Mountaineering life insurance

If you have a higher risk hobby such as mountaineering, you may be worried this will affect your ability to get life insurance.

We’ve got an extensive background in finding excellent mountaineers life insurance, as well as rock climbing life insurance, and cover for other alpine sports.

You can find some brilliant mountaineering life insurance policies available, with the right help for an expert advisor. If you need some help or advice to understand what’s available and what’s best then we can help.

In this section (mountaineering life insurance):

Our mountaineering history
How much does mountaineering life insurance cost?
Cheaper life insurance for mountaineers
Why do I need mountaineering life insurance?
Compare the best mountaineering life insurance policies
Does life insurance pay out for mountaineers?
Does critical illness cover pay out for mountaineers?
Life insurance FAQs
Other types of cover for mountaineers
Mountaineering life insurance advice

Rated "Excellent" 5 out of 5

"This company went above & beyond to get me cover even though I have MS, I am very happy I managed to get cover, Amazing staff, Dean went above & beyond, I highly rate this company."

by Elizabeth Turner-Long - 9th August 2023

Our mountaineering history

You should always want to help people that you are closely connected and that’s why we’re keen to help mountaineers. Our Managing Director (Dan Sharpe-Szunko) has a long history in the world of alpine sports.

From the age of 14 and his first part-time job working in one of the most prestigious climbing shops in Britain. Dan spent many years heavily involved in alpine sports, including living for several years in Chamonix.

Through Dan, we understand the risks that come with taking part in alpine sports, such as mountaineering. We are extremely proud of our mountaineering heritage and that we can now help climbers and mountaineers to get the cover they need.

How much does mountaineering life insurance cost?

You can get life cover to suit almost any budget and there is a wide range of options available for mountaineers.

The most important point is to consider how much coverage you need to protect your family and how long you need it for. If you have dependent children or a partner that relies on you financially then make sure that you have enough cover for them.

The main reasons why premiums can be different are:

Your age
Do you smoke
How much cover do you need (£’s)
Length of your policy (years)

There are also a few other things that can have an impact on your mountaineering life insurance application and policy cost, such as:

Which insurer you are applying to
How often do you climb?
What height do you go to?
How severe are your routes?

You can save money on mountaineering life insurance by speaking to an expert and getting specialist advice.

Most standard insurance companies don’t have the knowledge or expertise to get you the best cover for the best price. If you get specialist advice then you should be able to save time and money on your premiums.

Cheaper life insurance for mountaineers

We all love to save money, and with life insurance, it is possible to reduce the cost of cover, especially with hazardous activities like mountaineering.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to reduce your premiums is to speak to an expert and get proper advice. Our expert advice is free and we’ve been helping mountaineers to save money on life cover for over 20 years.

Some insurers simply charge more than others for certain things and especially when it comes to dangerous activities.

Make sure that you disclose accurate information about your mountaineering activities, especially for regular climbing.

Some of the best ways to reduce your life insurance premiums:

Get expert advice from mountaineering experts
Take out cover when you’re young
If you smoke then you can reduce costs if you quit
Get quotes from several insurance providers

Why do I need mountaineering life insurance?

The plain and simple fact is that mountaineering ‘can be’ dangerous as we all know from personal experience, or from close friends or colleagues.

There are many reasons why we can find ourselves in danger when in the mountains and some are completely out of our control. It is always advisable to be prepared for those events that we can’t predict or sometimes control.

You can get life insurance for mountaineers and that cover can be extremely valuable to your loved ones.

Mountaineering activities

Alpine and expedition
Rock climbing
Ice climbing
Bouldering
Ski touring

Compare the best mountaineering life insurance policies

You should consider life insurance very seriously if you take part in any mountaineering or climbing activities, especially if you have a family.

You should consider what you need in terms of cover, when looking for the best life insurance for climbers. There are many great options including:

Level term (family protection)
Decreasing term (mortgage protection)
Whole of life cover
Family income benefit

You can also take out specific policies that might provide cover for you for other potential risks from climbing outdoors, such as:

Critical illness cover
Income protection
Personal accident insurance (including accidental death)
Private medical insurance

If you want to know more about each type of cover then please contact one of our friendly experts for guidance.

