Rock climbing life insurance
Rock climbers can face many hazards whilst enjoying their sport. As a result, climbers may feel that it is important to consider life insurance, critical illness cover or income protection cover to help meet mortgage payments, pay bills or provide for a family should an accident happen.
Natural climbing hazards that climbers face may arise from such things as:
- Mountain weather – strong winds, rain, thunderstorms, snow or ‘whiteouts’ that reduce visibility
- Extreme temperatures – heatstroke on desert climbs to frostbite and hypothermia in winter mountains
- Natural temperature reduction at higher altitude
- Oxygen reduction at altitude – with associated issues of acute mountain sickness, high-altitude pulmonary oedema and high-altitude pulmonary oedema
- Natural environment – rock stability, rockfall and avalanche risks
- Wildlife
Enjoying rock climbing and managing a variety of climbing risks may involve such issues as:
- Training in climbing skills, judgement and experience – e.g., personal training from mountain guides, courses, clubs, communities, guides, books, videos
- Understanding climbing skills – e.g., climbing calls & communication, ropework, anchors, belaying, placing protection, abseiling, emergency and self-rescue procedures in case of a fallen partner
- Correct clothing – e.g., multiple thinner layers, wicking artificial fibres, quick drying, stretch & flexibility, wet weather protection to keep dry and avoid the effects of windchill
- Correct equipment – choosing, selecting the right mix and packing the right rock climbing equipment (including correct training, correct use of equipment, care & maintenance)
- Rock climbing preparation – e.g., route planning, checking weather, assessing skills against challenges
- Packing for accidents and emergencies – e.g., first aid kit, whistle, charged phone, whistle, map, compass, torch & batteries, spare clothing, food and drink
- Being prepared – e.g., navigation skills with map & compass, first aid knowledge (e.g., sprains, strains, heart attack, symptoms of extreme heat and cold injuries, effects of altitude, fractures and major blood loss)
Keeping fit to climb and assessing skills against challenges is an important part of enjoying rock climbing and time in the mountains. Also, taking time to think through scenarios including the compound effect of issues, such as, poor navigation, low visibility, tiredness, exhaustion, underestimating the difficulty of a climb, poor route finding, taking longer than expected, sunset times, wet and cold weather can aid your management of risk.
Rock climbing insurance company
Summit Financial Services was established, over 20 years ago, to meet the financial protection needs of rock climbers and mountaineers. This includes offering life insurance, income protection and critical illness cover for a range of climbing (and many other outdoor activities).
Requests for cover for other extreme outdoor sports led us to develop a service for scuba divers (www.scuba-fs.co.uk) and later a wide range of other active outdoors sports under our the umbrella of Sports Financial Services (www.sports-fs.co.uk).
Through regular contact with climbers, over the last 20 years, we have built a great deal of knowledge of climbers needs. This knowledge has also been used to engage with underwriters to represent the different needs of climbers. With some insurers this has resulted in a move away from a simple yes or no climbing tick box to more detailed questions relating to more technical aspects of climbing such as grades, geographic participation, altitude and climbing styles.
We are happy to discuss different types of rock climbing styles, such as:
- Aid climbing
- Alpine rock climbing
- Bouldering
- Big wall climbing
- Buildering
- Canyoning
- Coasteering
- Competition climbing
- Deep water soloing
- Indoor climbing
- Multi pitch
- Single pitch
- Sport climbing
- Top roping
- Traditional (trad climbing)
Also, through regular discussion, we understand that climbers have a strong affinity with the outdoors. This can result in the pursuit of different activities at different times of year. Therefore, we are happy to discuss cover for a wide range of other sports and outdoor activities, for example:
- Canoeing and kayaking
- Skiing (e.g., cross country, piste, ski-mountaineering)
- Cycling (e.g., road, cross country, mountain biking)
- Mountain biking
- Skydiving
Don’t worry if you don’t see your other sporting activities listed above. We can offer cover for a wide range of other sports as well – just contact us to discuss your needs.
