Rescue/evacuation and hospitalization hiking insurance is mandatory for all our hiking and walking trips. Rescue insurance covers the costs of helicopter evacuation in the Alps.
Medical insurance kicks in when you arrive at the advance medical facility. You may want to opt in for Repatriation Insurance as well, which covers your flight by MediVac back to your home country.
When spending in excess of $3500 for a guided group tour or a self-guided tour, travel insurance for a few hundred dollars more is really not that much to add to the total bill. Whether you suffer from a medical condition during our trip or injure yourself, knowing that you are covered is a huge relief.
There are several options if you are only looking for this specialized insurance:
- Many credit card companies include your insurance if your trip is purchased with their card.
Please check with the card company BEFORE you depart on a trip. - Some companies offer this type of insurance for employees, although in many cases you would have to pay in advance, then ask for reimbursement.
- If you are hiking in Switzerland, we recommend you take out evacuation insurance with Air Glacier, one of the companies that actually does rescues in the Valais Canton of Switzerland.
- If you need help with this, or would like us to get the insurance on your behalf, please let us know.
Although only the above insurance is mandatory on our trips, we do recommend taking out Trip Cancellation Insurance, which often includes accident and evacuation coverage.
A very affordable option is Travelguard. They offer several options: medical insurance, medevac insurance, or a full trip & cancellation insurance.
If you are looking for more comprehensive accident and evacuation insurance, Global Rescue is the company we recommend, especially if you are planning a trip to the Himalayas or South America. They offer “extractions” from countries which are less stable politically and are susceptible to natural disasters.
