Mortgage Advisor & Director
Former Senior Protection Advisor
If you’re an avid rock climber, whether as a hobby or a profession, you might be wondering if it’s still possible to get life insurance. Here, we’ll explain whether rock climbers can get life insurance, how insurers assess applications from people participating in extreme sports, and alternative insurance options to consider.
Can you get life insurance if you’re a rock climber?
Yes, rock climbers can get life insurance, but the process might be slightly more complex compared to someone with a lower-risk lifestyle. Although there’s no specific life insurance policy designed for climbers, some providers and specialist insurers may offer policies that treat it more favourably than others as an activity.
How your application gets assessed
Here are some of the key areas underwriters will look at when determining your eligibility and the cost of life insurance premiums as a rock climber:
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Type of climbing: Rock climbing can involve a wide range of activities, varying in degrees of difficulty and danger. Insurers will want to know whether you participate in indoor (roped) climbing, aid climbing, top rope climbing, bouldering (indoor or outdoor), free soloing, ice climbing, sport climbing, alpine climbing, traditional (trad) climbing, or any other form of climbing.
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Climbing qualifications and experience: Whether you’re a complete novice or a seasoned climber with the calluses to prove it can make a difference. Years of climbing experience and the credentials to back it up might lower your premiums. For example, it could work in your favour if you’re a Mountain Training-qualified rock climbing instructor or mountaineering instructor.
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Frequency and height: How often you climb and the typical altitudes you traverse can impact the risk evaluation for some insurers. For example, high-altitude mountaineers will likely face more risk than someone who is indoor bouldering at a height of just a few metres.
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Location: Where you rock climb makes a difference. Whether it’s an indoor or outdoor activity can have an impact, with outdoor terrain being more unpredictable and harder to manage. Also, if you happen to do the majority of your climbing in the UK or abroad can be a factor.
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Age, health and lifestyle: Being a rock climber isn’t the only determining factor for life insurance eligibility and premiums. Your age, current and past health, and lifestyle choices (like whether you’re a smoker) will all play a significant role in an insurer's decision about your policy and premiums.
How to get a quote online
Whether you’re an amateur or professional rock climber, insurers will want in-depth details about your lifestyle before providing a quote. Looking for accurate quotes online can be frustrating because some platforms say you can get cover, and then later you find the policy is not what you need or has climbing-related exclusions.
Speaking to a broker simplifies the process and ensures you get the right cover immediately. A brief discussion means they can familiarise themselves with your climbing habits and hobbies and then find a suitable policy. That could mean introducing you to insurers who can be more flexible with the underwriting process.
If you’d like a free, no-obligation chat with an advisor specialising in life insurance for rock climbers, you can get started here:
Get your bespoke life insurance quotes today
What if you’re a mountain climber?
Mountain climbing is sometimes viewed as riskier than traditional rock climbing, especially if you tackle high-altitude peaks or remote routes. If you regularly climb mountains, here are some critical areas in terms of life insurance:
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Location: Whether you climb in the UK or abroad can impact your ability to get comprehensive life cover. If most of your climbing is in remote areas or extreme conditions (like snow and ice), this could also add a layer of complexity for insurers, which can mean higher premiums.
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Altitude and expeditions: If you’re planning regular expeditions with multi-day technical climbs, your life insurance premiums may be higher. Similarly, insurers will often have altitude caps or thresholds in place. For example, over 4,000 or 5,000 metres - because there’s a big difference between climbing Everest compared to Ben Nevis.
Critical illness cover and other options for climbers
Critical illness cover can be a valuable benefit in addition to your life insurance, providing a lump sum payout if you’re diagnosed with a serious condition. Here’s how it works, along with alternatives for rock climbers:
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Insurance benefit: If you have a term or whole-of-life insurance policy, you may have critical illness cover included (sometimes it’s optional). If you develop a severe sickness unrelated to climbing (perhaps cancer or heart disease), your policy should pay out a lump sum if it covers that illness.
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Climbing injuries: Some insurers might exclude illnesses due to climbing-related injuries (especially at high altitudes or in extreme conditions). However, this isn’t always the case and policies may still pay out if your illness occurs as a result of climbing. You should always check your policy notes.
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Alternative insurance: It may be more appropriate to use a different type of insurance. For example, accidental permanent injury or income protection insurance could be useful benefits. Your broker may be able to arrange a separate standalone personal accident policy linked to your climbing activities. But, some insurers may not provide cover to certain rock climbers.
Why choose Teito for your life insurance needs?
Finding the right life insurance policy as a rock climber isn’t entirely straightforward. Your climbing habits will be unique, and you’ll need support to ensure you get cover that will be there when you need it - at a reasonable cost.
Although regular rock climbing could lead to increased premiums with some insurers, our expert advisors can find you the best cover for your lifestyle and needs. They have in-depth knowledge about which insurers and policies are the most appropriate for rock climbers.
Here are some more of the reasons rock climbers at all experience levels choose us to find them the best life insurance policy:
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We can get tailored life insurance quotes for climbers
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Our advisors have 5-star ratings on leading review sites
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Your first chat is free, with no obligation to proceed
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Access to specialist insurers with flexible underwriting
Ready to take advantage of a free, no-obligation chat with an advisor specialising in life insurance for rock climbers? Get started here.
FAQs
It’s always best to have some sort of personal accident or income protection insurance in place if you participate in potentially dangerous activities. However, the right type of insurance policy will depend on your specific needs and climbing habits.
Choosing an Adviser
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