What is your opinion about insurance

[hottamaly 1]

I was curious on how many people do, and don't have health insurance in case they get injured. Some of these pleas lately got me thinking. I know I would never jump without insurance because I would never ask for money from my jump family.

Skydiving gave me a reason to live
I'm not afraid of what I'll miss when I die...I'm afraid of what I'll miss as I live

[ianmdrennan 2]

I jumped without insurance for ONE weekend a few years ago and sure as shit I went and hurt myself. Fortunately nothing serious but it did require a doc visit, etc.

Now, no way I'd jump without it. Lesson learned.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[AndyMan 7]

I have never jumped without insurance.

I once had found myself in the unpleasant situation of being asked to contribute to a skydivers medical bill. I refused.

If you are too cheap to pay for health insurance, don't come asking for my help paying your bills.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[mattjw916 2]

For one year of my adult life I rode motorcycles w/out insurance as I trasitioned from military to civilian life... I think I am REALLY lucky that nothing happened to me or I would be one broke-azz mo-fo right now.

Taking risks is okay in my opinion, but you always gotta have "an out" in case of an unforseen problem, especially if others are relying on you for their livelihood.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[TALONSKY 0]

I can understand not having the money to cover health insurance, but I think it is totally irresponsible to skydive without it. If you get hurt you and do not have health coverage you are just another in a long list of people that are a burden for the rest of the paying society with the exception that you choose to participate in an extreme sport.
I would never skydive without health, and life insurance
Kirk

[Casurf1978 0]

Quote

I would never skydive without health, and life insurance

I'm with you on that one. A study I came across had length of stay in a hospital, 4 days, and the mean for 12K patients was around $17K. The first day of admission was close to $2k. If I ever get seriously hurt in this sport or wherever I dont want to be a financial burden on my family.

[towerrat 0]

your options are a little off base. What about, I have insurance now, but have jumped without it.Or, I have insurance, but it doesn't cover extreme sports (especially life).I remeber reading that some health companies are trying to make it so they don't have to cover "extreme" sports injuries.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

[EDYDO 0]

I have to wonder how many people believe they are insured but aren't. I looked at a policy and there is an exclusion for aviation. Then I looked at the original application and found this long forgotten question.

Do you participate in any hazardous activities, sports or avocations including but not limited to, scuba diving over 75 feet, sky-diving, hang-gliding or para-sailing; competitive motor sports....etc, etc?

If one answers yes to such a question they are likely not to get insurance. If one answers no, they could be guilty of fraud and still have no insurance.

Ed

[scotts 0]

Jumping w/o insurance is very risky. But so is this sport that we all love. It's a chance we're all too willing to take.

Thankfully i had insurance to cover my April accident (skydiving). My 9 day stay in the hospital totaled $73k. That's for the hospital alone, and other bills are still coming in.

I may have to stop jumping as it is, but without insurance, I'd more than likely stop altogether.

[kallend 2,027]

I suspect that a lot of people who think their company sponsored health insurance covers skydiving may be in for a surprise.

I discovered just 2 weeks ago that our group policy now excludes extreme sports injuries. This change was embedded in a very thick information booklet of the sort that no-one normally reads.

It is only recently that this exclusion became legal in the USA (Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act passed in May 2001)

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[pccoder 0]

I've never gone any time without health coverage during my entire adult life, with the small exception of just after college prior to finding a job.

PcCoder.net

[Icon134 0]

I didn't have health insurance for about a year before getting work after college.

But I wouldn't have done any extreme sports during this time... (couldn't afford to anyway.) Unless you count Cycling... it can be dangerous.

Scott

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[argon 0]

Groups like the American Motorcyclist Association as well as the AOPA lobby hard about these hidden clauses. A large part of the population are morbidly obese and then of course there are the cigarette smokers-where does the bullshit stop-that's the best thing about "mainstreaming" so called extreme sports-the more people know the more people realize the risks are very calculated and and the sports are practiced by people that really are concerned about living. But to answer your question-I can't see how you can do anything without health insurance. Just a routine illness,such as a kidney stone,appendicitis or a home accident could bankrupt alot of people. GOT TO HAVE IT. PS: Don't you just hate it when these fat bastards get HANDICAPPED permits so they don't have to exercise their fat asses at the mall?

***********
Freedom isn't free. Don't forget: Mother Earth is waiting for you--there is a debt you have to pay...... POPS #9329 Commercial Pilot,Instrument MEL

[Airman1270 0]

There's lots to be said in favor of insurance, but I think it's a bit harsh to make unkind comments to people who have none. I don't have a "regular" policy, but I do pay extra for USPA's death/dismemberment coverage. The fact that many policies will not cover injuries sustained in certain activities makes it much more difficult to take the subject seriously.
Two years ago I had a bout with bronchitis. The doctor visit & drugs cost me about $150. It would have cost much more than that to have maintained a policy which would have covered these expenses. Perhaps we should reconsider all this hyperventilating about the percentage of citizens who are "uninsured." This does not mean they lack access to health care.
It would be far more cost effective to limit policies (especially for people who ride the taxpayer payroll) to coverage for catastophic events, and pay for the routine stuff out of your own pocket. We don't use auto insurance to pay for oil changes, nor do we expect the homeowner's insurance to cover light bulbs & lawn care. Why do we demand that the health insurance cover office visits and prescriptions?

