Everest base camp – Insurance
A good insurance policy is very important when trekking to Everest Base Camp. A good policy will not only cover you for general travel inconveniences such as flight delays, baggage loss or when cutting your holiday short in an emergency; it will also cover you in case you needed a helicopter rescue if you fall ill or have developed condition (such as acute altitude sickness) which may require immediate medical attention.
Although typical travel insurance does cover you against acute medical conditions but these policies normally do not cover your expenses if the medical treatment you sought was due to travelling above 2000 meters. When trekking to Annapurna Base Camp Trek Guide you will be reaching a height up to 5345 meters and your starting point would probably be at 2865 meters in Lukla! So when choosing travel insurance policy to trek to Everest Base Camp, make sure your insurance policy also provides a cover for mountain rescue flight if needed.
Nowadays, the internet has made it a lot easier to find a good insurance cover that suits your travel plan for this trek. Just by going on to a few travel insurance comparison sites will give you an instant quote on how much such policies cost. Most of them will also produce a summary of the cover as well as the detailed wordings of the policy. It is important that you read the policy documents carefully.
Once you have found the policy you are likely to buy, send an email to the insurance company giving your travel details and ask if the policy you intend to buy does include cover for mountain rescue (in this way you would have a written confirmation if mountain rescue will be part of the policy – just for your peace of mind).
Mountain rescue is of immense importance to a trekker in the Everest region and has helped many trekkers save their lives. Due to the region’s remote location and limited medical facilities, it is often the case that a trekker has to be flown back to Kathmandu if he or she develops acute mountain sickness or injured so badly that immediate medical attention is needed.