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ACA Climbing Insurance Survey – Please Help


MartinR

10-Apr-2006
9:48:42 AM

One of the aims of the ACA (http://www.climb.org.au) is to provide climbing insurance for overseas travel. As you would imagine Insurance companies are not really that keen to provide this type of insurance. So the ACA is currently trying to convince them (I got that job, somehow!!).

For this I need the help of the climbing community to provide information on the design of such a policy. So we have created a very short survey of 11 questions which takes about 1 minute to complete (maybe 2 if you are an aid climber!). See link below:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=824031994751

Completing the survey will help design the policy, but more importantly will show that there are climbers interested in such a policy. We would need 100’s of climbers to make it possible. So PLEASE fill in the survey if you are ever likely to climb O/S.

Searching the existing topics on Climbing Insurance shows, that old links no longer exist, companies don’t offer climbing insurance or only provide insurance to local residents (few in the UK), etc. The only policies that I have found that may be options for Australian climbers are:
1). Austrian Alpine Club http://www.aacuk.org.uk, offers climbing insurance for members of the club.
2). IHI out of Denmark, http://www.ihi.com. Recommended by Eric Krista from Australian Section of NZAC.

I would value feedback from any climbers who have used these or any other insurance policies in the recent past.

Martin
ACA, Insurance Monkey


brat

10-Apr-2006
1:34:57 PM

I've filled it in, bloody thing took me off this site and I had to log back in, normally my cookies do that?

BTW great initiative, I've always been suss as to whether the insurance I've bought would actually pay up when it came to the crunch (pun intended).


MartinR

10-Apr-2006
2:10:18 PM

Thanks Chris, the more feedback the better chance I have of getting this off the ground.

Don't know why it should log you out, works OK for me.

Yes it is always a worry if they are going to pay when the time come's, expecially when you have purchased Insurance from some company in UK over the internet. Nice to know they would have an office In OZ you can at least turn up and get a response.

Cheers,
Martin

Onsight

10-Apr-2006
3:05:07 PM

Great work Martin. Awesome to see this initiative from the ACA, it would be such a good thing to have available…

Regarding the questions, I guess we won't all fit neatly into categories, but... In question 5, if someone goes overseas say twice a year and climbs for like 30+ days each trip, which box do they tick – “every month”? And in question 6, by "free" climbing do you mean that to cover trad? Cause like sport is free climbing as well... You might want to add “Big Wall” in there as well if you want to get an idea of what ppl do.

MichaelOR

10-Apr-2006
3:34:25 PM

Hi Martin,
I used IHI early last year when I was going OS and planned to climb for only some of the time.
IHI Denmark, http://www.ihi.com
Unfortunately I got a chronic wrist injury, so didn't need the climbing insurance. They refunded my premium (promptly as well) less a smallish administration fee. That was about $25 I think.

They were very professional in all their dealings and assisted me in deciding the cheapest way of organising my insurance. At the time they were the only company that would insure me to climb - that I could find. The exclusion clauses and fine print with some companies were exhaustive and ridiculous. The IHI premium for what they were offering was very resonable.
I'd certainly use them again.
Michael
Michael


MartinR

10-Apr-2006
3:43:07 PM

I think you fit into a category all yourself Simon! I would put down every month for how often. Yes assume Free climbing is trad and you can put big wall under other for Q6.

We want to keep the survey quick and simple, mainly to get ideas of how often you would need a policy, what features you need and likely numbers. I feel most important at this time is to get lots of responses or this won't get off the ground.

Thanks for the feedback.


Chuck Norris

10-Apr-2006
3:48:30 PM

Great stuff - I just filled out the survey and had probs submitting the form. I *think* it worked, but i'm not
sure. It'd be worth checking out if it did submit (signed Stuart Williams) as it would be a pity if you got
you're 100's of responses and they all got lost in the ether.
cheeers
stu


MartinR

10-Apr-2006
4:50:14 PM

If you are not sure if it submitted correctly, then click on the link again and it should show your answers rather than an empty survey.
Cheers Martin


Chuck Norris

10-Apr-2006
7:25:07 PM

Still seems to do funny things...but i'll take your word for it. Given the need as you say for hundreds of
interested people, have you thought about coordinating with a group such as the BMC and using the
same underwriters - they'd probably be happy for extra people to pool their risks ??? I'm pretty sure
Lloyds of london underwrite the BMC policy.


brat

10-Apr-2006
8:21:55 PM

You may want to post on qurank.com as well, queenslanders travel! :)


MartinR

11-Apr-2006
9:16:38 AM

Hi Michael, Thanks for the feedback on IHI. If all efforts fail to get local insurance then this may be the best option and the one we would recommend. Cheers Martin


MartinR

11-Apr-2006
9:24:56 AM

>>>>>have you thought about coordinating with a group such as the BMC and using the
same underwriters - they'd probably be happy for extra people to pool their risks ??? I'm pretty sure
Lloyds of london underwrite the BMC policy. <<<<

If we fail to get local insurance company then this would be the next option. I would look into getting affiliated with the BMC if that would provide a solution.

