[pct-l] Insurance

[Kathryn Thompson]

Just wondering about one of the less-glamorous considerations for a thru-hike....

Health insurance

Do most hikers have it or not?  If yes, to what extent (i.e. emergencies only, or complete coverage)

Anyone care to share experiences and cost$ of visiting a doctor in a trail town (overuse injuries, giardia, the flu, etc etc, anything goes)

I live overseas, and am not sure where to begin with this.  Some travel insurance plans seem to be good value for emergency medical situations, but they're limited or nonexistent in non-emergency situations, and in any case I'm not sure if they cover "extreme sports" such as hiking :-)  


Buying a full-coverage plan would bring peace of mind, but might also break the bank...?

I've got some research to do on my end, but would appreciate any input in the meantime.

Cheers from NZ