Does travel insurance cover helicopter rides
Not easy finding out if your travel insurance will cover any loss or injury caused by a helicopter ride is it, so let's take a look at your options.
Its possible travel insurance to cover a helicopter ride will not be needed as the helicopter operator holds public liability insurance as set by law. Meaning, all costs associated with injury or loss will be covered by them. Travel insurance firms may upgrade your account at cost or FREE, but it may not be needed.
In a way you are not covered for taking a helicopter tour abroad, though that is different if you're taking a tour in your country of origin.
If taking a helicopter ride in the UK, for example, operators are liable for any injury you will obtain in case of a serious crash or accident.
That also goes for taking a helicopter ride in the USA, where the rules are a little more stricter in terms of who pays what.
Complications happen when firms bring out waiver forms or terms and conditions.
Regardless, all passengers will be covered for all medical bills if a serious accident were to happen, and is a fault of there own.
Where trouble might arise for those who participate in helicopter ride are passengers who are responsible for there injury, or others.
Are you insured?
Its hard to pin down if travel insurance will cover you as it depends on the country you're flying out of, and the country you're flying into.
When you travel abroad its highly possible you took out travel insurance by an agency or directly through your bank.
In the first instance, you will want to contact your insurance provider to ask if the cover will pay for injury as a result of a helicopter related accident.
Helicopter rides might come up as a activity or sport category, where costs associated with travel insurance may rise.
No way could you find out if you're indeed covered other than asking the travel insurance company directly.
No helicopter flight only insurance
As it happens there is no travel insurance policy that directly informs or is completely related to taking a helicopter ride - at home or abroad.
Its possible to nail it down if you're covered in the loss or injury involved in car travel; not so easy when taking a specific helicopter ride.
Because no travel insurance directly quotes helicopters; its hard to know if the result of injury will be covered by them.
However, as you'll find out, it would be up to the helicopter operator or its parent firm to pay for bills, due to injury.
Give the travel insurance company a call while asking about a helicopter ride; it might not cost much more, but it might require an upgrade at no additional cost.
Not when its your fault
If the travel insurance company has to pay out as a result of injury through a helicopter ride where you live or traveling abroad...
Know that payout's from companies that have a strict no payout rule, won't do so if the fault of the injury, is a result of your own.
Most helicopter incidents are a result of pilot error, weather or a mechanical fault, so you are very unlikely to be responsible.
But where an argument by the operator may arise is that you distracted the helicopter pilot, or failed to listen to instructions.
That is if you're responsible as you're unlikely to be blamed for injury.
What do Travel Insurance firms say
What I have learned by a number of travel insurance companies is that the operator will hold public liability insurance.
That means the travel insurance you're paying a monthly cover with will not have to pay out any fee's at all.
Not always the case mind as its varies hugely, so instead it could be that the travel insurance firm will have to pay out a little.
Likely scenario to happen if enquiring about your insurance cover policy while taking a helicopter ride, is to go ahead as the helicopter firm will be responsible.
What else could happen is the travel insurance firm will categorise it as a sport, or an event that is likely to cause injury, so will up your current insurance costs.
Operator holds public liability insurance
Wherever you are traveling in the world its very likely the helicopter operator, or its parent company, will be the ones liable to pay for all injury or loss.
Example of that is in the UK where The London Helicopter states the following:
The Operator holds public liability insurance to cover injury or other losses as a result of operating the flight.
There it is in black and white, as the helicopter operator states that they hold public liability insurance for injury or other losses.
That will be true for anywhere else in the world where you will be participating in a helicopter ride.
Company is liable to pay medical
What liability insurance covers initially, with the company involved with the injury - namely the helicopter operator - is the cost of medical bills.
Less so important in Europe, Canada, Australia or New Zealand as they operator a national health service - so no money is handed over.
However, if taking a helicopter ride in the USA; that is different as there's no health cover for tourists, or the population who don't have insurance.
Result of that is high bills, so when taking a helicopter ride in the USA; its probably the operator who will cover all bills, if its a result of there own.
No bills will be paid if its an injury as a result of your own making, so don't be lumbered with big medical bills.
Obey to rules set forth
In taking a helicopter ride its possible the helicopter firm will set out rules set forth in a terms of conditions, online or a form you can read.
Most people will ignore this but it will set out a series of rules passengers will have to obey by, as to avoid not being the ones who pays out for injury or loss.
Its legal jargon mostly so its understandable if you choose to ignore it.
But to be clear, it will state that if the injury or loss is a result of your carelessness, stupidity or as a result of purposely causing harm, then the firm is not liable.
The firm won't be liable nor will other passengers; so the operator and passengers will be liable to sue you for injury or loss.
Liability waivers
Often you will see the form of a liability waiver showing its face within the US, whether online or in the office of the operator.
In the case of signing a liability waiver, its a legal way for the firm to knowledge the risks involved in taking a helicopter ride - and that is very much real.
In signing the form, its an attempt by the company to waiver all responsibilities involved with an injury or loss, if it were to happen.
Now in signing this form you don't completely waiver your rights away.
In fact its just legal cover to help the helicopter company to save themselves from people who cause a fuss from the tiniest of injuries, or injuries that are not at fault of the operator.
No cover if flight is missed
Under circumstances where the helicopter flight is for any reasons; cancelled, delayed or missed due to your own fault - travel insurance will not cover you.
No where in the world can you receive compensation through travel insurance if missing the flight - whereas you'll be covered if flying with an airliner.
Often helicopter rides can be canceled due to weather, but the operator will provide a full refund or the offer of a new time or date - if you agree.
There's also such thing a weather insurance for people who are in town for a short period, so a refund will be given, guaranteed, if the flight can't go ahead.
Where you won't be compensated is if you turn up late at the event, or the ride does not go ahead due to a fault of your own.
Its will be a difficult task to persuade the travel insurance to pay up for something that is your fault.
Summary
Travel insurance can cover a helicopter ride in case of injury or loss, but its possible the operator has a public liability insurance.
Meaning all injuries will be fault of there own, so by law will be responsible for covering all costs associated with injury and recovery.
Travel insurance firms may increase your costs, but it might not seem worth it as they are not really the ones to pay out.
When contacting them its vital you get that upgrade on your insurance as caution only, but it must be at no extra cost.
Having said that, none of that matters if the injury or loss is a fault of your own.
Recklessness or negligence well participating in a helicopter ride could be a cause of an unruly passenger, so all responsibility will be on them, or you.
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