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Would you ski without insurance?
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
Well the system here in Canada is different as you know. But when I travel to the States or Europe, I'm covered by our company plan. I have had to use the hospital in Quebec once. The visit was covered by the province plan. Luckily I haven't had a experience with the medical system in the States yet. But I wouldn't go without it. I've heard of too many situations like Bonni's and others that just go to Florida for the sun.
volklgirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Unfortunately, yes. For years I didn't have any insurance cuz I was self-employed (sub contract). Give up skiing??? He** No! I was lucky in that I only had 1 bad sprain (ankle and knee while learning to board), and I had 3 days to stay off it before I had to go back to work. Otherwise.....
I did, once, when I switched jobs a few years ago, and the insurance at my new job didn't kick in for 30 days. It wasn't really a risk, though, because had anything happened I could have applied for CORBA and it would have covered retroactively back to my last day at the old job. So for about $300 anything that happened would have been covered.
Skiing with no insurance just seems like such a risk... my husband tore his MCL 4 years ago and by the time that was all done (emergency care on the mountain, MRIs when he got back, weekly visits with the orthopedist for a few months afterwards) his insurance had paid something like 10-15k. I mean, I love to ski, but am I willing to pay 10k+ in the event something happens in exchange for 1 day of skiing? Probably not.
I would probably think differently if I were in a position where I was going to be uninsured for a longer period of time, though. I've been lucky to not really have had any gaps in employment since college, so I've pretty much always been covered.
Skiing with no insurance just seems like such a risk... my husband tore his MCL 4 years ago and by the time that was all done (emergency care on the mountain, MRIs when he got back, weekly visits with the orthopedist for a few months afterwards) his insurance had paid something like 10-15k. I mean, I love to ski, but am I willing to pay 10k+ in the event something happens in exchange for 1 day of skiing? Probably not.
I would probably think differently if I were in a position where I was going to be uninsured for a longer period of time, though. I've been lucky to not really have had any gaps in employment since college, so I've pretty much always been covered.
Thatsagirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Like volkgirl, I have skied without insurance. I am self-employed, have been since 1996. Being a freelance ski writer/editor is a tough business to be in. Most do not make lots of money and I just couldn't afford insurance. Heck, I could barely cover my monthly living expenses. But my job certainly required that I ski, and ski a lot. On top of that, I ski very challenging terrain most of the time.
I did not have insurance until I married my husband in 2001. We joke that I married him for his insurance, he married me for my job perks of traveling all over North America.
Let's just say that I was very careful when I skied without insurance. Some people might say I was lucky not to have an accident, I think I just used the right amount of caution and stayed within my capabilities.
Thatsagirl
I did not have insurance until I married my husband in 2001. We joke that I married him for his insurance, he married me for my job perks of traveling all over North America.
Let's just say that I was very careful when I skied without insurance. Some people might say I was lucky not to have an accident, I think I just used the right amount of caution and stayed within my capabilities.
Thatsagirl
Even though I know that walking to work is "risky", I wouldn't ski or do a contact sport without insurance. I have a tough time not challenging/pushing myself when I'm doing something physical, so the best way to curtail injury is to just refraim from the activity.
I had an insurance snafu (it all worked out in the end) with my medical bills after my most recent knee surgery. However, receiving a bill for $14,000 two days before closing on my first home purchase gave me my first and only migraine headache. I sure don't want to repeat that!
I had an insurance snafu (it all worked out in the end) with my medical bills after my most recent knee surgery. However, receiving a bill for $14,000 two days before closing on my first home purchase gave me my first and only migraine headache. I sure don't want to repeat that!
SnowGlider
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Je ski, donc je suis.
I have no insurance. Skiing is the main factor in my quality of life in the winter. I can't imagine living without skiing. I must live. Therefore I must ski!
I'm a pretty cautious skier. Still:
(1) The greater danger to someone like me is being hit by other fools;
(2) If you catch an edge even at low speed you can break a limb, and it doesn't take much to catch an edge; and
(3) despite my caution, I did have one accident (head/neck/back compression injury) that required quite a bit of medical intervention (chiropractor; physical therapy). Even minor interventions are very expensive these days.
So I conclude that yup, it's easy to have a small accident that could cost a lot of money and yup, I should have insurance, but nope, I can't stop skiing for lack of insurance. It is incongruous, but that's how it is.
I have no insurance. Skiing is the main factor in my quality of life in the winter. I can't imagine living without skiing. I must live. Therefore I must ski!
