View Full Version : Catastrophic Expenses
Let us say that a JMT hiker breaks a leg and has to be helped to a hospital by the SAR folks, and the use of a helicopter.
Who picks up the tab?
I plan to buy the Insurance when I subscribe to SPOT. $7.95 is supposed to cover me for $50,000.00 expenses per occurrence.
Is this enough?
Also I am told that there is some kind of coverage when you buy a CA fishing license. Does anyone know about this?
fiddlehead
07-09-2009, 11:33
I can only go back to when I was hiking with a friend on the JMT in '92 and he broke his leg and had to get "choppered" out.
The bill was around $2,000 and his insurance paid for it. (that was the helicopter bill alone)
He just did the emergency room for a few hours in the hospital in Bishop. (insurance also paid for that)
I wouldn't trust insurance companies to be the same now as they were then though (or prices for choppers)
Different states have different rules concerning SAR. Some won't charge you at all, others will. I think some of it may also come down to whether or not you did something stupid to get yourself in that situation in the first place or if it's just bad luck...that I'm not sure is true or not.
But I know for sure that different places charge you for rescue and others not at all.
I got medi-vacced off a job site 2 yrs ago and It cost 17,000 for a 20 minute ride to Lehigh valley. The ins company didn t cover. check what you have before you need it.....
saimyoji
07-18-2009, 00:07
I got medi-vacced off a job site 2 yrs ago and It cost 17,000 for a 20 minute ride to Lehigh valley. The ins company didn t cover. check what you have before you need it.....
THAT is BS. Job doesn't cover on the job injury/transpo? Who were you working for?
fiddlehead
07-18-2009, 01:53
THAT is BS. Job doesn't cover on the job injury/transpo? Who were you working for?
How do you know it's BS?
Maybe he was working for himself.
Many do you know.
I had my own businesses in the states from 1979 and still do dropped my medical insurance when they refused to pay for something i thought they should've (kayak accident)
So, i could see the poster's situation happening to me.
kayak karl
07-18-2009, 07:27
How do you know it's BS?
Maybe he was working for himself.
Many do you know.
I had my own businesses in the states from 1979 and still do dropped my medical insurance when they refused to pay for something i thought they should've (kayak accident)
So, i could see the poster's situation happening to me.
ain't that the truth. companies only want to hire people on 1099's not w-4's. by the time you pay for your contractors insurance your lucky you can afford health. and you have to tell them the jobs you do and if you get hurt it better not be something you didn't tell them about.:)
and they don't like kayakers:(
A recent Boy Scout hiking on his own in NH was rescued and charged $20,000. He was apparently not prepared for the hiking he was attempting. His parents are appealing the ruling.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=869198#post869198
Helmuth.Fishmonger
07-30-2009, 12:00
here is a thread that discusses how it works in California
http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/61288/page/0/fpart/1
Pacific Tortuga
07-30-2009, 12:21
With as broke as we are here in CA. it's a wonder they don't charge you for taking your call and asking for a credit card before they attempt to help you.
For only $7.95, it's is well worth it.
I work as a contractor and to be cover by their insurance is very spendy..My wife works for the state and therefore we just used her's..but it wont be long will all have the Big O health insurance plan woo hoo!