Do I Need SAR Insurance? Rescue Cost Coverage

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• Rescue Costs
• Payment Options
• Overwatch x Rescue

Your satellite communicator can call for a rescue, but it doesn’t pay for one. Most rescues are free, but that’s not always the case.

Rescue Costs

Once you’ve asked for an evacuation, the rescue team will evaluate the situation and determine the best response. It could mean a ground team comes in and walks you out in a bucket, it could involve you self-evacuating to a meeting point, or could involve a helicopter rescue. If it does involve an aircraft, there can be a cost. The important thing to remember is that you don’t choose the response.

• The rescue itself is usually free. Almost all search and rescue in the US is done by volunteers led by a sheriff or park team. If they have aircraft available, they can use it for the rescue and you aren’t charged. Some states will charge you for a rescue if you are negligent.
• You pay for private services. The response may involve a private helicopter evacuation. It depends on the circumstances. Maybe a government helicopter is not available. Maybe your situation is so dire that you need a specialized air ambulance to take you directly to a specialized ER center. The average private air evacuation runs about $28,000, and you don’t get a say in whether one is used.
• The hospital is separate. Once evacuated and admitted to care, your regular health insurance takes over. Rescue coverage gets you out of the backcountry, not the care that follows.

Payment Options

Knowing that a rescue could cost you, here are the options.

• Health Insurance generally won’t cover an evacuation cost but it’s worth checking before you spend any extra money.
• Local Cards are available for some areas. They support local SAR teams and cover any rescue costs. Two popular ones are New Hampshire’s Hike Safe card and Colorado’s CORSAR card.
• Bundled Insurance with your device is usually an option for devices like ZOLEO, SPOT, and inReach. For inReach, Garmin sells SAR insurance plans from $39.95 to $999.95 a year depending on your needs. It’s insurance and you have to go through the claims process.
• Overwatch x Rescue is like AAA for SAR, you pay one annual fee and that’s it. You can call them to coordinate a rescue or use Garmin Response, and unlike insurance, they simply cover the cost of rescue without a cumbersome claims process.
• Other Options A simple Google search for SAR insurance will bring up lots of options, but I think for most users, the previously mentioned options make the most sense.

Overwatch x Rescue

This is the one I carry. I can put it on all my devices, their response center is the best I’ve come across, and it covers exactly what I need without a pile of fine print. Here’s what you get:

• $79.99 a year, and it’s not insurance. It’s a fully funded service, so they pay the providers directly. No claim to file, no deductible, no reimbursement to chase.
• Two fully funded responses a year, up to 10 days of assistance each. More than enough for most people.
• Works on any satellite device, across more than one. A Garmin inReach, an iPhone or Android with satellite SOS, or a ZOLEO or SPOT, and you can cover several devices under one plan.
• Risky sports are included. Mountaineering, rock climbing, skiing, and other hazardous summer and winter sports are covered for search and rescue and medical evacuation, with no surcharge.
• It covers the whole way out. Search and rescue to the nearest hospital or safe harbor, plus medically necessary air transport to the nearest appropriate hospital. Your health insurance takes over from there.
• International adds a lot. During foreign travel it also covers natural disasters, civil unrest, terrorism, wrongful detention, medical repatriation to a hospital back home, and flying a family member out if you’re hospitalized.

Overwatch vs. Garmin

Feature	Overwatch x Rescue	Garmin Plan
Price	$79.99	$39.95
Search & Rescue	✓	✓
Medical Transport to Hospital	✓	✗
Risky Activities Like Mountaineering	✓	$299.95
Above 5000m	✓	$999.95
No Monetary Limit per Response	✓	✗
Family/Friend Hospital Visitation	✓	✗
Home Hospital Repatriation	✓	✗
Arctic & Antarctic	✗	✓
Caving / Underground	✗	✓
Intoxication, Self-Harm, War	✗	✗
Can Purchase	Worldwide	US & Canada Only
Claim	Pays Directly	You Pay & File Claim