UKC

Hi,

I am going to be backpacking around Italy until December, and then I'm going to Spain to work for 4 months. I was wondering if any body knows what type of insurance I would need? I'm not too fussed about covering gear, it's just medical costs I case something was to go wrong.

Looking for something cheap.

WOULD THE EUROPEAN HEALTH CARD BE SUFFICENT ALONE OR?

Cheers

Callum

In reply to Callumjnelson:
Have a look at joining the Austrian alpine club, good insurance, heli recovery i think, and much cheaper than bmc last time i looked.

In reply to Callumjnelson:

Worth searching - discussed on here a lot.

You'll want a 'proper' policy if you want cover that will get you back to the UK in the event of a serious illness/accident.

AAC cover would get you off the mountain and patched up fine.

The EHIC card will allow for medical treatment, but in many places have to pay up front and then reclaim, and may still be liable for a portion of the costs of care. Depends on the system/country - not sure re. Italy/Spain.

EHIC will not cover any rescue or repatriation costs.

In reply to Callumjnelson:

I had to get 2 urgent surgeries and a week in hospital following an climbing accident in France and the European card covered 80% of the total cost. I had health insurance which covered a transfer ambulance and the remaining 20%. I had no mountaineering specific insurance but my health insurance covers climbing up to 4000m.

In reply to Callumjnelson: I never bother. This year I've had 6 weeks in Spain and a week in Sweden and I didn't have any insurance at all. When I had an accident ice climbing in France a few years ago the treatmenbt cost something like 20E because the EHIC covered the rest.

In reply to Callumjnelson:

I heard that Helicopter rescue if needed is well expensive. Me and my partner have been travelling Europe for 8 months and we took out back packers insurance through true traveller. The cost was reasonable and it covered all possible expenses for accident and injury from many types of activities. Worth a look for peace of mind

In reply to hamsforlegs:

And home, if/when the Swiss insurance comp (Uniqa or something like that) decides so. Repatritation is covered up to 250 000 € or so.

In reply to Callumjnelson:

Another vote for AAC, won't cover repatriation but will cover S&R plus medical costs when climbing (and doing a range of other activities) - you will still need the (free) EHIC card though.

Cost of repatriation can be horrific (think privately chartered air ambulance with own medical team), but the likelihood is relatively low so possibly a gamble that's worth taking.

In reply to Callumjnelson:

Cheers for all the heads up guys. I will check out the AAC as recommended. Do you guys know if the AAC would cover you outside Europe as well. E.g. Morocco

Cheers

Callum

In reply to Callumjnelson:

Dont think so

In reply to Callumjnelson:

It is really not a good idea to wing it without repatration insurance. The sums involved would involve your mum having to sell her house.

If things go wrong climbing they do go very wrong indeed, which makes it thrilling every time you escape death, hence the attraction of the sport. I just dodged medical bills of about $50,000 when my son fell off (not very seriously, but in America) because he had bought insurance at the very last minute.

If AAC don't do Morocco, the BMC should if not cheaply (but there are rules about taking out the insurance before leaving the UK).

I currently run on an annual basic travel policy and the AAC, but could get BMC Rock if climbing anywhere with even slightly dodgy medical care (ie you need to pay for private care and/or repatriation).

You can phone them at BMC and set out your plans, if not a straightforward climbing holiday. I got cover from them for a trip where I went off into the mountains after a work conference, and they covered the climbing bit only.

In reply to Callumjnelson:

AAC cover morocco, look at their website it has a link to their insurance.

In reply to Callumjnelson:
No, EHIC alone won't be enough unless you have cash to cover the upfront medical costs, plus dealing with the consequences if you have to alter your travel plans.

EHIC only allows you to get whatever the locals would get under their national health schemes. That may still be expensive.

3 nights in an Italian hospital, a couple of x-rays, an ambulance transfer and a pair of crutches was around £2000. Because Mum had an insurance policy, she didn't have to pay anything at the time and the travel insurance (BMC) sorted it all out. And then they sorted out the tickets for a delayed flight home, hotel costs for someone to stay with her after the rest of us had travelled home, etc.