I'm a pretty cautious skier. Still:
(1) The greater danger to someone like me is being hit by other fools;
(2) If you catch an edge even at low speed you can break a limb, and it doesn't take much to catch an edge; and
(3) despite my caution, I did have one accident (head/neck/back compression injury) that required quite a bit of medical intervention (chiropractor; physical therapy). Even minor interventions are very expensive these days.
So I conclude that yup, it's easy to have a small accident that could cost a lot of money and yup, I should have insurance, but nope, I can't stop skiing for lack of insurance. It is incongruous, but that's how it is.
never again
I caught an edge at low speeds--and because of the low speed my ski stayed on and the force of the twisting broke by knee in two places. I had been uninsured for one day. Living as a ski bum in jackson hole you hear these horror stories almost every day. I've come to the conclusion that no matter what the sacrifice--it's worth it to find a way to buy insurance. Don't give up skiing--just figure out a way--even if it means you have to put rent on a credit card. You'll enjoy yourself SO MUCH MORE knowing that no matter what happens--you're not going to go bankrupt from a stupid mistake. In retrospect, it wasn't worth the risk to save $150 a month.
I caught an edge at low speeds--and because of the low speed my ski stayed on and the force of the twisting broke by knee in two places. I had been uninsured for one day. Living as a ski bum in jackson hole you hear these horror stories almost every day. I've come to the conclusion that no matter what the sacrifice--it's worth it to find a way to buy insurance. Don't give up skiing--just figure out a way--even if it means you have to put rent on a credit card. You'll enjoy yourself SO MUCH MORE knowing that no matter what happens--you're not going to go bankrupt from a stupid mistake. In retrospect, it wasn't worth the risk to save $150 a month.
num
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
SnowGlider, have you heard of Adventure Advocates? https://www.adventureadvocates.com/
25 bucks a month gets you membership with them. Membership gives you accidental medical insurance, which won't cover you if you get sick, but will cover you for sports injuries or other accidents. There are other membership perks, like discounts at some hotels and ski areas, but the biggest selling point to me is the insurance.
25 bucks a month gets you membership with them. Membership gives you accidental medical insurance, which won't cover you if you get sick, but will cover you for sports injuries or other accidents. There are other membership perks, like discounts at some hotels and ski areas, but the biggest selling point to me is the insurance.
Little Lightning
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don't know what the final figure for my MCL/ACL tear, surgery and pt cost was to my insurance company but my out of pocket expenses were less than $1,500. That includes Physical Therapy 2x per week for 6 mos., the MRI, 2 braces, the visit to the clinic at Copper, Dr. visits and the surgery costs. Also included in this out of pocket expense were my annual mammograms and some miscellaneous Dr. visits.
I pay about $160 a month for my health insurance. To me it is well worth the peace of mind not to be worrying how I would pay all the medical bills if I didn't have insurance. I've had 2 ski injuries in 25 yrs of skiing but all it takes is 1 injury without insurance to be devastated financially.
Kathi
I pay about $160 a month for my health insurance. To me it is well worth the peace of mind not to be worrying how I would pay all the medical bills if I didn't have insurance. I've had 2 ski injuries in 25 yrs of skiing but all it takes is 1 injury without insurance to be devastated financially.
Kathi
Luckily I've never been without insurance either. I think I'd do whatever was necessary to get it if I didn't have it. I don't think I'd be comfortable without it even if I wasn't skiing, riding, etc. Not that I'd ever give up doing those things, I just think it would be a concern no matter what.
My dad was/is self employed, and has never had health insurance. So, when I was growing up, everything medical came out of pocket, but my parents never held us back.
I married a man who's family owned a business but refused to go without health insurance, and was horrified that I took it so casually. Now we pay over 600.00/month to have health insurance and are happy to have it because of the injuries my husband has incurred, mostly dirtbiking.
Would I ski without it? Sure! But, at this point I make the sacrifice to pay that monthly bill to keep insurance.
I married a man who's family owned a business but refused to go without health insurance, and was horrified that I took it so casually. Now we pay over 600.00/month to have health insurance and are happy to have it because of the injuries my husband has incurred, mostly dirtbiking.
Would I ski without it? Sure! But, at this point I make the sacrifice to pay that monthly bill to keep insurance.
Wow, I'm reading these stories and glad I live in Canada. Wait times are long if you need surgery etc, but if you want to pay for it, you can go to the States. Some insurance plans will pay for treatment. Especially if its not available in Canada. Our company group insurance plan covers medical costs of physio, braces, meds, special nursing etc. We don't have dental. Basic doctor visits, necessary surgery (not cosmetic stuff), hospital stays and meds while in the hospital are all covered by the provincial plans (OHIP here in Ontario). So we pay more for taxes, but maybe its worth it.
