The mountains draw more people every year: trekking through gorges, climbing, ski slopes, horse and cycling routes. As they grow more popular, so does the number of situations where someone needs medical help far from a town — sometimes with evacuation from hard-to-reach terrain.
The cost of such help can be considerable, so insurance cover is a question to settle before setting out, not after an incident.
Why an ordinary policy may not be enough
In many insurance programmes, active mountain recreation falls into a separate category of risk. This means that an event occurring during a climb, a trek or while skiing is covered only where the contract expressly provides for that risk.
When taking out a policy it is therefore important to state exactly which activity you plan to pursue and to make sure it is included in the cover rather than listed among the exclusions.
Which risks to provide for
Depending on the chosen programme and the terms of the insurance contract, cover may include:
- the cost of medical care in the event of injury or sudden illness;
- transport to the nearest medical facility;
- search, rescue and evacuation measures, where the programme provides for them;
- the consequences of an accident — injury, temporary incapacity for work and other events classified by the contract as insured events;
- loss of or damage to personal property and equipment;
- other risks provided for by the insurance contract.
The exact list of insured events, the sum insured, the limits and the payment procedure are determined by the chosen programme and by the insurance contract.
Which products suit the mountains
If the route lies outside the Kyrgyz Republic, the basis of cover is usually travel insurance — provided the planned activity is included in the cover.
Foreign tourists travelling to the mountains of Kyrgyzstan are covered by accident insurance for tourists entering the Kyrgyz Republic — the mirror of outbound travel insurance: it protects those arriving in the country rather than those leaving it, and runs for the period of stay. The GSO NOMAD BRONZE programme is provided, with a sum insured from 50,000 to 750,000 som, and several insured persons can be included in one policy.
To protect against the consequences of an accident, including on trips within the country, there is personal accident insurance.
Equipment, electronics and other personal property can be protected under voluntary property insurance, where the relevant risks are expressly provided for by the contract.
Apply for travel insurance online →
Apply for inbound tourist insurance online →
What to check in the contract
Before entering into the contract, pay attention to:
- the list of covered activities and any altitude limits;
- the territory where the cover applies;
- the period of validity and the date cover begins;
- the sum insured and the limits on particular types of expense;
- whether there is a deductible and how large it is;
- the exclusions from cover;
- the procedure to follow if an insured event occurs and the contact number to call;
- the list of documents required to receive compensation.
All material terms should be clear before you set out.
What to do before setting out
Tell relatives or friends your route and when you expect to be back.
Keep the policy and the insurer's contact number both on your phone and on paper — there may be no signal in the mountains.
Check who must be notified and within what time limits if something happens, and which documents you will need to collect: medical reports, certificates, documents from the services involved in any rescue, and documents confirming your expenses.
Match the route to your fitness, your equipment and the weather forecast. Insurance reduces the financial consequences of an incident; it does not replace safety precautions.
If an insured event occurs
First of all, see to the safety of the injured person and seek medical or rescue assistance.
Notify the insurance company in the manner and within the time limits set out in the insurance contract and the insurance rules.
Keep all documents confirming the circumstances of the incident, the assistance provided and the costs incurred — they will be needed when the claim is reviewed.
Arrange cover in advance
The mountains do not forgive rushed preparation. A policy is taken out before departure, not at the moment help is already needed.
Take out a policy with GSO and make sure the activity you have planned is expressly included in the cover.
Before taking out the policy, read the terms of cover, the list of insured risks, the exclusions, the sum insured and the procedure for receiving an insurance payment.
Apply for travel insurance online → Apply for personal accident insurance online → Apply for voluntary property insurance online →
Any questions?
GSO hotline: +996 (312) 65-08-53 — Mon–Fri, 9:00 to 18:00.
Email: info@gso.kg
Addresses of branches and sales points in every region are listed under Branches and on the Contacts page.