"Hazardous Avocations" ??

[Core Shot]

Anyone know whether anything on skis fits this vague term?

I need to get life insurance and wonder if backcountry or eXXXtreme skiing voids the policy.
Also, assuming I someday win a free heli trip, is that okay?
Finally, been planning to learn kiteboarding and wonder if that is a DSQ also?

[altagirl]

We just applied for life insurance and they asked a few questions about sports, but nothing on skiing - BC, heli or otherwise. They did ask if I ever raced motocross, and I said does this mean I could never race motocross in the future? And they said no, the question is "have you ever?". Which doesn't make much sense to me, but I qualified no problem. It might depend on the insurance company.

[Camel Toad]

nah, just say you go skiing. not that you huck cliffs in avy country.

kiteboarding is a whole other ballgame. it is the only thing i do that makes alpine climbing/mountaineering/biking/skiing/commercial crabbing seem normal. think of being harnessed to a really powerful truck, and you are driving it from 100' away. tons of fun!

fortunately kiteboarding is so "new" that they probably won't even ask about it.

[robokill1981]

I had to get life insurance along with my car insurance a few years ago and they asked the same question. AG is right skiing doesn't really count for "hazardous". Skydiving sure as hell does though. I've done it once and they asked about 50 questions about it.

[PNWbrit]

Shouldn't be a problem - as long as you declare it.

We did ours a few years ago and was told that unless you're planning on climbing everest they didn't care.

Be a different deal if you're actually working full time as a guide or something - a friend has difficulty getting coverage

[A-wreck]

I was just about to ask this same question.

So allow me to hijack: If you died in some crazy terrain umping off of a cliff, would the policy pay?

[PNWbrit]

A-wreck

They're just looking for outright dishonesty.

Telling them you work in a cube and collect baseball cards in your spare time then dieing while guiding clients up K2 will leave your estate the loser in a law suit.

But honesty about how often you currently participate in their prescribed pastimes will have little or no effect on premiums.

Diving, Parachuting, flying light aircraft and smoking seem to be the big red flags.

[snowsprite]

I think I said our family goes 'skiing on occasion' when we applied for ours.

Personally, the fear of insurance not paying out is the one reason I never duck a rope or go out of bounds. I am not screwing my kid out of the support he would need if I drop dead so that I can grab a little adrenaline rush. Once he is grown and self-supporting, things will change.

Something tells me the company could and would indeed balk at paying out in the case of an "out of bounds" or "extremo behavior," and a legal battle could ensue. Meanwhile, bills still need to be paid and your family has to tough it out. Just not worth it IMO...

Sprite

[KennyG]

Is diving, regular openwater padi certified scuba diving really that dangerous? I know people who have cave certs and all that what not, but I would just say that regular open water scuba is much safer than back country skiing, heck with the way they have been dropping this season at Jackson Hole and other mountains, I would say it's 10x safer.

[bio-smear]

Well I'm screwed. I dive, paraglide, ski out of bounds, fly light aircraft, and I have raced motocross in the past. Might as well start a savings account. Pffftt...

[Hook]

Diving's a non-issue with most companies until you start getting paid for it.

[gramps]

Diving is really safe. I think I heard that something like 30-50 people die SCUBA diving every year, and the majority are people that have a heart attack totally coincidentally while diving...

[Hook]

Anyone know whether anything on skis fits this vague term?

and wonder if backcountry or eXXXtreme skiing voids the policy.
Also, assuming I someday win a free heli trip, is that okay?
Finally, been planning to learn kiteboarding and wonder if that is a DSQ also?

I need to get life insurance

Trigger pulled??

[train07]

I think I said our family goes 'skiing on occasion' when we applied for ours.

Personally, the fear of insurance not paying out is the one reason I never duck a rope or go out of bounds. I am not screwing my kid out of the support he would need if I drop dead so that I can grab a little adrenaline rush. Once he is grown and self-supporting, things will change.

Something tells me the company could and would indeed balk at paying out in the case of an "out of bounds" or "extremo behavior," and a legal battle could ensue. Meanwhile, bills still need to be paid and your family has to tough it out. Just not worth it IMO...

Sprite

No matter what happens to you, the kid is going to grow up...maybe quicker

[spanky]

I don't think I was even asked about skiing on my recent application. I was asked about SCUBA diving, sky diving, motocross racing and the like. I answered yes to the SCUBA, but it wasn't a problem with my qualification.


On a related note, those of you with (or planning to buy) insurance, what type did you go for - term or whole life?

[Parvo Pup]

Probably depends on the company and the amount of insurance you are asking for. My LI agent didn't care about skiing - but threw an absolute shitfit over my skydiving. Didn't much care for my rockclimbing either.

Best bet - don't volunteer information.

If you do croak doing something "extreme" - cue your survivors to swear it was the only time you had tried the sport.

[leroy jenkins]

This has no real merit or worth, other than being slightly amusing, but a little while ago I had to get drug tested for my new life insurance. Turns out they test for nothing besides cocaine and nicotine. I guess thats all they care about.

[leroy jenkins]

Well I'm screwed. I dive, paraglide, ski out of bounds, fly light aircraft, and I have raced motocross in the past. Might as well start a savings account. Pffftt...

No you're not man. My dads upper 60something (really should know exactly) and still skis and flies planes that are supposedly "experimental", and hes fine.
I think most of the questions they ask are easy to get around if you keep your answers minimal.