Does life insurance pay out for mountaineers?

YES – If you have life insurance and you die either whilst mountaineering, or in normal day-to-day life, then your cover will pay out.

Standard life insurance policies do not come with exclusions so if you a covered by a mainstream insurer, then your policy will pay your claim.

There are some non-standard policies that may not pay out or have exclusions, so you should always check your documents carefully. Mountaineering can often be listed as an excluded activity from specialist policies.

You can get life cover to protect your family to pay for:

Pay off your mortgage(s)
Future rent payments
Loans, credit cards, and other debt
Cost of living
Tax liability (IHT)

Most life insurance policies will cover you for a period of time and at a level of cover that suits your needs or budget.

Mountaineer’s life insurance will make sure that your family is fully protected in case anything happens to you. You should be covered activities including mountaineering and climbing as well as any other risks, such as medical conditions or occupation. This can give you peace of mind to enjoy your hobbies, knowing your family is well protected in the event the worst was to happen.

Does critical illness cover pay out for mountaineers?

YES – You should be able to get a policy to cover against serious illness if you take part in mountaineering activities.

This type of cover is designed to pay out a cash lump sum if you are diagnosed with a critical illness, such as:

Cancer
Heart attack
Multiple Sclerosis
Stroke
Loss of limbs
Paralysis

Most critical illness policies will cover around 50 illnesses, however, there are some policies that cover over 150 conditions. It’s important to check the quality of your contract before you buy it.

Life insurance FAQs

How much cover do I need?

There are a few factors to consider when looking at how much life insurance you will need such as:

– Mortgage amount/Rent
– Outstanding debts
– Dependants (Ages)
– Income Expenditure

Your budget can also affect the amount of cover you want. Our specialists can find a range of policies with different prices and levels of cover to suit your individual needs.

How long should I take out cover for?

You can be covered up until age 90 now for life insurance (this will vary for critical illness cover and income protection). Some things to consider when deciding your policy term include:

– Estimated retirement age
– Age of dependants
– Amount of savings
– Other investments

Our specialist mountaineering life insurance advisors will discuss which options are available and will help you find the most suitable cover term based on your circumstances and priorities.

Other types of cover for mountaineers

There are other types of cover that can be very useful for mountaineers. It is worth considering putting one of these in place as an addition to your life insurance, or as a standalone policy.

Critical illness cover for mountaineers

With a dangerous hobby like mountaineering, there can be increased risk of injury or illness.

Critical illness cover will provide a tax-free lump sum if diagnosed with a serious medical issue during the policy term.

Risks associated with mountaineering include:

Serious fractures
Paralysis
Brain damage (caused by oxygen deprivation at high altitudes)
Tetanus or sepsis (caused by frostbite)
Hypothermia

Some of the other main serious illnesses that are generally covered include:

There are 36 main critical illnesses that will be covered by most insurers. Some more comprehensive policies will cover up to as many as 175 conditions.

Find out more about CRITICAL ILLNESS COVER.

Mountaineering income protection

If you were involved in a serious accident when mountaineering, this could leave you unable to work for an extended time – causing serious financial difficulties.

Income protection insurance will pay out a tax-free sum every month to cover 50%-70% of your usual pre-tax income.

Some providers may place exclusions on dangerous activities such as mountaineering, so it is worth checking your policy terms carefully. Even if one insurer would place on exclusion on your hobby, it doesn’t mean they all will. Comparison can be key to getting the right cover in place, and our experts can help with this.

Some of the main options available for income protection are:

Term of cover (Years/To Age)
Benefit payment (£’s per month)
Deferred period (1, 2, 3, 6 or 12 months)
Short term or long term cover

Our income protection insurance experts will be able to compare policies across the market to find you the right cover at the best possible price.

Find out more about INCOME PROTECTION INSURANCE.

Mountaineering life insurance advice

If you need advice about which life insurance policies and providers are best for mountaineering life insurance, our specialists are here to help. We have years of expertise in finding life insurance for rock climbers, mountaineers and other high risk hobbies and extreme sports.

We’re extremely proud to be voted 5.0 out of 5.0 stars by our customers for the excellent service that we provide. Our team of highly skilled and super friendly experts has helped to protect thousands of customers and their families.