Thanks again to Becky Harrison at AdventurousTrekker for her advice on arranging for travel and evacuation insurance on a trek. Of course she mentioned the protection offered through the American Alpine Club, as well as comprehensive policies through other insurance agencies. Just to follow up on my previous post about insurance, CSA Travel Protection was a catastrophic No-Go because they exclude hiking outright (there’s a very proud bean counter out there somewhere). Third Eye Travel gave a huge endorsement for Access America with a big ad on their main page. Third Eye assured me that their coverage is comprehensive, and under their Access America Classic Comprehensive plan I would be covered for cancellation, medical, emergency evacutaion, baggage, and a live sympathy hotline if I’m feeling grumpy during the trip, all for about US $75 (as I was quoted). That’s so much cheaper and more comprehensive than the AAC policy that it starts to sound too good to be true. I just talked to Doug from AAC, who is dubious about the extent of the coverage from Access America, and he’s right. Access America expressly excludes mountain hiking about 6,000 feet. Yes, FEET, not meters! That’s what the call center representattive told me, and I asked her to double-check that. Um, I live at 6,000 feet elevation, so I guess if I walk out my front door I won’t be protected.

The irony about Becky is that she says she doesn’t even worry about medical insurance while she’s in Nepal. She believes that medical services in Kathmandu are so cheap that she can cover it out of pocket. She bought a satellite phone instead, which has more immediate utility to her. That’s the thing about insurance is you pay a lot of money for it but you never want to use it – like that exercise equipment in the basement. She’s more concerned about covering insurance and safety equipment for her crew: the Sherpa guides and porters. Fortunately safeguarding the hired staff is a requirement rather than a thoughtful consideration. Becky points out that porters don’t always get the cold weather equipment or medical treatment they need, and fair compensation doesn’t always make it down to them. Porters’ Progress advocates the welfare of the Sherpa crews and takes donations of cash and old equipment. Those porters can get cold and suffer from altitude sickness too!