[pct-l] health/travel insurance while hiking

[terry.norton at gmail.com (Terry Norton)]

Aaron,

I have had a variety of trailnames from my AT hikes.  In 1998 I
primarily went by "Ultralite", and in 2001 I was "Cheers!"  Nothing
ever seemed to fit quite right, so I generally go by my given name or
"T."

The definition of "mountain climbing" (if excluded) should be
researched by your agent.  Since I live in a town with a bunch of rock
climbers and mountaineers (Boulder, CO), my agent had previously
addressed the issue.

>From my limited experiene as a ski patroller, I have found that a
flight-for-life adventure can run $10,000 - $25,000 depending on the
circumstances if not directly covered by medical insurance.  Coverage
was limited to $10,000 on most policies.  I would guess the insurance
company rather is 1/3 to 1/2 of the full fare.

Colorado now has a "COSAR Permit" (Colorado Search & Rescue) that
covers the costs that might be billed by the sheriff and rescue crews
(not including ambulance/flight-for-life).  The cost is ~$3/yr or ~$10
for 5 yrs.  I don't know if the PCT states have a similar program.

cheers,
terry

On 8/11/05, Aaron Doss <aarondoss@gmail.com> wrote:
> Terry,
>  We hope to see you out there also.  Do you have a trail name from the AT
> which you will be using?
>  
>  Regarding insurance, you and Rick brought up something I haven't thought
> of, Helicopter/ Ambulance evacuation coverage.  I will probably find a local
> insurance agent who can help search for the appropriate coverage, but first
> I need to make a list of costly services and and make sure they are covered;
> Helicopter evac, physical therapy/rehab.
> 
>  I realize that the chances of serious trauma are pretty slim but one broken
> ankle can cost more than ten-thousand dollars when you total up evacuation,
> acute care and rehab.  
>  
>  Are there any other costly services which I have forgotten about?
>  
>  Is hiking to the top of Whitney on a trail considered "mountain climbing"
> by insurers?
>  
>  Aaron
>  
>  
> Aaron,
>  
>  I look forward to meeting your wife & you on the PCT next year! 
>  Although I have not thruhiked the PCT yet, I have done two AT thruhikes and
> handled insurance for both.
>  
>  First, I recommend seeking out a local independent insurance agent who
> knows the health insurance market in your state.  He can help you analyze
> the premium verses deductable trade-off.  He will also know details about
> the coverage which is usually not available on websites.
>  (e.g., limits on flight-for-life coverage.)   Ask self-employed
>  friends for recommendations.
>  
>  In 1998 I carried a basic policy with a $2,500 deductable, 100%
> coinsurance, and physical therapy coverage.  It didn't have prescription
> drug coverage.  (Trauma care typically uses relatively cheap drugs such as
> morphine.)  I had minor knee surgery in 1996, and the policy had a rider
> excluding the first $5,000 of any problems with that knee.  The policy was
> renewable, and the premium was about $90 / month.
>  
>  In 2001 I also carried a basic policy similar to the previous one, except I
> increased the deductable to $5,000 since I had the reserves to cover the
> cost.  The insurance company did not exclude my knee. 
>  This policy had a PPO network that covered most of the AT corridor, but it
> would cover non-PPO doctor visits at the same rate if there was not a
> participating doc within 25 miles.  The premium on this policy was also
> about $90.
>  
>  For next year I am investigating the high deductable policies with a HSA
> (healthcare savings account) since I plan to be either self-employed or
> self-unemployed for a few years.  My agent has priced a few policies that
> fall in the range of $120 - $150 / month (now that I am over 40!) with a
> $2,500 deductable and good PPO coverage along the west coast.  Going to a
> $5,000 deductable drops the premium by about $20, and I will probably not
> assume the additional risk of the higher deductable for the long term.
>  
>  The only time I tend to visit a doc is when I have a sport injury.  I also
> don't have any on-going health issues.  (Single male, born in
>  1963)
>  
>  Finally, be aware some policies exclude "mountain climbing."  A potential
> insurer defined this so broad as to cover almost anything related to hiking
> and backpacking.
>  
>  cheers,
>  terry
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