Recently, a solo climber got into a mountain accident, leading to a court ruling that ordered state compensation for the rescue efforts, sparking a mix of opinions. The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters urges hikers to form a team of at least five before climbing so they can purchase “comprehensive mountaineering insurance.” Starting this year, the coverage has been expanded to include search and rescue expenses, offering more comprehensive protection.
The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters pointed out that in the past, most people purchasing travel insurance for leisure trips would opt for travel safety insurance, but those climbing high mountains often did not. Moreover, general travel safety insurance does not cover accidental illnesses or injuries caused by mountain climbing, such as heatstroke, hypothermia, or altitude sickness. However, comprehensive mountaineering insurance includes accidents arising from mountaineering activities as well as search and rescue costs, providing an extra layer of security for hikers and their families.
Climbing high mountains carries certain risks. In February this year, two mountain accidents occurred on Pingtian Mountain in Wuling — one involved a solo climber and the other a group of hikers. The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters stated that statistics show both the risk and fatality rate of solo climbing are much higher than those of group climbing. They also recommend that hikers go up the mountain in groups of at least three to four people. This way, if someone gets injured or lost in the mountains, there will be teammates who can call for help, reducing the likelihood of fatal mountain accidents.
Currently, comprehensive mountaineering insurance is available for groups of five or more. Hikers can choose the insurance coverage amount based on their needs, but it is only applicable to domestic mountainous areas. Additionally, under the emergency rescue expenses clause, costs will not be covered if the hiker entered a restricted or prohibited alert zone without permission, or any area officially closed to the public by the managing authority. The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters also reminds hikers to follow regulations and climb safely.