In reply to Adrian28:
> The dilemma I face is whether or not to even declare that I might climb outside the UK for two weeks max per year and face the fact that should I die in an avalanche or similar, that my girlfriend will be left with a mortgage to pay off herself, or whether to just cough up the £45 per month to be covered for these possible two weeks a year climbing.
Had exactly the same problem recently when sorting out a new mortgage. I think the BMC insurance quote I got was tiered, with each tier being linked to a different altitude... go above 3500m and you pay £X. Go above 4000m and you pay £X + extra etc etc.
Initially, I thought that I'd just go uncovered (!) for the period climbing in the alps, or climbing above a certain altitude, and take the risk. However, I was advised that, should any information about my lifestyle go undeclared then the insurance company could declare the policy null and void regardless of how I died. For example, if I died in a traffic accident on the way back from the Alps and I was insured only for climbing below 2000m then there was a high chance they would not pay out.
I decided that it was all such a load of bollocks that we (non-climbing partner and I) decided not to get any cover at all. We both work. She can afford the mortgage repayments on her own, we have no children. If I died, why should she automatically have half the house paid for ? She'd probably want ot move out anyway as the house is too big for one. Seemed to me that there are just too many insurance products out there designed to take money out of your wallet and give very little cover in return. We would have easily ended up shelling out and extra £100 to £150 / month if we'd bought them all. If anything happens we'll deal with it - just one of those choices you make, I guess.
