Rock climbing travel insurance
Rock climbing can be an exhilarating holiday activity. However, it’s important to make sure you’re prepared and covered before you set off. Read our guide on what to look for with rock climbing travel insurance.
Rock climbing can be an exhilarating holiday activity. However, it’s important to make sure you’re prepared and covered before you set off. Read our guide on what to look for with rock climbing travel insurance.
Why do I need travel insurance for rock climbing?
As with any adventure sport activity, rock climbing has potential risks, so getting travel insurance for climbers is vital. Having cover means you have financial protection against medical expenses in case you suffer a serious injury while climbing. The cost of medical care can be very expensive abroad, so this is important for high-risk climbing activities.
You’ll also be covered against theft, which is important if you’re taking expensive climbing equipment. If your belongings are stolen, you’ll need to report this to the police to help you make a successful claim on your insurance.
It’s important to check your policy’s single item limit – this is the most you can claim for any one item that’s lost or stolen. If you have something valued at more than this limit, you may be able to pay an additional premium to get it covered, or you can see if a gadget insurance policy will cover you overseas.
It’s a good idea to get a travel insurance policy when you book your holiday, so you can claim back the cost if you need to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances. Cancellation cover could also include curtailment, if you’re forced to cut your holiday short. For example, you suffer a medical emergency and require repatriation to the UK.
Always make sure you’re aware of what’s included in a policy, along with any exclusions, before you buy.
What type of climbing travel insurance will I need?
If you’re going rock climbing outside as part of your trip, you’ll probably need to consider additional travel insurance cover. Many providers will offer extra cover for what they call ‘hazardous’ or extreme activities.
Travel insurance providers often group sports and outdoors activities into ‘packs’ depending on the level of risk involved.
Once you’ve given us details about yourself and your trip, we’ll show you a list of policies with documents you can download. You should then check if rock climbing is covered, and if there are any exclusions, restrictions or conditions, such as not climbing above a certain altitude (see below). Each policy will be different, so make sure you check what’s offered before you buy.
You should also be looking for cover for damage or loss of your accessories, such as your helmet, harness or camera equipment. It may also cover emergency rescue in case you fall and get injured when climbing in a remote location.
Check your policy for personal liability cover, in case you injure someone while climbing and they make a claim against you for compensation.
What do I need to consider before rock climbing abroad?
If a provider offers cover for rock climbing, it might come with limitations. For example, it may only cover indoor climbing or climbing up to 14,000 feet. This is because indoor climbing is in a controlled environment and considered to have less risk. There are extra dangers at higher altitude associated with weather conditions and oxygen levels.
If you’re climbing outdoors, you’ll need to let your provider know what type of climbing you’ll be doing, such as traditional climbing, big wall climbing, via ferrata, sport climbing or bouldering. The level of risk involved can affect the level of cover you can get and/or the price of your policy.
It’s important to stay safe while climbing by taking the necessary safety precautions. Failing to do so could invalidate your policy. These include:
- Wearing a climbing helmet
- Using a harness
- Using suitable ropes
- Using safety anchors
- Checking knots and harnesses are secure before you climb.
If your plans change during your trip and you decide to undertake a more hazardous form of climbing than originally planned, contact your provider to see if you can amend your level of cover.
Customers with pre-existing medical conditions
If you have a serious health condition, your travel insurance is likely to be more expensive. Whatever happens, always declare any medical conditions and never lie to an insurance provider, because this could mean your claim is rejected. When you declare any medical conditions on our website, we’ll only show you quotes from insurance providers who will cover them, with no exclusions.
If your condition is more serious, MoneyHelper has a directory of insurance providers who may be able to provide quotes over the phone. You can call MoneyHelper on 0800 138 7777.
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Simply tell us what you need, and we’ll compare travel insurance deals that ensure you get the right level of cover before your trip.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need specialist rock climbing insurance for mountaineering and trekking?
You’ll often need to find a specialist policy to cover you for more extreme activities in the mountains, such as trekking at high altitudes, ice climbing, multi-day climbs and alpine mountaineering, because of the risks involved.
It’s important to read the terms of any policy carefully to make sure you’ll be covered for the activities you have planned for your adventure. And speak to your provider if you need to add on extra cover or clarify any details.
Will my EHIC/GHIC card cover me for climbing injuries in Europe?
A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) card is great to have when travelling in Europe, but it’s not a replacement for decent travel insurance.
Your EHIC/GHIC will cover you for treatment in a state-run healthcare facility in the EU on the same basis as a resident, but that doesn’t mean treatment will be free or easily accessible.
Travel insurance will allow you to access private healthcare and a good rock-climbing holiday insurance policy could also cover vital emergency rescue.
Will rock climbing travel insurance cover me for mountain rescue?
It depends on your policy but it’s unlikely that standard travel insurance will cover you for emergency mountain rescue or search and rescue. If you’re planning a rock climbing trip in the mountains, you may need to arrange specialist cover.
If you’ll be doing any climbing in remote locations without phone service, remember to take a satellite communication device with you so you can contact the emergency services. You should also leave details of where you’ll be with a responsible family member or friend.
Can I get cover for solo or free climbing?
It can be extremely difficult to find an insurance policy that will cover you for solo free climbing because of the extreme level of risk involved.
Even specialist policies will normally exclude it. Unless you’re free-soloist Alex Honnold, rock climbing without the proper safety equipment is highly dangerous and absolutely not recommended.
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