Main differences between service provided by 'Global rescue' and Spot's 'GEOS SAR'

[hebbo]

Hi there,

I am not very familiar when it comes to rescue insurance so I was wondering whether anyone here could answer my question.

What are the main differences between service provided by 'Global rescue' and Spot's 'GEOS SAR' service?

https://www.globalrescue.com/benefits.cfm

GEOS Member Rescue Benefit

For what I can read, both services will coordinate the rescue for you and both will cover the cost of the rescue operation until a certain amount ( in the recognised countries).

What am I missing here?

I am looking into my options to get medical/rescue insurance for my trip. I was thinking about getting a Travel Insurance plus the Spot's GEOS membership (since I will bringing one along).

Thanks for your help.

Angel

[stephen.stallebrass]

My views:

Originally Posted by stephen.stallebrass

I use a Spot but only because I have a worrisome family so the tracking and messaging is useful. You pay for the device and a yearly subscription. It's not too expensive. You can get cheap top up insurance to cover Search and rescue. Coverage is okay but has blind spots, okay for Russia though.

If I didn't need the tracking & messaging I would have used a mcmurdo fast find personal locator beacon. Better coverage (GPS & radio location). It's a one off use so no subscription so cheaper in long run. Battery lasts a very long time too but are replaceable.

Some good comparisons on YouTube.

Originally Posted by stephen.stallebrass

If your using a spot and your'e in a country without a state operated S&R service be sure to get the top-up insurance.

Without it a rescue could bankrupt you. Remember most countries will have a private or military S&R service which may be contracted to come and rescue you.

When I was in Mongolia I heard that the US military, which has an 'unofficial' presence in the country, carried out a search and rescue of someone.

[hebbo]

Originally Posted by stephen.stallebrass

My views:

Thanks for the clarification. My intention is to get the Spot device plus the subscription and the top-up S&R service. The tracking capability of the device will give some piece of mind to those back at home.

THe "blind spots" of the service ar the following: Afghanistan, Chechnya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Somalia, and Israel (West Bank, Gaza, and Occupied Territories ONLY).
Which is OK for me.

My question was more along the lines of what's the difference between this option and the service provided by Global Rescue? The difference in price is quite considerable:
- Spot annual subscription + S&R cover = 49.99 + 17.99 USD/year (+ 100USD approx. for the device)
- Global Rescue medical annual premium = 639.00 USD.

The only difference I can see is that Global Rescue includes not only the S&R cover, but also the repatriation service/cover and they have got their own "Deployable medical, security, and rescue teams".

I think this can be covered by any Travel Insurance which will cover the repatriation and the medical expenses related with the accident.

Am I missing something here?

Thanks for your help again.

Angel

[Oo-SEB-oO]

When I bought one last year it was marked that the rescue service was not included in Russia.

I have the normal SPOT device,(even without the tracking option) as personally I don't feel the need for all the S&R thing. Just use it once a day to let family know where we are.

[Oo-SEB-oO]

FYI:

2.1.1 SOS Emergency.This is included as part of your SPOT Basic Service. With a current SPOT Basic Service subscription, you may use your SPOT Product for emergency purposes. SPOT has contracted with a third party provider, Travel Safety Group dba GEOS (“GEOS”), to provide SOS emergency monitoring services. Provision of SOS Emergency services is subject to the terms of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the limitations of liability set forth in Section 6. SPOT intends that the GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center (the “IERCC”) will be available at all times in all locations where your SPOT Product works; however, it is possible that at some times and some locations, the IERCC will not receive your transmission or that your transmission will be delayed.The emergency responder(s) shall determine when, how, even if, to conduct a search and rescue in accordance with their standard policies and procedures, subject to such constraints as operational limitations, available resources, technical feasibility, meteorological conditions, medical and/or safety concerns whether for you or the emergency responder(s). In no event does the Agreement create a duty to rescue.

[Oo-SEB-oO]

And:

2.7 GEOS Search and Rescue Membership. Should you choose to purchase the optional Search and Rescue membership provided by GEOS (“GEOS SAR Membership”), such contract will be directly between you and GEOS. SPOT is not a party and in no way liable to you for any damages or claims that may arise in connection with such optional Search and Rescue service and is not responsible for GEOS’ performance of such service. The terms and conditions of the GEOS SAR Membership are located at GEOS | sar. The optional GEOS SAR Membership is billed on an annual basis, and is dedicated to the primary registered user. As further provided at GEOS | sar and subject to the terms set forth therein, the scope of GEOS SAR Membership includes payment, by GEOS, of up to $100,000 in any one year, limited to $50,000 for any one incident, for the provision of necessary additional Search and Rescue resources (including helicopter and private search teams etc.) up to the single incident limit for a period not exceeding 72 hours from the time of call for assistance, where these are requested by the appropriate rescue authorities, and which are necessary to prevent injury or illness or danger to human life as a result of an unforeseeable emergency or to pay for any costs and expenses claimed against you by the appropriate rescue authorities. Provision of additional resources under this service must be first authorized by GEOS.GEOS has contracted with a major insurance underwriter to underwrite this policy. This benefit does not apply in certain circumstances and is subject to other restrictions and limitations. Additional GEOS Memberships may be purchased directly from GEOS as further provided at http://www.geosalliance.com/sar_multiple_family.html. Corporate Search and Rescue memberships may also be purchased directly from GEOS if more than one employee seeks to use a unit, see pricing and terms and conditions at http://www.geosalliance.com/sar_mult...tml.Commercial users that are offering the SPOT for rent and/or lease may contact GEOS at questions@geosalliance.com to obtain information and pricing for provision of the Search and Rescue memberships to your customers. This membership benefit relates to the search and rescue related and/or extraction related costs and does not cover medical expenses. The GEOS SAR Membership search and rescue benefit is for any additional costs incurred or those costs not covered by existing medical or travel cover. Claims should be made direct through the GEOS Members web site, which can be accessed using the user name and password provided to you for access to the GEOS Members site. All claims are dealt with by the GEOS underwriters at Lloyds of London.NOTE: The IERCC will not refuse to call out additional emergency response services when advised by first responders that such additional services are necessary. In such cases where a member activates his or her SOS signal for an emergency and it later transpires that the additional rescue service was not required or covered by the terms and conditions of the GEOS SAR Membership, the member will be liable for the whole cost.

[hebbo]

Hi Seb,

thanks for your reply.

Originally Posted by Oo-SEB-oO

FYI:
In no event does the Agreement create a duty to rescue.

Yes, I guess it is important to set the expectations right about the service provided by GEOS and the Spot device itself, since it may be not be able to establish satellite communicate in some remote areas.

I had a look on the GEOS website and it is quite clear what the service provided by GEOS is about and what this extra membership is useful for:

GEOS | Worldwide Search and Rescue
GEOS | FAQ

Thanks for the info.