Protection from the Unknown: A Deep Dive into Search and Rescue Insurance

It is 8pm, the setting sun has just finished gracing you with its last rays of light. You cannot remember how many hours it has been since you last saw the trail. Packing a jacket did not seem that important as it was only supposed to be a 3-hour hike, but as the temperature begins to plummet, you wish you did. You begin to contemplate pressing that SOS button on your personal locator beacon (PLB), but you have heard how expensive a rescue can be. If you had only purchased that search and rescue (SAR) insurance the beacon manufacture suggested. The cold bites deep as the hours tick by, no light, no food, no water. Financials be damned and you hit the SOS button on that PLB and dread what this is going to cost… or will it?

The vast expanse of natural landscapes and the beauty of untouched terrain coexist with the potential for unexpected peril. The need for SAR insurance emerges as a crucial consideration for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. This article aims to provide an overview of the cost of SAR and SAR insurance. Exploring its purpose, coverage options, cost considerations, and the decision-making process for those venturing into remote or hazardous environments.

Who Pays for SAR?

When a call to 911 is made, or the SOS button is pressed on that PLB, what happens? Who does it go to and who covers the costs associated with search and rescue? The quick answer is “it depends”. In the United States most search and rescue costs are covered by our state and local taxes. It would be quite rare that a person would ever receive a bill for requesting help in most areas. Occasionally the concept of charging for SAR will creep into the heads of politicians but is quickly shut down by the organizations that conduct the actual operations.

The position that is held by almost all search and rescue organizations in the United States is that we would never want a subject to weigh the cost of a rescue when becoming lost or injured. For example, if a house is on fire, we never question calling the fire department as that is covered by our taxes. On the flipside, if you slice open your finger showing a friend your knife collection, you may or may not call 911. That ambulance ride to the hospital is going to be expensive when your friend can just take you to the emergency room. It is also the most common way that calling for a rescue may cost you money. This can be common in some national parks, remote wilderness, or small counties without a lot of funding.

Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit - Riverside County, CA

Medical Emergencies

While almost all SAR costs are covered by our taxes, if a private helicopter, air ambulance, life flight, ambulance or other private organization is used, that portion of the rescue may have quite a large bill. In the US these occurrences are rare as most SAR functions are performed by government agencies. However, if one of these private organizations was to be used in a rescue, SAR insurance would assist in covering the costs of this private agency. If one happens to be engaged in recreational activities outside of the US, however, costs can quickly be quite expensive the more remote you get as the large social safety net we enjoy in the US may not be established in the country you’re adventuring in.

SAR Air Ambulance - Compliments of Brookings

Do I Need SAR Insurance?

Search and rescue insurance is a specialized form of insurance that is designed to help cover expenses when a call for help is made. SAR insurance is offered by many outdoor organizations and by PLB manufacturers. This insurance will, at the very least, offer the outdoor enthusiast some piece of mind that they are covered if they end up having an unbelievably difficult day out in the wilderness.

Search and rescue insurance policies vary in terms of coverage options, limits, and exclusions. Some key considerations when evaluating SAR insurance include:

Policies may differ in the scenarios they cover, including medical evacuations and the extremely specific type of activities in which one is engaged. It is essential to understand the specific coverage offered and any limitations that may apply. Take the time to review all the fine print.  As they say, the devil is in the details. Make sure that if you are going to be spending that hard earned cash on insurance, it is covering what you think it will be covering.

“Many SAR insurance policies that are offered by PLB manufacturers only go into effect if you use their device to call for a rescue.”

Reading the Fine Print

SAR insurance may have restrictions on the locations covered. Individuals should ensure that their policy extends to the regions where they plan to travel and explore. Like any insurance policy, SAR insurance may have coverage limits and deductibles that affect the extent of financial protection provided. Life Flight and Reach are extremely expensive if called upon, and the insurance may or may not be enough to cover it.

Many SAR insurance providers will not insure “High Risk” activities such as base jumping, free soloing, and climbing >5,000m peaks. Individuals should consider the affordability of premiums relative to the potential benefits and coverage provided. While SAR insurance may represent an additional expense, it can offer financial protection against the potentially significant costs of emergency response efforts in remote or challenging environments, especially if outside of the United States. Some will offer an increase of premium if engaged in these “High Risk” activities, again, check the fine print.

Each individual county or national park has a set number of resources that they can call upon for a rescue. If knowledge of what the county has is available, it may assist in determining if SAR insurance is the correct choice. It is important to note that many SAR insurance policies that are offered by PLB manufacturers only go into effect if you use their device to call for a rescue. Owning the device and having the insurance is great, but if you call 911 for rescue and do not press the SOS button, the insurance provider may not cover the rescue.

Below are two real life scenarios. Both required helicopter evacuations of the subject, but the costs to the those rescued were dramatically different.

First: A friend of mine was climbing Mt. Baldy bowl in Los Angeles, when they got into a position where they could no longer go up and no longer go down due to the steepness of the terrain. They quickly realized that if they tried to move, they could become another one of the many lives that this mountain has claimed. They made the decision to call for rescue and to not move from that location. A county helicopter came in and made a quick pick off, a short rescue maneuver involving a helicopter hoist. This enabled all to go home to their families that night. There was no cost associated with this rescue to the subjects.

Second: A solo backpacker was in a remote area of a small county when they started having chest pain. After much deliberation they decided to hit that SOS button on their PLB, knowing they had insurance and would hopefully cover some, if not all the costs associated with the rescue. This county doesn’t have a government helicopter and emergency services used a private advanced life support (ALS) air ambulance to land near this subject and provided them with the same level of care as you would receive from a paramedic on an ambulance. This ended up costing the subject almost $60,000 for the evacuation. The SAR insurance that was purchased covered $50,000 of this cost and the subject was quite glad that they had it.

Conclusion

SAR insurance can play a valuable role in mitigating the financial risks associated with emergency response efforts in remote areas of the wilderness. By providing coverage for medical evacuations, SAR insurance can offer peace of mind to adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts. Before purchasing insurance, it is important to remember that most calls for help will be serviced by the local county that covers that area. This county will typically not charge anything for this rescue if using government resources such as helicopters and all volunteer search and rescue teams. With proper planning and preparation, adventurers can navigate the wilderness with greater peace of mind, knowing that SAR services are there to lend a helping hand when needed most.