Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Evacuation insurance
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Lake Lover |
Does anyone purchase evacuation /rescue insurance ? If so, through what company? Approximate cost? Anyone have experience using a policy or not having a policy and regretting not having it? Thanks for your information! |
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billconner |
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jsmithxc |
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ockycamper |
When people say "its free and not needed" they are talking about getting you to a road where the ambulance is waiting. You are on the hook for the ambulance, and the air medivac after that. The SAR insurance will pick up here where you health care insurance does not. One wrinkle that people don't realize is that there are often caveats for "why" the rescut was necessary. Heart attack? Broken leg? Severe medical situation? Probably no cost. Wind came up and blew your canoe away and you need someone to come and get you? Could be a different story, The cost of the insurance is cheaper then the big mack meal you will eat on the way up. I can't understand people who expect others (tax payers) to pick up the bill |
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billconner |
I prefer to donate to the emergency services like volunteer fire departments who provide SAR and similar services. |
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scotttimm |
Last year a party member of ours had a seizure on Beth. While the evacuation via canoe with medical personnel did not have cost (planes could not get in due to wildire smoke, but my understanding is there is not a cost for float plane evac); she had another seizure on the paddle out, vitals were going in the wrong direction, and they brought a helicopter to take her from Lutsen to Duluth. There was a six month battle with her insurance company for that bill, which was $66,000. So...while I don't know that insurance makes sense 99% of the time - that $66k helicopter ride could be tough to cover. |
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quark2222 |
Tom |
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ockycamper |
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ockycamper |
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deerfoot |
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billconner |
scotttimm: "In case this adds to the discussion: Any reason to believe there wouldn't be the same battle with "evac" insurance? I believe the issue centers on "medical necessity". |
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ockycamper |
Ryan Holmes (ZOLEO ) Jun 11, 2024, 14:04 EDT Hi Mark, Thank you for reaching out to ZOLEO Support. We are proud to be partnered with Global Rescue, a leading provider of medical, security, evacuation, and travel risk management services. Global Rescue's protocols are designed to help travelers and adventurers stay safe and secure while exploring the world. They have a team of experts who monitor global events and provide 24/7 assistance to their clients in case of emergencies. Any ZOLEO SOS alerts are received by our 24/7 emergency dispatch partner Global Rescue, they dispatch the closest, most suitable emergency service for your emergency. Global Rescue also offers its own insurance for users. You can view their offerings on the website that I linked above. If you have any questions for Global Rescue about how they would handle any specific emergencies in your area or insurance inquiries, you can use this form to contact them with any inquiries you may have. Still unclear. So I sent a message to Global Rescue. Will see what they say That said, the features in the Zoleo subscription are in fact worth the money. Interactive medical advice alone is worth the monthly subscription plan to Zoleo |
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billconner |
ockycamper: " As far as being transported out of the wilderness - like loosing canoe - that's all free courtesy of emergency services. True, once dropped at their base or an EP, you are on your own. They might give you a lift to your car. And if it's a result of you not being prepared or not smart, they'll probably give you a little grief, at which point you can give them a contribution - like 10 years of the $25 premium. |
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scotttimm |
billconner: "scotttimm: "In case this adds to the discussion: I'm not sure. It may be a battle either way. I know some of the back and forth regarding insurance coverage was how "necessary" the flight was, discussion of pre-existing condition (there was none), etc. As mentioned earlier...if someone was going in, knowing there was a chance their medical condition might necessitate evac...that would lead me to believe it would be a more involved dispute. Would throwing $40 at additional insurance make me feel better? It has, and I used it when my son and I did the Kruger Challenge. Will I purchase it for future trips? Probably not. I do remember crunching some numbers, and it was something like $2400/minute in the chopper. Lutsen to Duluth is not that far...I imagine something much further away would easily get to over $100k really quick. |
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ockycamper |
Yes, ZOLEO Global Rescue Insurance covers the subscriber: Global Rescue All active ZOLEO subscription plans include Global Rescue's 24/7 emergency response coordination services and SOS monitoring. Global Rescue's services are available in all countries and territories covered by the Iridium satellite network, as well as international areas, including oceans and international waters. Medical Assist ZOLEO subscribers also have access to the Medical Assist feature in the ZOLEO mobile app, which provides direct access to medical professionals for non-emergency help anywhere in the world. This service is included with the ZOLEO subscription fee and remains valid as long as the account is in good standing and fully paid. |
