UKC

Anyone had any experience with STA insurance?

I'm looking into their multi-trip annual policy (Europe) as I'm hoping to get away a lot this next year. The search and rescue cover is £5000 which doesn't sound a lot to me. Anyone have any idea what a helicopter call out costs? Should £5000 be enough to cover it?

Obviously the BMC have some very good policies but the main purpose of the trips will not be climbing. I do hope to do plenty of rock climbing, via ferrata and hill walking so want a policy that will cover me for these activities. The BMCs policy is over twice the price of the STA one and as such the STA policy looks very attractive.

Thanks

In reply to Chris Davids:

I really do think that if you're going to bother with insurance at all, you need to do it properly and not try to cut corners. Presumably you want piece of mind, so go for the best policy not the cheapest.

I would agree that you want peace of mind which is why I'm looking for more information on STA insurance. I don't see the point in paying more for insurance than I need to. The STA policy looks very good except for the £5000 limit for search and rescue. Having no experience of search and rescue and being clueless to the costs involved is this a reasonable level of cover? Anyone any idea?

Thanks

Chris

In reply to Chris Davids:
5000 sounds pretty low to me. Are you sure that the STA covers you for climbing and wilderness travel?

In reply to The Gibbon:

They seem to do a premium sports policy that covers most things. However, it excludes "Free-climbing" and "Mountaineering without ropes", which sounds like plenty of room for quibbling to me!!

It also excludes "zorbing" - any ideas?

Hi Gibbon.

It covers climbing (with ropes), scrambling, abseiling, mountaineering (with ropes) as well as trekking and hill walking.

It doesn't cover soloing (which they call free climbing) and mountaineering without ropes.

"5000 sounds pretty low to me." It did to me, which is why I ask.

Thanks

Chris

In reply to Carolyn:
Zorbing:
http://www.zorb.com/main.html

looks like great fun

In reply to Chris Davids:

Are you certain that when they say "free-climbing" they only mean soloing?

In reply to Carolyn:

That's what came into my mind. I've spoken to them on the phone and they say that as long as you are roped up on sections that an expert would deem it normal then you're covered.

Zorbing, is it the giant hamster balls that you get inside and fly down hills. Made me chuckle, whatever it is.7

Cheers

Chris

In reply to mwerner:

Excellent! Just the thing for the flooded footpaths round Derwent Water.....

In reply to Carolyn:

Yes, 2 different people at STA have defined it as such.