Insurance for Climbers

[mitchmister]

Hi there im needing to find out if any one can help me out. I had applied for life insurance and disability insurance with Liberty Insurance but when i told them i do climbing they made me fill out a climbing questioner and when i submitted it. I was denied cover due to the fact that i climb. Has any one else had the same problem?

And can some one maby help me with finding out what insurance company will cover climbing.

Thanks.

[Straightplumb]

Hey Mitch,

I had the same problem with Liberty, so I ditched them, swithched to discovery and presto covered.
Had to fill in the form, full disclosure and the only thing I'm not covered for is free climbing, in order for cover to apply, I have to have gear and always climb with a partner.

[robertbreyer]

make sure you post this "i switched to Discovery" on the Liberty and Discovery facebook pages. The internet is a powerful thing, and voting with our wallets can go a long way.

[Turtle]

But what does ''free climbing'' mean in this instance? Solo? Because to climb a route from the bottom up without falling, using ropes, qds, trad gear etc, is also free climbing...

[brianweaver]

I just switched to Discovery for both Life Insurance and for Medical Aid; both instances I declared I was a rock climber and that I climbed A LOT. They didn't add anything to my life cover in terms of extra costs, nor exclude injuries from climbing on my medical aid. I did specifically ask about it and declared the fact that I have no intention to stop climbing.

Hassle free.

[Warren G]

I'm with Liberty having declared myself a climber. wasn't a problem.

[Old Smelly]

Must say that I also left Liberty for Discovery for the exact same reason. Most likely if your Liberty broker said it wasn't a problem they just excluded you and carried on - it is best if you actually address the issue. For many years I just told my climbing buddies to say I was hiking if anything went wrong but seriously these insurance people are all crooks - any excuse to not pay out after you have been paying them for 20 years -so don't just let it pass.

Frankly Discovery weren't brilliant. I don't know who put the questionairre together but these guys all think it's safer to solo then use ropes - so I challenged their questionairre and instead of an answer I was told I had full cover.

In my books insurers are much worse then lawyers. I suspect they can swim in the sea without sharks eating them because it would leave such a bad taste in their mouths...