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billconner |
I have read Garmin's "interactive sos and Garmin response team" and seems same as zoleo. Quite clearly the fine print from when I was Spot user made clear it was not insurance, but membership, and promised nothing except good wishes. It's my belief that these are simple additional profit for the companies selling them, like extended warranties and service plans on cars, appliances, etc. I have never bought those either. Give the money to local volunteer emergency services. And buy health insurance that will provide transport when medically necessary. Be safe and wear your pfd! |
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Savage Voyageur |
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ockycamper |
Most two way PLB commuicators now either provide the insurance with the activation or at a minimal cost (SPOT was $12 when I was with them). I can't understand trippers that spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on gear to go out in the BWCA but won't spend the small amount of money on a PLB/communicator or rescue insurance. Just skip the stop at McDonalds on the way up or the latte at starbucks and you are there! |
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scotttimm |
ockycamper: "Zoleo includes insurance from Global Rescue with any of their plans. I keep my Zoleo active throughout the year which gives me communication access in areas I travel that do not have cellular. More then that, they have a Medical Assist feature where you can open up a chat for help determining how to deal with a situation, and if you really need Xfil. I have a Zoleo, used in this event...but my question is - does the insurance just cover the subscriber, or everyone in the party? I remember with my SPOTX, I had to add my son to the extra insurance... |
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scotttimm |
BdubyaCA: "if I have an in-reach and a person in my group gets seriously injured and needs to be evacuated and I hit my SOS, but they're the ones riding away in the helicopter and/or ambulance, I'm assuming they get the bill and not me, right? Does any sort of bill make its way to me in that situation?" Correct - I was never on the receiving end of any bills, nor contacted in any way. |
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Jaywalker |
ockycamper: "From the site: I think one of the two of us is misunderstanding something here. I do not see the word insurance anywhere on the Zoleo website and the search function shows no results. There online AI assistant said “ While the communication with our emergency response coordination partner is covered in the monthly plan, please note that the expenses related to the search and rescue operations, such as helicopter rides, are not.”. “Global Rescue” is the name of the emergency coordination company, but they don’t actually do any rescue work, and they don’t cover any rescue costs that I can see. |
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Jaywalker |
ockycamper: "Double checked it and you are correct. I will send an email to Zoleo to find out I was hoping I just missed it. It seems misleading the way they have it written with Global Rescue services being part of the plan. |
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Jaywalker |
Secondly, the policy only works if you have a Garmin device with an active subscription, and that you use the device to initiate a rescue through their emergency response center. If by chance you have cell coverage and call 911, text someone at home who then calls 911, or if you hand signal an overhead plane, you will likely not be covered. In Scotttimm’s frightening situation, I would expect but don’t know for certain) the Garmin insurance and possibly other SAR policies would not cover the cost of the medical helicopter because by the time you got to Lutsen you were no longer in the backcountry. It would certainly be a good idea before buying an SAR policy to check if it covers cost of getting out of backcountry (which in MN we typically do not get charged for anyway) or does it cover costs all the way to medical attention. |
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scotttimm |
If anyone is interested in our full experience, you can read the trip report here. |
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Jaywalker |
ockycamper: "Just heard back from both Zoleo and Global Rescue. Expenses related to transport in a SAR incident are not covered by either one unless a separate policy is purchased….." Can I suggest you go back and edit your first post on this thread so anyone finding this thread in the future not be mislead. Sometimes people don’t read to the bottom. |
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ockycamper |
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ockycamper |
I am on medicare. I also checked with them. They will cover ambulance and air transport from the point of incident to the closest care facility. . . .when medically necessary. That's the key. After all of this I would agree with some of the other posts. In the US the extra insurance is probably not needed for boat/air/ambulance transport in medical emergencies. That said, if it is not a medical emergency everything points to the possiblity of you being charged. i.e.: you lose your canoe and need transport out; you become lost through your own fault/activity; a bear ate all your food and you are several days paddle in. |
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BdubyaCA |
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Jaywalker |
If you don’t have friends who will promptly go in and get it, you will have to hire someone. I’m thinking about the two recent threads showing canoes pinned in rapids near Little Indian Sioux. |