Rescue and medical insurance for Denali

Hey,

I am looking into various options for rescue and medical cover for a trip to climb in the Denali area. We are planning on routes like Mini Moonflower, West Buttress, SW Ridge of Mt Francis and the Cassin.

What have you guys used? I am flying in from the UK and our our association over here, the BMC, have quoted me £1400 for a one month trip which seems on the high side. Will a US company insure an international customer?

I also see the AAC has an international membership option and that they have some rescue cover, though it does seem like not much coverage.

Many thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Reach out to Geoff Straight, he does all the insurance for the canadian mtn guide association and most heli ski trips: lifestylefinancial.ca/our-c…

Dennis Lightman wrote: Hey,

I am looking into various options for rescue and medical cover for a trip to climb in the Denali area. We are planning on routes like Mini Moonflower, West Buttress, SW Ridge of Mt Francis and the Cassin.

What have you guys used? I am flying in from the UK and our our association over here, the BMC, have quoted me £1400 for a one month trip which seems on the high side. Will a US company insure an international customer?

I also see the AAC has an international membership option and that they have some rescue cover, though it does seem like not much coverage.

Many thanks in advance for your suggestions.

I thought with the AAC, the general membership comes with a certain level, but you could buy more.  It has changed over the years.  Check their site, I want to say it is no longer insurance, but a rescue benefit.  details are on there website

The AAC's "insurance" is done through Global Rescue which has much more comprehensive membership plans that you can buy (you don't have to live in the US). GEOS is another US based company that offers similar plans to Global Rescue.

One caveat to keep in mind with both companies is that they are a membership, NOT insurance (thus the quotes above).  This means you can contact them in case of emergency to be rescued and they will coordinate and pay for your rescue.  However, if you do not go through them (i.e. you contact SAR directly, or whatever), chances are you will not be reimbursed for expenses of something that they did not coordinate (so not insurance).  AFAIK Global Rescue has a phone number that you must call (so probably need a sat phone). GEOS uses devices like a Garmin inReach to be notified (I'm guessing you could also just call them?).

Another thing to keep in mind is the difference between SAR, medical, and medical evacuation.  SAR is the cost of getting you off the mountain and down to safety where normal emergency services can take over. From what I can tell most SAR organizations in the US and other first-world countries are government funded and rarely charge for their services, but not guaranteed free.  Medical is things like the ambulance/heli ride from the base of the mountain to the hospital and any hospital charges, things normal health/medical insurance in the US might cover. Medical evacuation is getting you from the hospital near the mountain to the hospital near your home for longer-term treatment.  All three of these things are billed and insured differently, so you need to read plans/coverage carefully.  For example, it's not clear to me if the Global Rescue/GEOS plans cover that middle "medical" part.

Look into Austrian Alpine Club and as you’re in Chx (?) CAF, I’m not sure how nationality plays into it but my French guide friends and family use CAF for all their expeditions & international trips, and I think for their clients....might be different as a guide- you’d have to do the research.

   As an American I find Austrian Alpine club most cost effective internationally or for Alaska by far, tho fortunately I’ve not yet had the misfortune to need rescue insurance.
       Medical insurance no idea what’s your best bet here.  Good luck.

I used these guys:  -- https://www.ripcordrescuetravelinsurance.com/

You for sure don't want to cheap out on this, when I was on Denali a guy had to be helicoptered to Utah to deal with the extreme frost bite suffered on a ill-advised summit push in bad weather.
Its no joke up there.

something to consider: Denali is in a national park, and no national park in the US charges for SAR activities. If you already have medical coverage (that also covers medical transport), you shouldn't need anything else.

Of note, a 30 day basic plan from Global Rescue will run you $220 USD.

curt86iroc wrote: something to consider: Denali is in a national park, and no national park in the US charges for SAR activities. If you already have medical coverage (that also covers medical transport), you shouldn't need anything else.

  Unless you’re too jacked up to fly commercial home (Europe in this case) NPS will haul you out to local hospital etc. then you’re on your own.     Repatriation coverage if needed can save you tens of thousands.

You need to consider four types of insurance.

Rescue - schlep yer carcass off the hill
Air Ambulance - schlep yer broken ass carcass to the hospital
Medical - fix yer broken ass carcass
Repatriation - schlep yer fixed but still broken ass carcass home

Rescue insurance is not needed per say as Denali is a National Park. However, if you do something really stupid or illegal and are in need of a rescue you could be billed for the rescue as part of a citation.

Air Ambulance - Check on what your home insurance will cover when traveling internationally

Medical - Check on what your home insurance will cover when traveling internationally

Repatriation - Travel insurance.

Global rescue globalrescue.com is probably the most widely used.

Concur with the above.

You will not see any costs getting off the Mtn. NPS will get your carcass to Talkeetna (when/if they can...) from there you are in a garden variety ambulance or possibly heli or medivac. Check what you current coverage would pick up and only fill those gaps.