I'm considering rescue insurance for my next trip to Canada. It's hard to tell which carriers are legit and actually pay extraction, emergency healthcare costs. Anyone have experience or recommendations?
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International Rescue Insurance
- Thread starter Black_Fly
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AFAIK. Canadian SAR is free. http://repair.alldata.com/online2he.../U.S._metal-studded_snow_tire_regulations.htm
Your health insurer ought to be able to tell you if you are covered in Canada
After some 55 years going there I have never carried any "rescue insurance"
My domestic healthcare provider does pay for emergency medical care.
Be careful what you pay for
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2015/07/06/medical-evacuation/29766691/
Yes I do carry an emergency locating device.
Your health insurer ought to be able to tell you if you are covered in Canada
After some 55 years going there I have never carried any "rescue insurance"
My domestic healthcare provider does pay for emergency medical care.
Be careful what you pay for
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2015/07/06/medical-evacuation/29766691/
Yes I do carry an emergency locating device.
G
Guest
Guest
In some US States having a hunting or fishing license, even a temporary license for that State held by a non-resident, covers the cost of SAR.
This at least was the case in a bunch of mountain west States in the 70's, 80's and 90's.
This at least was the case in a bunch of mountain west States in the 70's, 80's and 90's.
A friend of mine paid $10,000.00 for a "life flight" from Kotzebue to Anchorage after a bear attack, and that didn't involve a wilderness extraction and it was 30 years ago. I would think a medical evacuation from the bush could easily cost 50 grand or more today at the low end. It could be enough to bankrupt a lot of us. The cost of this type insurance is pretty low, someone was advertising it in Ak.for $50.00 a year for the family.
In Canada, SAR may be done in conjunction with provincial police and with volunteer staff... some contact info below with SARVAC.. There have been reports of false alarms from faulty gear and cluelessness and huge costs resulting from planes and searching, with talk of making some pay. But no recent reports from what I've been able to gather.
https://sarvac.ca/contact/
https://sarvac.ca/contact/
You are correct. Many people are uninformed until it is too late. My BCBS has no international provisions. While SAR is free to residents, it may not be for non-residents. Hospitals on foreign soil seldom honor US insurance. Exchange rates and out of network charges are too complex to facilitate international coverage. Check your policy and don't end up with a $50k visit to an ER.
The extraction is only the beginning. Most insurers won't pay flights to american hospitals, but foreign soil coverage is typically limited to "stabilizing" treatment.
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In Canada SAR is indeed free. To all.
That is only the first step true
I have known a few Americans that needed that seevice and no bill was rendered
That is only the first step true
I have known a few Americans that needed that seevice and no bill was rendered
If you use inReach, you can get a couple of addons through GEOS. SAR insurance is less than $20 a year. Air ambulance (up to $250K), which takes you from local hospital to home hospital, is about $100 annually. That's for N.A. Additional for outside N.A.
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Yupp SAR in Canada is free ( I help keep 435 Sqn's AC flying) but if you cause a false alarm or bogus response you may be charged and fined by the court system. There was an incident a few years ago near Gimli that comes to mind. But if you need an extraction they will get you out....the trouble starts after that as now it is the health care folks and they generally want money in some fashion.
crap happens but it happens less when you are careful.
Christy
crap happens but it happens less when you are careful.
Christy
During the Yukon River canoe races (440 mile and 1000 mile) we have to leave a $500 extraction deposit for retrieval of your canoe in case the paddler(s) need to be extracted. At the same time we are required to have a SPOT device tracking us. You can rent one, or if you have purchased your own it is advisable to pay the extra feee for personal extraction insurance (but you still have to leave the deposit on your CC with race officials).
How many miles a day do you do in that race? What month?
On the 440 mile YRQ (raced it 3 times so far) in late June, the first mandatory rest stop (for exactly 7 hours) is at about 190 miles from the start at Whitehorse is at Carmacks, It takes us about 21 hours of continuous paddling to get there. There is another short 3 hour mandatory rest stop at Coffee Creek, at 340 miles from WH, about 100 miles before the finish at Dawson. Most serious paddlers make no other stops at all. After racing the 1000 mile, we call the YRQ the "sprint". We start Wednesday at noon, finishing friday evening, including the rest stops. https://www.yukonriverquest.com
For the 1000 mile in late July (raced it twice so far), there are no mandatory stops at designated rest locations, you make primitive camp along the way when the time comes. The rules require that we must rest for 6 hours each "night", the only restriction is to be not on the river and not be paddling between the hours of 11 pm and 2 am. We averaged 165 miles/day (The Yukon has a substantial current to carry you along) to finish in a bit over 6 days. https://www.yukon1000.org
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Regarding Yukon River race rescue, as I said we are required by race rules to have a SPOT tracker. It is to be on in track mode, broadcasting our location approximately every 10 minutes to anyone who has our SPOT internet address. The device has several buttons in addition to the automatic track. 1) "I'm OK", obvious, just manually checking in. 2)"SOS" also obvious, send maximum help ASAP. 3) "help", could have any meaning that you wish as you have pre-coordinated. In our case it would mean that we will not be continuing to race, but everyone is healthy. If you see us continue to limp down river on the tracker, please meet us at the next available take out (which if we are not already there, could be a First Nation village that might still be a couple of hundred miles away)
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