Get Peace of Mind During Your Alpine Activities

Whether you’re trekking abroad, mountaineering across the border or backcountry skiing in the next province, your provincial healthcare plan won’t travel with you. That means, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll have to arrange for care and pay for most of it out of your own pocket. 

For the travelling adventurer, the ACC sells TuGo® Travel Insurance, personal insurance which covers the types of activities our members do.

Policies are available for:
  • Canadians travelling outside their home province
  • Canadians travelling internationally
  • Visitors to Canada

Emergency Medical Insurance


From hospital treatment to emergency air transportation, body repatriation to emergency dental work, this insurance will cover you should the unthinkable happen.

Unlike many other providers, Adventure Sports Optional Coverage is available to cover mountaineering (below 6000m), backcountry skiing and ice climbing. Above 6000m the Extreme Sports Optional Coverage is available. Policies are affordable, starting at just $15 per day.

Travelling more than twice in a year? Consider the Multi Trip Annual policy option which will provide:
i. Savings - it is more economical to travel with an annual plan than multiple single trip plans
ii. Convenience - leave anytime and go anywhere without re-applying for coverage
iii. Flexibility - family plans allow individuals to travel together or separately and always be covered
For more more information relevant to your specific circumstances, please select which of the following applies to you.

Out of Province Canadians

If you require medical attention while you're travelling outside of your home province, your provincial health care plan will not cover important things such as:

Credit: Alicja Gados

  • Ambulance fees
  • Air evacuation
  • Medical equipment rental or prescription drugs
  • Dental services 
  • Accompanying costs such as vehicle return and family members to bedside

In addition, a range of hospital costs such as emergency room fees and X-rays are only partially covered by provincial health care plans.

These costs are particularly pertinent for those engaging in backcountry activities. For example, an air ambulance medical evacuation in the backcountry of BC will cost residents of that province a "nominal fee", but non-BC residents will be charged about $2,800 per hour of helicopter time plus other ground ambulance fees. TuGo Travel Insurance, sold by the ACC, can cover these expenses. For more detail and real life examples click here.

Visitors to Canada

Credit: Alicja Gados

Those coming to Canada to engage in activities such as climbing, mountaineering, skiing and hiking should understand that they are not covered by our country's medical system. Visitors are responsible for all costs associated with hospital visits as well as emergency medical evacuations by helicopter or ambulance. Together, these can run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

The ACC sells TuGo Visitors to Canada Emergency Medical Insurance to cover your back if an accident happens on or off the mountain. These policies can be customized to cover your alpine activities and will cover costs such as:
  • Hospital fees
  • Doctor services
  • Emergency dental services
  • Ambulance services and emergency air evacuation (must be pre-approved)
  • Body repatriation
  • X-rays and prescription drugs
For more information and real life examples click here.

Canadians Abroad

Canadians who suffer a medical emergency outside of Canada are covered for less than 10% of their medical expenses by their provincial health care plans. Climbing, skiing or hiking abroad carries with it inherent risks and services like emergency room visits, ambulance journeys, air evacuations and prescription drugs are all at the liability of the individual without adequate travel insurance.

These costs can be substantial, especially in the US and developing countries as the following example shows.

ACC member Bridget Milsom caught a crampon and fractured her ankle and wrist descending from Parchermo (6,200m) in Nepal. Luckily, TuGo Travel Insurance, sold to Bridget by the ACC covered $16,819 of expenses. You can read her happy ending story on the TuGo blog or watch this video:


For more details and real life examples click here.

Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance

Traveling can be expensive: airline tickets, accommodation, tour operators and other pre-paid travel arrangements add up. If you have to cancel or interrupt your trip due to an emergency this money would be lost.

With trip cancellation & interruption insurance you can protect your investment; it reimburses you for non-refundable, prepaid travel costs, in the case of:

  • Missed flights or connections
  • Natural disasters or travel advisory
  • Sickness, injury, death or quarantine of the Insured, the Insured’s traveling companion, the Insured’s immediate family or the traveling companion’s immediate family
  • Death or hospitalization of a business partner, key employer/employee, or host at final destination
  • Job transfer or involuntary job loss
  • Many other scenarios
We highly recommend trip cancellation insurance to those booking ACC huts or Adventures as well as personal trips. In the event that you are forced to cancel your trip due to an emergency this would cover you for the cost of hut cancellation fees or the non-refundable deposits on camps and courses, as well as the accompanying travel arrangements.

For more information about Tugo's trip cancellation and interruption insurance, click here.

FAQ

We have put together some answers to questions we frequently receive here at the National Office about TuGo Travel Insurance. If your question is not listed here, please feel free to call us at the numbers on the top of this page.

How can I ensure the ACC benefits from my purchase?

Buy your insurance using the “Online Quote” link or phone numbers at the top of this page. If you end up finalizing your purchase with TuGo directly please reference ALP762.
 
