Travel Insurance

[Unregistered]

Planning an EBC trek, does anyone have any reccomendations about travel insurance? How much coverage to get, good companies to use, how much I can expect to pay etc? Thanks in advance.

[yakshaver]

Difficult to recommend companies, as it depends on which country you hail from. Your travel agent should be able to give you options. But you have to understand some of the small print. Most insurance covers emergency medical evacuation (including helicopter evacuation), but you have to convince them you did not to mountain climbing (walking in the Himal is generally ok) or paragliding or bungee jumping etc.
Still you better check by phone with the insurer, and explain you are just walking on established trails.

Also, just because you have insurance it does not mean the Nepali rescue company will not charge you the full fare up front. So you better have enough money in your credit card (about the only way to access 1000-2000 dollars cash quickly in Nepal), to cover the costs. They will not fly up to save you if:
a) you have not paid up front (usually they will accept Credit Card, but cash is obviously also quite ok), or
b) your reputable trekking agency has paid them, and after you land in Pokhara or KTD you pay your trekking agent.
Same with the hospital or other medical bills.

After you return to your home country you claim all the expenses. A medical certificate issued in Nepal (CIWEC is a good place, near Hotel Yak and Yeti off Durbar Marg) saying that you've sprained your groin, or had a mental break down, or suffered from altitude sickenss, or had a big diahorrea, or were bitten by a mad dog, or were ravished by the luscious yeti woman, etc. will go a long way to convince your insurer to pay up.

If you don't have the Credit Card or the Cash, no one will fly up to save you.

I hope this helps.