Issue 49: Help - get me out of here

Question: what do Alan Hinkes, Sir Chris Bonington, Lucy Creamer and Leo Houlding all have in common? Answer: they all rely on BMC travel insurance to back them up on their various globe-trotting adventures. They’re not paid to endorse it, nor given a special VIP-freebie – they simply think that it’s the best insurance choice out there.

If you’re serious about your fun, then it pays to be serious about your choice of travel insurance policy too. Yes, BMC insurance will probably work out more expensive than a supermarket’s holiday policy or that free cover you might get bundled in with your latest credit card. But we can guarantee that if you’re lying at the base of a cliff in South America with a broken pelvis then having saved a few quid will be the last thing on your mind.

This is one purchase that we hope you’ll never have to actually use, but if you do choose BMC Travel Insurance then you’re buying much more than a fl ashy plastic card to stick in your wallet. You’re getting total peace of mind, reassurance that no matter what happens to you – or where it happens – emergency help is just a phone call away. That if you ever need it, an international rescue network will swing into action to get you to the very best treatment, and fast.

If, like 200 BMC members last year, you have a serious medical emergency and call that emergency helpline number on the back of that card in your wallet, then you’ll discover the real power of our policies. You’ll end up speaking to one of a team of 15 co-ordinators at Assistance International, all trained to the same level so they can deal with any situation, day or night, all year round.

Yet even if you have an uneventful trip, your choice of insurance could do your climbing
some good. By taking out one of our policies you’re also supporting the vital work of the BMC. There aren’t any fat cats updgrading their BMWs here; all profits from the BMC Insurance scheme go towards working for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers in the UK. You’re not only getting the very best cover, you’re also keeping access to the mountains open without doing a thing.

There are five policies to choose from: Travel, Trek, Rock, Alpine and Ski and Expedition. All do what they say on the tin, and have been designed by climbing and mountaineering experts - you won’t find any unreasonable exclusions or arbitary cut-offs invented by suits. We also listen to you, the members, and so the policies keep evolving. For this year there’s a new option, ‘Basic Only’ cover – this gives you 30% off the policy price by dropping your cover to medical and rescue cover only (no baggage or cancellation cover).

And thanks to the lack of suits, BMC Insurance is actually getting cheaper; for 2008 we’ve managed to reduce all our annual premiums by 10% and held all short term policies at last year’s rates. There are also some great new ways of saving. There’s a brand new couples’ rate (giving a discount of 25% on the price of two policies for co-habiting couples) and recognising that people are staying active for longer, the age categories have been rebanded (giving 65-69 year olds a saving of 50% on 2007 prices).

If you’d like to find out more then call our team of friendly staff for expert advice 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, or see full details online. And whilst we can’t promise that you can join Chris Bonington and Leo Houlding on their next adventure, at least you’ll be taking the same back-up team with you.