12 month period with a limit of US$50,000 for any one claim by the subscriber. See Note below.

This cover is for a period not exceeding 72 hours from the time of the call for assistance, which is necessary to prevent further injury or illness or danger to human life as a result of an unforeseeable emergency where the appropriate rescue authorities recommend the dispatch of a Search and Rescue team, and such dispatch is further authorised and provided through the GEOS International Emergency Response Co Ordination Centre (IERCC).

The cover will not extend if the Rescue Service is provided by official Government, Police, Fire or Red Cross organizations.

The cover extends to North America, Canada, the European Union and Australia. [John The insurers are from London.  I guess they didn't realize that Canada is in North America.]

 Cover will be extended to other geographic locations subject to acceptance by the GEOS Underwriters in writing, which will be provided after the application has been made, and if refused all premiums paid will be refunded.

 The following geographic locations are excluded: -
-  North, Central or West Africa
-  Middle East, Iraq Iran and Afghanistan
-  Russia

EXCLUSIONS

The cover will not apply in the following circumstances: -

Circumstances which could have reasonably been anticipated at the date the trip began - e.g. forecast of adverse weather conditions

Emergency caused by inadequate provision or training or competence needed to complete the planned trip

Cost incurred due to a pre existing or chronic condition or mental disorder of the member including self-harm or suicide attempt.

Emergency caused by any natural climate disaster

Any cost incurred to emergency arising from riots, civil unrest or conflict including civil wars or kidnaps or any Biological, Nuclear or Chemical events

Any costs arising from the crash of any private aircraft or any aircraft that has not been authorized as an airline by the relevant Aviation Authority.

Cost incurred by any member participating in any war or military action

Costs arising from any illegal use of a weapon

Accidents arising from sky diving without a qualified guide or sky surfing with or without a motor vehicle

Where any accident, injury or illness arises from the use of drugs or alcohol

Costs covered by any other insurance policy of your own or;

For any incident caused by a third party where costs can be recovered from that third party

NOTE:

The GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) will not refuse to call out additional emergency response services when advised by 'first responders' such additional services will be necessary. In such cases where a Member activates their 911 signal for an emergency and it later transpires that the additional rescue service was not required or covered by the terms and conditions of the Search and Rescue Benefit cover, the member will be liable for the whole cost.

The member must first claim against their existing Medical, Travel or other Insurance. The GEOS Membership Search and Rescue benefit is for any additional costs incurred or those costs not covered by existing medical or travel cover.

All claims for reimbursement under the Members S & R Benefit are dealt with by our Underwriters and their decision is final.

CLAIMS

         -            Claims should be made direct through the GEOS Members web site which can be accessed using the user name and password provided to you for access to the GEOS Members site

          -           All claims are dealt with by the GEOS Underwriters at Lloyds of London.

          -          To support claims the member must provide a signed 'Release' for the disclosure to GEOS by the medical aid provider of all medical services, and treatment, provided in relation to the incident and full details of any other Insurance cover held.


John 


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Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
South Lake Tahoe, Ca.
    P: 888-996-8333
    F: 530-541-1456
    C: 530-721-1551
    http://www.mountaineducation.org