>>>>You may want to post on qurank.com as well, queenslanders travel! :) <<<<

OK I will post to qurank, but I thought Queenslanders did not want to leave "gods own country" :-). Also if you know any other climbers who are unlikely to see these forums this week, please email them the first message. Feel free to copy posting to any other climbing forms.

Cheers, Martin
.


brat

11-Apr-2006
10:17:42 AM

Just posted to Qurank, not a member of any other Aussie Climbing Forums!


Eduardo Slabofvic

11-Apr-2006
12:43:37 PM

I am a member of the Austrian Alpine Club, but have never had cause to use the benefits of the insurance (and hope to keep it that way). The added benefit of this approach is that you get discount in most of the huts in Switzerland, France, Italy, as well as Austria (don’t know about any other Countries as I haven’t been there). This discount has covered the cost of the membership, so in a way the rescue insurance is a bonus.

gemmaw

12-Apr-2006
10:06:03 AM

This is good! I have filled it out too.

I guess it will be sometime coming if it actually happens at all. I will be needing to get insurance for a trip in the next few months, in fact it is compulsory for climbing where we are going (you have to be covered for search and rescue), so I might have to check out the IHI in the meantime.

Gemma


MartinR

13-Apr-2006
8:39:32 AM

>>>>I am a member of the Austrian Alpine Club, but have never had cause to use the benefits of the insurance (and hope to keep it that way).<<<

Thanks for feedback on Austrian Alpine Club. This may be good alternative if we cannot get local insurance off the ground.

Cheers, Martin

Wendy

13-Apr-2006
11:00:34 AM

AAC have this annoying problem - they only cover you for 6 weeks away from country of residence. Which isn't anywhere near long enough! I'm busy trying to find an alternative to cover a long trip now.


Romfrantic

13-Apr-2006
11:09:36 AM

We've had several cases of NZAC Aust Section members (as well as others) taking up travel/climbing insurance with IHI for places like the Himalayas (including Everest!), Antarctica and South America - so far, I've heard they're really good when dealing with your questions and concerns....have not heard any bad stories relating to claims (if ever made), but I guess we would've heard those by now if that was the case.


MartinR

18-Apr-2006
8:46:03 AM

>>>>>AAC have this annoying problem - they only cover you for 6 weeks away from country of residence. Which isn't anywhere near long enough! I'm busy trying to find an alternative to cover a long trip now. <<<<

Thanks for the feedback on AAC Wendy. I agree with Romfrantic with the IHI policy as it is the only policy that I have found so far that is viable for Australian climbers.


MartinR

28-Apr-2006
6:02:51 PM

Thanks to everone who responded to the survey. We had over 250 replies and that is enought for the Insurance guys to have a look at the options.

Will keep you up to date with the progress on this.

Cheers,

Martin

For your interest the results were:

Q1) Where are you from?
Australia (94.8%), Germany (0.7%), Italy (0.4%) NZ (1.1%), USA (1.1%), UK (1.1%), Other (0.4%)
Q2) How old are you?
<18 (0.7%), 18-24 (12.6%), 25-34 (45.7%), 35-44 (27.5%), 45-60 (12.6%), 60+ (0.7%)
Q3) How long climbing?
< 1 year (1.5%), 1-3 y (11.5%), 3-5 y (20.1%), 5-10 y (26.4%), 10-20 (27.9%), 20+ (12.6%)
Q4) What is the top grade you climb?
10-16 (7.4%), 17-20 (29.7%), 21-25 (45.4%), 25-30 (15.6%), 30+ (1.9%)
Q5) How often do you climb?
Monthly 4-6 times year 2-3 times a year once a year, every few years, never
OZ 78% 14% 5% 1% 1% 0%
OS 1% 2% 9% 28% 46% 14%
Q6) What sort of climbing do you do?
Sport 81%
Free 72.5%
Aid 17.1%
Soloing 7.8%
Treking 49.4%
Mountaineering 41.6%
Other 20.8%
Q7 Rate what you would like to see in a climbing insurace product?
unecessary OK Important Very important Essential
Medical 0% 1% 8% 16% 75%
Evacuation 1% 1% 8% 19% 71%
Death 13% 27% 26% 17% 18%
Dental 27% 44% 15% 9% 6%
Liability 10% 25% 27% 19% 18%
Gear 9% 22% 37% 21% 10%

Q8) Do you belong to a climbing Club?
Yes (63.6%) No (31.2%), Other (5.2%)
Q9) Have you ever bought climbing insurance before?
Yes (5.6%), No (70.6%), If yes who (23.8%)
Q10) Suggestions:
Lots of interesting suggestions. Thanks for your feedback.
Q11) What is your name?
everyone answered this one differently, there was no consistency :-).

There are 21 messages in this topic.