[lowie 0]

The USA government has a pretty tough stance on health care. Many other counties provide free health care hence medical insurance is not such a big issue.

[TALONSKY 0]

I do not know about the rest of the skydivers, but I have made it a point to directly inquire if skydiving is covered by my health insurance. A year ago I was looking a working for another company and after my first interview I sat down the there HR person and we got the insurance company on the phone to go over if skydiving would be covered.
As far as life insurance goes, it is difficult to find cheaper policies that would cover skydiving but they are out there. I currently only pay $25 per month for $150,000 coverage that has only one exlusion of suicide.
Kirk

[firstime 0]

come to NY, they cant exclude that in health or life/

[TALONSKY 0]

I am not sure if you are aware or not thanks to Bill Clinton, we can not be excluded from having medical cover. But if we get hurt partisipating in an extreme sport we can be denied coverage for that specific accident.
Kirk

[Lindsey 0]

Quote

I suspect that a lot of people who think their company sponsored health insurance covers skydiving may be in for a surprise.

I discovered just 2 weeks ago that our group policy now excludes extreme sports injuries. This change was embedded in a very thick information booklet of the sort that no-one normally reads.

It is only recently that this exclusion became legal in the USA (Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act passed in May 2001)

Kallend....now that you've made this statement several times, I wonder how many people are taking it to heart. That is a really frightening prospect to me....of NOT having insurance coverage available. I suppose you can find an individual policy to supplement your group policy or something, but dad gum!

What else does your policy not cover? Accidents that happen while snowboarding? riding motorcycles? flying in small aircraft?

There was a short period of time toward the end of graduate school when I had no insurance, and of course I broke my leg running down a mountain. That was only $10,000.....but a small injury a long time ago. I'd hate to see what happens when REAL medical bills accumulate....

Peace~
lindsey

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[tbrown 26]

If you think jumping's expensive, just wait 'til you get hurt ! Did you know a simple ambulence ride costs a grand. And a doctor in the ER who does nothing but look at a stinkin' x-ray and pat you on the back ? Try $649. Good thing he didn't pat me on the back twice....

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[themitchyone 0]

I have health insurance, but wonder about catastrophic injuries though. I'm not sure of my limits.

"If the Bible has taught us nothing else, and it hasn't, it's that girls should stick to girl's sports such as hot oil wrestling and foxy boxing." - Homer Simpson

[efex 0]

I live in the UK and would really like to know why a civilized country, especially one as rich as the USA does not provide free health insurance. I would have thought it goes along the same lines of freedom of speech and freedom from persecution.

I live happily in the knowledge that my broken body will be repaired free of charge in the unfortunate event I dent myself.

Warwick University Skydiving Club

[dbattman 0]

Let's get this straight. Health care is not a right. It is your own responsibility to evaluate your risks and maintain the appropriate level of insurance for your needs.

Why do I live in fear of free health care in the USA? Simple- government cannot do anything efficiently. The US social security system was a 'good idea' when it was concieved, but it has grown like a cancerous tumor that gobbles up 15% of our paychecks. It has no security, it has no future, and it also has no money. It has been used as a slush fund for decades to scare old people and buy votes.

Why does a country as rich as the USA not provide free health care? Well, we do. If you get busted up, you can go to a public hospital emergency room. You will get fixed up, patched up, admitted and operated on if necessary. Will you get a heart transplant? OK- maybe not. If you do not have insurance you get a bill. If you can't pay it gets chopped up into tiny little pieces and added as a surcharge onto bills to insurance carriers and governemtn agencies (i.e. Medicare/Medicaid). That means I end up paying for it.

We do not need socialized health care because we already have it. The only difference is that the politicians can't use it as leverage in an election (yet).

[ChadFlorian 0]

Quote

I live in the UK and would really like to know why a civilized country, especially one as rich as the USA does not provide free health insurance. I would have thought it goes along the same lines of freedom of speech and freedom from persecution.

Been lurking here for a while, but with this thread, I had to sign up and jump in. Nowhere in the world is health care "free". Just because you pay for it up front in the form of taxes, does not make it free! "Free health care" is just silly! Let the government handle our health care system and watch the beurocracy and and costs skyrocket!

That said... I will be looking into my provider's "fine print"...

FWIW,
-Chad

[efex 0]

hey guys, no need for the flames. I admit my post was perhaps more suitable in the bonfire forum but I still feel every human being has the 'right' to be brought back to health, i.e not forced to live with a condition which has a solution, even if that means a new heart, without being handed a bill at the end of it.

Chad like you mention, most of the british public does pay tax's but everyone pays the same tax whether they use the health service or not. There are also parts of society which do not pay taxes, i.e those which earn below a certain thresold. This includes me a student so for me I do get free health care.
Admittedly there are problems but I feel it must always be provided as a viable alternative to private health care so that those which are not as fortunate in life can receive a similar level of care.

Dbattman what do you mean by "The only difference is that the politicians can't use it as leverage in an election"? Surely this would be a good thing because better public health care is good for everyone, please explain.