Basejumper.com - archive

Hi,

This topic has been covered in a few previous threads:

http://www.dropzone.com/...ng=insurance;#839189
http://www.dropzone.com/..._reply;so=ASC;mh=25;

but the information therein is somewhat vague. I'm wondering about two things in particular:

1. Does your medical insurance cover illegal jumps?

If it does, does it make a distinction between a felony and a misdemeanor? If not, do you just jump and if you bust yourself up you hope you'll be able to pretend it happened during a non-illegal activity?

Have you considered all cases where you bust yourself up and aren't covered? Medical bills can add up real quickly.

2. Do you have insurance to get legal help in case you need a lawyer for one reason or another? Are you aware of any limitations that come with such an insurance (hypothetically, could any criminal benefit from such an insurance?).

Thanks,

Jaap Suter

There was a time when fibbing that you hurt yourself paragliding, climbing, or skateboarding, was cool as you sifted your way through the hospital system. It was an accepted way of protecting the sport. But then someone mentioned that laying in a hospital bed is as busted as you can be without being dead and probably a good time to start telling the truth. Not to mention it wasn't fair to those other sports. One of the benefits of the BASE cat being out of the bag is you can tell the truth now.

Plus, at fifty years old telling the Xray tech you blammed doing the double hicky on your stick won't fly anyway.

As to the insurance question it's yes, in my case. I'm a veteran under an older version of the GI bill, so as long as I can crawl to a VA hospital they have to take me in no matter what stupid thing I've done . . .

NickD
BASE 194

Boy have things changed!

My health insurance does cover it.

Plus, I've got another insurance policy that will cover damage I may cause to other people or their property on illegal (or legal jumps). It's not terribly expensive.

My insurance covers base jump accidents, except if I use drugs and that is the cause of the accident.

Illegal and careless jumps are included, except one case: I get less money if it is a "coarsely careless act" (don't know the correct english word).

A court must find me guilty of doing something very careless that lead to the accident. I must have exposed another person to a very big risk, or been extremely ignorant to my own life or health. It is very serious and uncommon.

Example:
I'm attempting armed robbery, and get shot by the owner of the store.

Example of an act that's not coarsely careless:
If I break my neck when I dive into shallow water, even though there were signs telling me that the water was shallow and diving forbidden.

I have a hard time imagine a base jump I would like to do, that would be considered "coarsely careless".
I also don't jump when I'm drunk.
So unless I forgot to read any parts of the insurance agreement, I think I always have accident insurance for jumping.

After being laughed at by so many insurance agents, I figured it was impossible...

I'd appreciate info on companies that provide coverage!

Josh Morell
www.imagethisphoto.com

GEICO provides the liability policy. As long as what I'm doing is not for profit, I'm covered, even if I intentionally damage something. I specifically asked if it would cover me breaking a window to parachute off a building, and they (after referring it up, and having to call me back a week later) said that it would be covered.

I think the coverage is actually provided by Traveller's, but I bought it through GEICO, as a bundle with my car insurance.