Mountain Climbing: Is Your Life Insurance At Risk?

Life insurance for mountaineers is often available but can be expensive. While mountaineering is considered a dangerous activity by many insurers, the price of your life cover might be cheaper than you’d imagine, especially if you are generally healthy.

Insurers will want to know more about rock climbing, free climbing, and any other ‘high-risk’ hobbies or extreme sports. You will also be asked general questions about your health and lifestyle, which helps the insurer to work out how much your policy will cost.

When applying for life insurance, it is important to be honest about your climbing activities. Lying on your application may result in your beneficiaries being denied the payout.

Life insurance for mountaineers: what's covered?

Mountaineering is often considered a 'dangerous' activity by insurance companies, which means that they will sometimes increase the price of your life cover due to the higher risk of you needing to claim. However, it is still possible to find affordable life insurance as a mountaineer.

Life insurance for mountaineers is often available and can be reasonably priced if you speak to the right insurance companies. While mountaineering is considered ‘dangerous’ by many insurers, the price of your life cover might be cheaper than you’d imagine, especially if you are generally healthy.

Not all life insurance companies will be the right fit for people who enjoy mountain climbing, and you should research all your options and compare quotes to find the fairest price. The right insurer for you will also be based on things like your age and medical history, so this needs to be considered as well.

If you died whilst mountaineering or at any other time, your life insurance policy should pay out a cash lump sum to your family. Standard life insurance doesn’t come with exclusions, so it’s unlikely that your policy won’t pay out for an activity like mountaineering.

There are certain non-standard policies (e.g. guaranteed life insurance) that can include exclusions for certain conditions or activities. Mountaineering might be listed as an ‘excluded’ activity within these policies, and you should check your policy documents to make sure that you are covered.

Note: Your life insurance is based on your health and lifestyle at the time when you apply for your cover. If you start mountaineering later in your life, this should be covered automatically if you have a standard life insurance policy.

If you buy a standard life insurance policy, your cover won’t be different based on hobbies such as mountaineering. You can choose how much cover you need (£s) and how long you would like to be covered for (policy term).

The main thing that could be affected is the price of your life insurance policy. Mountaineering is often viewed as ‘dangerous’ by life insurance companies, which means that they will sometimes increase the price due to the higher risk of you needing to claim.

This is why it’s key to apply to the right insurers, as some insurance companies will offer much lower prices than others.

Certain life insurance companies will be much more suitable for people who enjoy mountain climbing, as others will charge higher prices based on your lifestyle. If you have any pre-existing conditions as well, this will also affect how much your life insurance policy costs.

It is possible to find affordable life insurance for mountaineers, and there will usually be a range of insurers to choose from.

No one wants to pay more than they need to for their life insurance, and there are a few easy ways to save money on life insurance for mountaineers. Our main suggestions to save money on your cover are:

• Take out cover while you are young: Younger applicants will generally pay less for their life insurance, so it’s best to buy your cover as early in life as possible.
• Quit smoking or drinking: Smokers and people who drink excessively will pay more for their life insurance policies. Quitting smoking or cutting back on drinking alcohol can lead to a significant saving on your monthly life insurance premiums.
• Compare multiple quotes: This is the best way to save money, as some insurers will offer much lower prices for the same level of cover. An experienced life insurance expert can help you to compare quotes if you’re not sure where to start.

Life insurance for mountaineers: how much does it cost?

Mountaineering is often viewed as a dangerous activity by insurance companies, and life insurance premiums can be higher for those who climb mountains. However, mountaineers can usually get life insurance with most major providers. The cost of life insurance for mountaineers will depend on several factors, including age, health, and the specifics of their climbing activities.

Types of Life Insurance for Mountaineers

Standard life insurance policies will typically cover mountaineering, but some non-standard policies, such as guaranteed life insurance, may exclude claims related to dangerous activities. Term life insurance is a popular choice for mountaineers, but other types of life insurance are also available. Critical illness cover is another useful policy, as it will provide financial support if a climber is diagnosed with a serious condition, whether related to climbing or not.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Life Insurance for Mountaineers

When applying for life insurance, mountaineers will likely be asked questions about their climbing activities, including the type of climbing they do, the altitude they climb to, how often they climb, and whether they climb alone or in a group. Other factors that can affect the cost of life insurance include age, smoking status, and pre-existing medical conditions.

Cost Examples

The cost of life insurance for mountaineers can vary significantly depending on individual circumstances. For example, Mr I., a non-smoker born in 1981 who climbs mountains in Europe to heights of less than 4,000 meters, obtained a £200,000 level-term life insurance policy to protect his family over 35 years for £21.56 per month. In contrast, another climber was quoted $200+/month for a $500,000 30-year term life insurance policy that covered climbing, while a policy that excluded death while climbing cost only $60/month.