Is there a discount for active ACC members?

Not currently, but there could be with your help! TuGo won’t currently give us preferable pricing for members. But if we get enough sales through the ALP762 code, this can be negotiated.
 
I am rock climbing, bouldering or trekking, what optional coverage do I need?

Typically none. Unless your activity is specifically listed under the Contact, Adventure or Extreme Sports & Activities Optional Coverage, it is covered under the base policy.
 
What about trad climbing or rock climbing in an alpine environment?

Pitched rock climbing using traditional protection is typically treated in the same way as sport climbing i.e. typically no optional coverage is needed. However, if you are crossing snow/ice to access your climbs or require the use of crampons or an ice axe, you are considered to be mountaineering and would require the coverage described below.
 
I am ice climbing, mountaineering (6000m below) and/or backcountry skiing, how do I make sure my policy covers this activity?

You will need the Adventure Sport Optional Coverage. Click “customize” under the Emergency Medical Plan. And check the Adventure Sports box.
 
I am mountaineering over 6000m, how do I make sure my policy covers this activity?

You will need the Extreme Sport Optional Coverage. Click “customize” under the Emergency Medical medical plan. And check the Extreme Sports box.
 
Where is the line drawn between mountaineering and rock climbing?
TuGo define mountaineering as "the act of climbing or descending a mountain using specialized equipment including but not limited to pickaxes, ice axes, anchors, bolts, crampons, carabineers and lead or top rope anchoring equipment."

Three components of this distinguish mountaineering from rock climbing: i. you are aiming to reach the summits of mountains ii. there is a possibility of travelling over snow or ice on your climb or on the approach to your climb iii. you are carrying ice tools, an ice axe or crampons. 

If some or all of these things apply to you, you should ensure you have the correct optional coverage: Adventure Sport Optional Coverage for under 6000m, Extreme Sport Optional Coverage for over 6000m. 
Tell me more about TuGo

TuGo is a third-party administrator (TPA) of travel insurance products and services. They develop and administer a variety of travel insurance plans for Canadian business and leisure travelers, visitors to Canada and international students studying in Canada. Their plans can be found in automobile associations, insurance brokerages, banks, credit unions, travel agencies, tour operators and airlines across Canada. TuGo has protected Canadian travelers for over 50 years. To find out more about other insurance options, visit the TuGo website at TuGo.com or call them direct at 1-855-929-TuGo (1-855-929-8846). Please quote Reference #ALP762, as the ACC benefits whenever this code is used.
 
How can I speak to TuGo directly?

Visit TuGo.com or call TuGo’s Customer Service at 1-855-929-8846, and reference Alpine Club (ALP762)
 
Does my park pass cover the cost of air evacuations?

To some extent, yes. In Canadian national parks, your purchased park pass will cover the cost of emergency air evacuation if valid. However, this is not the case for provincial parks or if you are outside park boundaries. Once evacuated from the park, you could still be on the hook for ground ambulance fees, hospital fees etc. and so we typically recommend purchasing emergency medical insurance even if you are intending to recreate in a national park.
 
Will the TuGo emergency medical policy cover me in the case that I need air evacuation from the mountains?

If you have the correct optional coverage for your activity, the policy will cover emergency air evacuation if this is required for a medical emergency. Please note, this would not apply if you were simply lost in the mountains.
 
Where can I find the fine print of the terms and conditions?

TuGo Travel Insurance is subject to conditions and exclusions. For details, see the policy in English or French.
Can I purchase travel insurance if I am travelling in-province?

Unfortunately, TuGo insurance is only available to travellers leaving their home province. We understand there are members requiring insurance for in-province travel (e.g. to backcountry ski huts in BC from Vancouver) and are seeking to fill this gap in our offerings with rescue insurance attached to an ACC membership. Watch this space!

    Get a Quote    

Speak to a licensed ACC staff member: 

Mon-Thu (9am-5pm): Micki Chong 403 678 3200 ext. 222

(Please note: due to licensing bureaucracy we are only able to offer insurance advice to Alberta residents over the phone)

 

You can also speak to TuGo directly on 1-855-929-8846. Please reference the ACC code: ALP762

  Ensure you select the Adventure Sports Optional Coverage if you are backcountry skiing, ice climbing or mountaineering (under 6000m)

Why do we sell Tugo Travel Insurance?

 TuGo's emergency medical policy can cover activities things like rock climbing, trekking, backcountry skiing, ice climbing and mountaineering.

TuGo policies represent the great value for our members and the mountain community, with emergency medical policies starting from just $15 per day.

If buying through TuGo directly, please use one of the ACC codes - ALP762 (phone), ALP000 (web) - each sale sees the Club receive a small commission which helps us provide services to our members and the wider community. 

Our licensed Alpine Club staff members understand alpine activities and can give informed advice on insuring your mountain adventures.