In addition, we have found that some rock climbers carry their recreational climbing skills into their occupation and also require financial protection for hazardous occupational work, for example, as rope access technicians. Again, we are happy to discuss financial protection needs for a wide range of hazardous occupations.
Insurance company for rock climbers
Because of our history of working with and on behalf of climbers we have built a strong understanding of climbers’ needs and are happy to discuss the technical aspects of climbing including grades and climbing styles.
In addition to climbing, we will also discuss general life insurance issues relating to medical health, lifestyle, occupation and income (if looking for income protection for rock climbing).
Such discussion will help determine the various financial protection products available to you and the premium(s) you have to pay for the particular benefit you are seeking.
Even if you have existing cover in place, we will be happy to discuss rates and the availability of cover for rock climbing life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection even if it only to provide you with peace of mind that the cover you have in place is comparable with current market offerings.
Life Insurance options for rock climbers
Different climbers have different needs based on their lifestyle, level of participation, occupation, mortgage protection and family needs.
Whether you are concerned about an injury, accident or worse affecting your ability to meet your bills, meet mortgage payments or provide for a family then speak to us to discuss your needs.
There are typically three type of financial protection that rock climbers like to discuss:
- Life Insurance – typically a lump sum to pay off a mortgage, bills or support a family in the event of death
- Critical Illness Cover – typically cover to provide financial peace of mind in the circumstance that you are diagnosed with a specific condition detailed in the policy
- Income Protection – if you have concerns that an accident or illness may stop you from working for a period of time then an Income Protection policy maybe something to discuss with Summit Financial Services
Subject to the type of rock climbing activities (or other sports or occupational activities) or occupation that you pursue there may be loadings, restrictions or exclusions applied to certain types of cover.
We work with the whole of market to find cover to suit your needs and are not restricted to a captive or select number of financial protection products.
Applying for life insurance for rock climbers
Because we specialise in climbing and mountaineering, we understand the different needs of climbers and their many different climbing styles. Through our work with the British Mountaineering Council and Mountaineering Scotland we understand that the risks present in climbing can vary depending on the type of climbing that is pursued.
Therefore, we’ll discuss your type and level of participation including discussion on grade(s), geographic locations and altitude limits of your climbing.
As with any enquiry for life insurance cover, we’ll also ask some common questions to better understand you, your climbing and your life, such as:
- Your current occupation
- Your need for cover in relation to any outdoor instructional work or hazardous activities
- Your type(s) of climbing
- Your climbing grade/s (e.g., sport grade, trad grade, French grade, UIAA grade, Alpine grade, Scottish Winter Grade, Via Ferrata grade)
- Where you participate in climbing (e.g., UK, Europe, Worldwide)
- Maximum climbing altitude
- Sports governing body membership (e.g., British Mountaineering Council, Mountaineering Scotland, Mountaineering Ireland)
- Current income (if enquiring about cover for Income Protection)
Further to questions about your lifestyle, health, climbing and occupation we will also discuss the duration that you require cover for and the amounts of cover required.
- Amount (£) of financial protection required
- The duration of policy – number of years cover is required for
- The type of policy you required – e.g., increasing, decreasing or level term cover
The combination of your climbing, lifestyle, health, recreation, occupation and other factors (such as those detailed above) will assist in the determination the financial protection options that will be available and the associated premiums.
As we are climbing specialists, even if you have a policy in place elsewhere, we will be happy to hear from you even if this is only to provide you with the peace of mind of knowing how your cover and premiums compare with current market products.
To discover more about the benefits of cover for rock climbers please call and speak to an experienced adviser today.
You can call us for a free, no-obligation quote, on 0345 565 0937.
Alternatively, to enquire online, please click the link above and complete the online form.
Finally, we work closely with our parent company, Suttons Independent Financial Advisers. So, if you require any further information about other financial services such as pensions, investments, mortgages or financial planning please visit www.suttonsifa.co.uk . Your adviser at Summit Financial Services will also be able to refer you to a contact at Suttons who best suits your interests.
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