Life Insurance for rock climbers can often be sourced at standard terms provided that the climbs are not too high or severe, and there are no competitions involved. Rock climbing Life Insurance applications will need to detail the grading and regularity of your climbs, whether you climb alone or in a group, if your climbs are UK based or abroad and the qualifications that you hold. If your climbs are solely restricted to the UK then Life Insurance is likely to be available with certain companies at standard terms as the insurers can be sure that the climbs are not going to be too high.
If you are likely to be climbing outside of the UK, then insurers will want to know how high you usually go. If the climbs are not too high, cover may still be available at standard terms, if however you frequently climb to great heights then cover may be subject to a premium loading or exclusion.
If you just rock climb on artificial indoor walls then Life Insurance is likely to be accepted at normal rates.
Critical Illness Insurance for rock climbers can often be secured at standard terms under the same stipulations as life cover. The climbs generally need to be of a lower grading than severe and not be part of a professional competition. Where your climbs are considered to be of a higher risk you may find that your policy premiums increase to offset the risk of your hobby, alternatively you may be offered cover at a standard premium with mountaineering/rock climbing excluded from the Critical Illness Cover.
If your climbs are located just in the UK there is a good chance of getting normal terms with some insurance providers as they know the climbs in the UK are not too severe.
If you just rock climb on artificial indoor walls then Critical Illness Cover is likely to be accepted at normal rates.
Income Protection for rock climbers may be available at normal terms, depending upon the insurer that you apply to. Whether its outside or on artificial indoor environment, you can get Income Protection. The insurer will want to know any injuries that you have had due to rock climbing, before they offer terms.
Get an Income Protection Quote
Depending upon your circumstances, Income Protection may be offered to you with a rock climbing exclusion. If you require cover without any exclusions you may be able to take out an Accident and Sickness policy that does not exclude hazardous pastimes.
Get an Accident, Sickness and Unemployment Quote
As with any hazardous activity or sport it is always best to speak with a qualified adviser to ensure you take out the correct plan.
Are you going outside the UK and plan to rock climb? Have a word with a specialist travel broker to make sure that you have the correct cover in place. Find out more here.
As a rock climber, you will be a fit and active individual. You may find that an insurance policy from VitalityLife, that rewards you for a healthy lifestyle, is ideal. You can lower your premiums on a yearly basis and earn highstreet rewards too, take a look here.
UK grading system
Below are tables showing the current UK grading system for rock climbing:
| Traditional Routes | |
|---|---|
| UK adjectival grade | UK technical grade |
| Moderate (M) | |
| Difficult (D) | |
| Very Difficult (VD) | 3c |
| Severe (S) | 4a |
| Hard Severe (HS) | 4b |
| Very Severe (VS) | 4c |
| Hard Very Severe (HVS) | 5a |
| 5b | |
| E1 | |
| E2 | |
| 5c | |
| E3 | |
| 6a | |
| E4 | |
| E5 | |
| 6b | |
| E6 | |
| E7 | 6c |
| E8 | |
| E9 | |
| 7a | |
| E999 | |
Compiled from UK Grades Comparison Table, 2006, The British Mountaineering Council*
For more information on specific health conditions, pastimes, occupations and countries please select here:
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Summary definition
Rock climbing involves an individual or group of individuals scaling a rocky surface such as a cliff or artificial wall. Within the UK rock climbing is graded by difficulty based upon adjectival and technical requirements of the climb.
Rock climbing can be indoor (artificial wall climbing) or outdoor, in the UK or worldwide and involve other activities such as bouldering, trekking and coasteering.
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* Please note that accident and sickness cover will likely exclude pre-existing health conditions.
** These services are placed with our selected partners.
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