UKC

Hi,
When getting insurance to cover my mortgage, I had to declare that I was a mountaineer/climber.
To cut a long story short, they won't cover me if I have a climbing accident and they put my premium up!
What do you guys do? Are there any companies out there who will insure climbers at a decent rate?
Thanks in Advance.

In reply to Alec: don't really know but why did they put your premium up if they won't cover you for it?

In reply to biscuit:

I should imagine because you become high risk in other areas of life. It sucks but then thats insurance for you I guess. Would be interested to see what else affects it, but thankfully I don't have to bother just yet since I have no dependants and can't afford a mortage!

In reply to Alec:

Try Norwich Union I got life cover from them on normal terms which does not exclude death from a climbing accident.

Death by climbing didn't seem to bother most of the insurers I approached for life cover, however I did have problems for permanent sickness/injury cover, and they all excluded climbing. Obviously underwriters perceived permanent injury as being a more likely scenario from climbing than death.

In reply to Alec: BMC insurance is spot on. Got it via Summit financial services, was actually cheaper than the non climbing non smoking wifes!!!!!!!!

Iain

In reply to Alec:

Luckily being a boulderer i dont climb with ropes or anything dangerous so it doesnt go on the form . Baically soloings ok but properly protected safe roped climbing isnt
p

In reply to Hotbad Peteel:

erm, you're saying that insurers class bouldering as okay, from a permanent injury perspective?

really? how does that work?

what about soloing - that doesn't need ropes either?

In reply to Alec:
I had similar problems... one company tripled premium then said in the small print I was not covered for mountaineering at all!
The one I went with covers mountain related death but not critical illness caused by mountaineering. I think you will find most non-specialist companies have similar clauses. Interseting they were not bothered about me scuba diving or cycling. I would say cylcing to work is one of the most dangerous things I do!

In reply to Alec: I am an IFA as well as a climber and know a thing or two about this subject...email me with your queries and I'll ensure my fellow climbers get a good deal!

In reply to Alec: I have got terms from NU, they have included climbing in the UK, summer and winter for no additional premium. For over seas trip, I figured that I cannot be cirtain that I will be going away very regularly so I can just get a temporary policy as an add on to my travel insurance.

In reply to Astral Highway: Its not that they think soloing or bouldering is OK, they just do not understand it, they think if you are not using ropes, you must not be doing anything dangerous, for a lot of bouldering of course this is true.

In reply to Alec:

If you partake in this type of activity you pose a higher moral risk, possible reason for the uping of premium despite them excluding climbing.

I'd ask to see a copy of the policy wording and get them to explain any parts you are unsure of.

In reply to Alec:
We got mortgage life cover with standard life through the guys at the BMC. It was still more expensive (doubled premiums), but will cover death by climbing for either of us! Critical illness much more of a porblem apparently, although again the BMC have an underwriter for this too.
Harder technical grades apparently score better on the questionnaires...the reasoning goes if you are better at it you are less likely to hurt yourself!(so I have been told)
Interestingly, had a recent meeting with a general IFA, he got very excited when he saw the premium, was sure he could beat it and made all sorts of rash promises only to ring back sheepishly a fortnight later to say he couldn't help us and he would ring again in a year!

In reply to Dr Fran:

I got mortgage life cover through standard life direct, and it was no more expensive, there was no extra premium to cover climbing accidents. This was 6 years ago though so perhaps they've changed their minds.

In reply to Alec:
Twice I have been asked about dangerous sports for insurance related to mortgages. On the second occasion (I think it was Std Life) the question was worded in a way that allowed me to avoided a troublesome answer. On the first occasion (dont remember the company), it seemed I was well on the way to a higher premium. However, I submitted a statement about my mountaineering activities which principally stated that I participated in these activities only in the region to which I was native and where I had been going into the hills since childhood. No additional premium or restictive clauses were required by the company.

It probably wont be relevant for most of you but it might be a suitable approach for some of you in the Lakes and North Wales as well as the Highlands.

In reply to Alec:

We opted for Legal and General declared our climbing (Upto Severe, 30 days a year, UK + Abroad) and they covered us under normal terms.

I think the big factor is winter climbing (which I did not declare because at the time I was not doing any - it was summer!) which they do take quite seriously.

Guy

In reply to Alec:

[Finally got round to logging out and in]

I was a bit concerned about this having taken up rock-climbing after taking out my current mortgage and related life policy. Called up the company and (after spending for ever checking with the underwriters - aka going to get a cup of coffee from the machine) they eventually said that it had no impact on my premium as the amount already covered the possibility of me taking up a "dangerous sport" - seemed reasonable to me at the time. The company was Halifax Life Insurance - now presumably some annex of the Bank of Scotland.

I think it helped that I had separate BMC insurance for rock climbing injuries etc.