Life insurance for mountaineers: how to get cheaper cover

Mountaineering is often viewed as a dangerous activity by insurance companies, which means that they will sometimes increase the price of your life cover due to the higher risk of you needing to claim. However, it is still possible to find affordable life insurance as a mountaineer, and there will usually be a range of insurers to choose from. The key is to find the right insurer, as certain insurance companies will be more comfortable with ‘dangerous’ hobbies like mountaineering.

Take out cover while you are young

Younger applicants will generally pay less for their life insurance, so it’s best to buy your cover as early in life as possible.

Quit smoking or drinking

Smokers and people who drink excessively will pay more for their life insurance policies. Quitting smoking or cutting back on drinking alcohol can lead to a significant saving on your monthly life insurance premiums.

Compare multiple quotes

This is one of the best ways to save money, as some insurers will offer much lower prices for the same level of cover. An experienced life insurance expert can help you to compare quotes if you’re not sure where to start.

Answer underwriting questions carefully

Life insurance carriers need to analyse risk in order to provide life insurance protection, so they will ask you a series of questions about your climbing habits. The specific circumstances of your climbing habits will make a big difference in how much your life insurance premiums will cost. For example, climbing without the need for hands or special equipment is considered minimal risk, whereas steep free climbing using special equipment is considered the highest risk. Other factors that will affect your premium include the altitude you climb to, how often you climb, whether you climb alone or in a group, and whether you hold any climbing qualifications.

Consider a separate climbing policy

For serious climbers, it is sometimes recommended that you purchase a separate policy that covers climbing. This is because adding climbing onto a traditional life insurance policy can make the coverage cost-prohibitive. You can also consider an accidental death and dismemberment policy (AD&D) that will cover your climbing activities.

Critical illness cover for mountaineers

Critical illness cover is a type of insurance that pays out a lump sum if you are diagnosed with a serious condition. This can be something related to climbing, such as a serious injury, or something unrelated, like cancer. Mountaineering at high altitudes can increase the risk of serious injuries, so critical illness cover can provide peace of mind for mountaineers.

When applying for critical illness cover, mountaineers will need to answer questions about their climbing activities. These questions will help insurance providers analyse the risk and determine the cost of premiums. Some of the questions that may be asked include:

• What type of climbing do you do?
• What altitude do you climb to?
• How often do you climb?
• Do you have any climbing licenses or qualifications?
• Are you a recreational or professional climber?
• Do you climb alone or in a group?
• Do you hold any memberships with climbing organisations?

The cost of critical illness cover for mountaineers will depend on various factors, including the altitude climbed, the frequency of climbing, and the type of climbing. It is recommended that mountaineers compare quotes from multiple insurance companies, as prices can vary significantly. Some insurance providers may charge higher premiums for mountaineers, while others specialise in providing cover for high-risk activities and can offer more competitive rates.

In addition to critical illness cover, there are other types of insurance that mountaineers may want to consider, such as life insurance, income protection insurance, and private medical insurance. Life insurance provides financial protection for your loved ones in the event of your death, while income protection insurance replaces lost income if you are unable to work due to illness or injury. Private medical insurance allows you to access medical advice and treatment quickly.

When choosing an insurance provider, it is important to ensure that they have expertise in covering extreme sports and hazardous hobbies like mountaineering. It is also advisable to read reviews and seek recommendations from fellow mountaineers to find a reputable company that offers competitive rates and provides excellent customer service.

Does life insurance pay out for mountaineers?

Life insurance for mountaineers is often available and can be reasonably priced if you speak to the right insurance companies. Mountaineering is considered a 'dangerous' activity by many insurers, so you may have to pay a higher premium. However, the price of your life cover might be cheaper than you’d imagine, especially if you are generally healthy.

Standard life insurance policies won’t include exclusions for activities like mountaineering, so it’s unlikely that your policy won’t pay out for an activity like mountaineering. There are certain non-standard policies (e.g. guaranteed life insurance) that can include exclusions for certain conditions or activities. Mountaineering might be listed as an ‘excluded’ activity within these policies, and you should check your policy documents to make sure that you are covered.

Certain life insurance companies will be much more suitable for people who enjoy mountain climbing, as others will charge higher prices based on your lifestyle. If you have any pre-existing conditions as well, this will also affect how much your life insurance policy costs. It is possible to find affordable life insurance for mountaineers, and there will usually be a range of insurers to choose from.

When you apply for life insurance, you are likely to be asked a few additional questions about climbing activities and any other ‘high-risk’ hobbies or extreme sports. You will also be asked general questions about your health and lifestyle, which helps the insurer to work out how much your policy will cost.

Key factors for mountaineering life insurance include:

• How often do you climb mountains?
• What height do you climb to? (higher or lower than 4,000 metres)
• Do you take part in other high-risk activities?
• What is your occupation?
• Do you have any pre-existing medical conditions?

It is also important to be honest about your mountaineering activities when applying for life insurance. If you are dishonest and die while mountaineering, your family will get nothing.

Frequently asked questions