Accident Insurance that covers climbers?

W/ bcbs, you don't get shit. Yes, they say you get whatever, but in reality, all you get is screwed. Any transport is considered out of network. Anything else will be split into different categories, with different deductibles, so you never really see a benefit -- to uninsure the insured, to insure the uninsured so they get free stuff.

The heli depends. Most times it will go to the rescued, or their family agrees to pick up the tab. Or, the sheriff discusses this w/ the family. Most wilderness is small county budgets, the family usually gets the tab. For a direct transport for medical, it goes to the patient. A national guard transport or coast guard is no charge/already allocated. However, they usually have a non-compete w/ the medical unit, so the medical heli has first right of refusal. The park service may have an allocation, or not, which then goes back to the county sheriff.

In any case, once you call for aid, it's not up to you. But, ground sar is free, so that's a bonus.

Gokul wrote: Last I heard, NH will charge you for SAR if they deem your accident easily avoidable (e.g., you ignored avy warnings at the trailhead).

That sounds open to vast interpretation. I could argue that decking on a trad climb because a piece pulled was easily avoidable by using two pieces. Also, I dont think that getting injured in an area with a sign warning of dangerous conditions should necessitate failure to do take reasonable caution. Every piece of gear we use has a warning logo on it that is not much different from most signs, so by the same notion I could argue that anyone injured in climbing did something that was easily avoidable because there were warning tags on the gear. I hope the law is a bit more clear than "easily avoidable."

If you hike aggressively (off the marked trail), or otherwise need to call for help for any reason, you will be charged in nh.

The NH law has several opponents, including members of the SAR community there. There's a little bit of explanation of the NH law here (but still not a whole lot of detail on how judgments are made): hikesafe.com/index.php?page… "In New Hampshire, hikers who negligently cause themselves to become lost or injured - resulting in costly and dangerous rescues - may be billed for those rescue services." It seems that there's a legal definition for negligence that is used to determine liability. Here's an example of someone that was charged: nhpr.org/post/michigan-hike…

A more recent hiker safety law passed a year or two ago, so you can now purchase a card that exempts you from rescue charges.

The definition is pretty simple, if you need to call for help or are lost and someone else calls you in, then you are negligent and will be charged.

Buff Johnson wrote:The definition is pretty simple, if you need to call for help or are lost and someone else calls you in, then you are negligent and will be charged.

I always thought it was funny that a patient can be charged for services s/he never agreed to accept. I think the medical field is the only industry in which the seller can force a sale onto the consumer without the consumer accepting the terms.

@michael holland's original post - hope your trip is going well!
So, what did you end up doing for health insurance?