Research on Health Insurance and Skydiving

[ChemPacker 0]

Good morning everyone! I'm new here, although I've been in the sport for 17 years. I'm a packer by trade working on my master's in sport management. 

I am currently writing a research paper on healthcare inclusion for skydivers. If anyone is interested in helping me by chatting about health care coverage, please feel free to reach out to me!

sl00182@my.westga.edu is my email or we can chat here! 

Samantha

[billeisele 130]

I worked for a company that provided health insurance. There were no exclusions, so no problem.

My wife was a teacher, a State employee, no exclusions in the health plan.

[SethInMI 174]

I know supplemental policy providers like AFLAC exclude skydiving / general aviation related incidents, but are there any employer sponsored health care plans that exclude based on the activity that caused the heath care problem? I know smoking is cause for higher premiums, but I don't know of anything else. 

[DougH 270]

1 hour ago, SethInMI said:

I know supplemental policy providers like AFLAC exclude skydiving / general aviation related incidents, but are there any employer sponsored health care plans that exclude based on the activity that caused the heath care problem? I know smoking is cause for higher premiums, but I don't know of anything else. 

I am merely an anecdote, but I have never seen one at the five large companies that I received health insurance from as part of my employee benefits package.

If you do get hurt expect a call from the third party that your insurance company contracts with trying to sniff around to see if there is anyone else they can subrogate the expense to. 

Just like ambulance chasers they tend to go away after you explain that the DZ doesn't have liability insurance, and you signed a waiver.

 

Edited September 9, 2022 by DougH

[normiss 800]

The best comment I've heard from an injured skydiver, on the ground, to the ambulance crew on the scene: "If you want to get paid, I fell off a ladder!"

[nwt 131]

On 9/9/2022 at 10:53 AM, DougH said:

If you do get hurt expect a call from the third party that your insurance company contracts with trying to sniff around to see if there is anyone else they can subrogate the expense to. 

Just like ambulance chasers they tend to go away after you explain that the DZ doesn't have liability insurance, and you signed a waiver.

I got a questionnaire from one of these when I sprained my foot. I didn't find anything in my plan obligating me to respond so I simply ignored it.

[DougH 270]

16 hours ago, nwt said:

I got a questionnaire from one of these when I sprained my foot. I didn't find anything in my plan obligating me to respond so I simply ignored it.

It is usually in your policy agreement that terms of coverage include your explicit agreement to allow them, or appointed third parties, to subrogate claims.

That doesn't mean that there is actually an opportunity for them to go after a third party for a portion of the cost, but they are in their legal rights to try.

I wouldn't recommend ignoring them if it was a skydiving accident. You can head them off at the pass and help avoid headaches for your DZ and other parties if you take the time to explain that it was an accident, that no one else contributed to accident, and that you yourself made the error. Good time to mention the waiver too.

If you get an ambulance ride or worse they will know it was skydiving related, and if your accident was serious enough they are going exhaust all efforts to get their information, might as well keep some control over the process.

Also keep in mind most states have pretty serious laws about providing false statements in connection with insurance matters.

Edited October 11, 2022 by DougH

[nwt 131]

4 hours ago, DougH said:

It is usually in your policy agreement that terms of coverage include your explicit agreement to allow them, or appointed third parties, to subrogate claims.

I don't think they need my agreement, allowance, or even cooperation to subrogate--that's up to them. Like I said, I looked through my policy and there was nothing obligating me to respond. I didn't, it's been well over a year, and nothing has happened.

4 hours ago, DougH said:

I wouldn't recommend ignoring them if it was a skydiving accident. You can head them off at the pass and help avoid headaches for your DZ and other parties if you take the time to explain that it was an accident, that no one else contributed to accident, and that you yourself made the error. Good time to mention the waiver too.

Strong disagree. If I'm not obligated to cooperate, I see only downsides and no upside to the DZ for me helping someone sue the DZ. The only possible difference in outcome is an increase in likelihood that the DZ gets sued. I'm curious to know what headaches you think can be avoided.

4 hours ago, DougH said:

If you get an ambulance ride or worse they will know it was skydiving related, and if your accident was serious enough they are going exhaust all efforts to get their information, might as well keep some control over the process.

Again, I'm completely missing the upside to making it easier for them. Giving them what they want isn't you controlling the process, it's them.

4 hours ago, DougH said:

Also keep in mind most states have pretty serious laws about providing false statements in connection with insurance matters.

I told the doc exactly how I hurt my foot. I had no reason to hide it.

[ryoder 1,590]

21 hours ago, nwt said:

I got a questionnaire from one of these when I sprained my foot. I didn't find anything in my plan obligating me to respond so I simply ignored it.

After having surgery for hallux valgus (aka bunion), I got one of those. I threw it away. Then I got another. Threw that away. Then they started sending nastygrams, and calling my phone. I finally answered and told them it had nothing to do with anyone else. How the hell can they be in the business of health insurence, get be so clueless they think that can be someone else's fault???