Travel Insurance for a Brit jumpin in the US

[sparkham1871 0]

Hey,

Im heading off to Texas in a few weeks for some jumping and I am a tad worried about not having good travel insurance incase the unspeakable happens

Are there any companies that people recommend? or are there ones that should be avoided? Obviously the insurers need to be British

Ta in advance

Nick

[evilivan 0]

Last time I looked (about a year ago) insurance companies were no longer covering the USA for skydiving... You could try Harrison Beaumont (I think that's the name) - they used to do bespoke packages for skydiving. Don't think it will be cheap though...

Others that used to cover skydiving:

Columbus
Marks & Spencer

...there is also a new-ish one who's name I can't remember - they were advertising at Brit DZ's and in the Brit mag though.

"If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation."
David Brent

[shropshire 0]

May be an idea to contact the BPA and get their take on things.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[freeatlast 0]

IHI in Denmark will cover you for medical insurance (so that the biggest bills are at least covered) but i'm not sure that their travel insurance is the best.

http://www.ihi.com/

Usually i've had IHI for medical cover and then a separate travel policy.

Regards

James

[rhys 0]

I concur with the IHI thing.

my wife and i use it, she twisted her ankle quite bad with reasonable swelling so we wanted to check out if it was broken in any way, if you use a hospital you pay nothing, if you use a doctor, you pay and the reimburse you.

even though we didn't pay the reciepts cam through us and it cost IHI over $1000 for the xray and consultation?!?!?! they gave us crutches and an inflatable brace etc... just making money.

In my country you borrow crutches so many people use them, there they sell them to you, what a waste.


I would hate to have a problem and have no medical insurance in America. you can have your luggage etc insured with them also but you are probably better of with some standard insurance for that stuff and just use ihi for medical. they are very helpful.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

Don't worrry about it. We've got Obama Care now in the U.S. If you can't (or don't) pay, the few of us that actually work for a living will.

[SkyBastard 0]

nice attitude!

Dude #320
"Superstitious" is just a polite way of saying "incredibly fucking stupid".
DONK!

[danornan 64]

Check out DAN - Divers Alert Network. Generally for SCUBA, but it also covers a lot of other activities when injured away from home. Not sure of the international purchase requirements.

Dano

[James.UWE 0]

I'd double check whether Columbus will cover you. When I was organising insurance for my old university's club trip to Perris, I emailed them for confirmation on a few things and was told that their definition of 'parachuting' was static line jumps only, and that they would not cover anything else.

I used Adrenaline last year, and they where great when I had to claim.

[RMK 3]

I’ve had international medical/sports cover for several years. I previously used PJ Hayman, but over the past years have switched to DogTag www.dogtag.co.uk and consider them the best available in the UK at present.

You can mix/match level of coverage (medical/travel) and they have good coverage of a large list of high risk actvities (not just skydiving) and are priced quite well.

I would suggest you avoid the high street/package holiday offerings from the likes of M&S, Columbus etc; you’ll only be disappointed should you rely on them

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[Mark4 0]

BPA Web link

http://www.bpa.org.uk/member/insurance--travel

[faulknerwn 36]

Did you ever find any? We have sow Brits here looking for insurance.

[nigel99 143]

Quote

Did you ever find any? We have sow Brits here looking for insurance.

http://www.columbusdirect.com

I use Columbus Direct as they have specific cover for Parachuting. They are significantly cheaper than anyone else I have found.

I have never had to claim though so I can't say what the service is like.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[cpoxon 0]

This thread on UKSKydiver seems to indicate that Columbus only cover a couple of static-line jumps.

I recommend BUPA IHI with the hazardous sports coverage. More expensive in the first year, but discount kicks in in the second.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[nigel99 143]

Quote

This thread on UKSKydiver seems to indicate that Columbus only cover a couple of static-line jumps.

I recommend BUPA IHI with the hazardous sports coverage. More expensive in the first year, but discount kicks in in the second.

Thanks. It is very interesting I have just searched the entire policy, terms or business, policy schedule and policy summary (every document they provided) for my last trip and it only says that "parachuting" is covered. There is no definition of parachuting or excluding specific disciplines. Note that we paid the excess to get parachuting cover not the standard.

I wonder if it is legal for them to exclude a payment when they have not notified you of the restrictions in advance?

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[shropshire 0]

I use Dog tag - Extreme ... which covers me for [paragliding and parachuting in Europe (have not looked at the States)

http://www.dogtag.co.uk

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[samlee 0]

Legal or not, if they don't pay out you are screwed. Call them up and ask for clarification - they will happily tell you their definition of skydiving. I spoke to one that said they would only cover parachuting, no freefall was allowed, and yet it was called skydiving on their website!

Pay the extra and get a company that'll cover you.

[Zeemax 0]

Quote

Quote

This thread on UKSKydiver seems to indicate that Columbus only cover a couple of static-line jumps.

I recommend BUPA IHI with the hazardous sports coverage. More expensive in the first year, but discount kicks in in the second.

Thanks. It is very interesting I have just searched the entire policy, terms or business, policy schedule and policy summary (every document they provided) for my last trip and it only says that "parachuting" is covered. There is no definition of parachuting or excluding specific disciplines. Note that we paid the excess to get parachuting cover not the standard.

I wonder if it is legal for them to exclude a payment when they have not notified you of the restrictions in advance?

I used to be insured with Columbus many years ago when they did cover skydiving. When the policy needed renewing (under the terms they now offer) I asked for them to confirm parachuting. They deemed it as static line, or a jump without free fall (not including BASE), and it also must not be the sole purpose of the trip.

I would speak to them before you make any more trips as I highly doubt you're covered for what you think you are.

I did have a great policy with AXA which i managed to keep going for years even though they discontinued it. Unfortunately they've now stop me renewing so have taken out a policy with ihi like others.

The medical side seems extremely good, with unlimited amounts on most medical things - though the extra required for non medical things wasn't worth it, so will take out a seperate policy for that

Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE
Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies

[nigel99 143]

Thanks I will speak to them before I go next time.

My trips are never for skydiving - they are for business and skydiving is the "filler".

Still seems wrong to me and a case of miss-selling that they have restrictions that are not published.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.