MCofS and SUMMIT FINANCIAL SERVICES - Providing Financial Protection for Climbers

MCofS and Summit Financial Services are pleased to offer a specialist service to members.

For many years, insurance underwriters have considered climbers a peculiar breed of people, engaging in an absurd activity with no appreciation of danger and having little regard for their own safety. All in all, a pretty bad risk to be involved with. Hence, they increased their premiums for life insurance in order to pay for an unquantifiable risk or simply to deter them from applying for cover.

Summit Financial Services has developed to dispel this myth. They have forged strong links with major insurance companies. No longer is the climber considered an unquantifiable risk but he or she is carefully assessed upon their climbing ability, the location of their climbing, the altitude to which they climb, the type of climbing undertaken and various other criteria. Speculation has now been removed. Summit Financial Services has worked hard with underwriters to assist in fair deals being made available where the climber is seen as someone engaged in a recognised sport with a responsible attitude to risk.

Summit Financial Services can offer unbeatable rates with exclusive schemes. They assess a risk before it is placed with an underwriter and are able to offer a qualified price, taking into account your climbing at the time of enquiry thus saving a lot of wasted time and energy.

When you are next considering taking out life insurance or critical illness, perhaps with a mortgage or to protect your family, look further than your high street broker, bank or building society. Don’t be fobbed off by the banker who doesn’t know his karabiner from his elbow or the financial adviser who thinks that Denali is a type of curry from the northern reaches of India.

Make sure that you obtain cover that includes your climbing activities. If you don’t tell the insurance company that you climb then they are within their rights not to pay out. The chances are that you may well get cover to include your climbing at the same price as the couch potato!

What Cover is Available?

1. Mortgage Protection

- Normally decreasing cover in line with outstanding mortgage liability on a repayment mortgage

- Critical illness cover can be added

2. Level Term Assurance

- This provides a financial protection for dependants

- Critical illness may be added

- This cover is for a defined period with a defined sum assured

- This cover is often required for business use also

3. Critical Illness Cover

- Critical illness cover will pay a lump sum on the diagnosis of a specified illness described in the policy. This could be a serious illness such as a

heart attack cancer, stroke or kidney failure

4. Income Protection

- This type of policy would pay regular income in the event of you being unable to work through ill health after a certain chosen period and would continue to be paid until your selected retirement date. The benefit is limited to a proportion of income and should cover financial commitments such as mortgage repayments, car finances and household bills etc.

Climbers’ Comments

“In the past I have been frustrated at answering irrelevant questions from companies who clearly have no idea about what is involved with climbing. I have been more than pleased with the common sense approach that you had when helping sort out my life insurance – you acted as a buffer between my sanity and the insurers tick boxes. I have no hesitation in recommending your services to others who are looking for insurance cover. Thanks again.” Bill Strachan – 08/06/2009

“Thank you for your efficient and friendly service in setting up this policy. It’s good to know that there is a company which understands the needs of climbers and mountaineers, and can obtain access to sensible premiums for us.” Iain Stewart – 12/06/2009

It is well known that climbers enjoy a challenge, but applying for life insurance shouldn’t be another one. You’ve better things to do with your time!

How to Apply

When contacting Summit Financial Services and to benefit from the specialist terms available to MCofS members, ensure that you state that you are an Individual Member or a member of a Club Member of the MCofS.

Contact:

Summit Financial Services, 135 Northenden Road, Sale Moor, Manchester M33 3HF

Telephone: 0844-579-1008

email: summitfs.website@googlemail.com

For a free on-line quotation: http://www.summit-fs.co.uk/

Published 30 June 2009