Seeing how base jumping is considered one of the most dangerous recreational activities worldwide. Therefore, it is understandable why a base jumper would want to purchase a life insurance policy. However, it is also easy to see why a life insurance company may be hesitant to insure a base jumper, no matter how healthy they are. Therefore, it is crucial to discuss the available life insurance options for individuals who actively participate in base jumping.

Questions that will be addressed in this article will include:

• What is Base Jumping?
• Why do life insurance companies care about Base Jumping?
• What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?
• What kind of rate (or price) can I qualify for?
• What can I do to help ensure that I get the “best life insurance” for me?

So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!

What is Base Jumping?

Since there are some many different adrenaline sports out there nowadays that can sort of “blend” into one another, the first that we want to do is just briefly explain what we mean when we talk about “base jumping.”

So, for our purposes…

Here in this article, Base Jumping will be defined as a recreational sport where you jump from a point using a parachute or wingsuit to help you fly through the sky. The name of the sport actually comes from the categories of places from which you might jump:

B:  building,

A:  antenna,

S:  span, or earth.

E:  Earth, which usually means a cliff or mountainside.

And as you’ll notice, there is no mention of the word “airplane” in the description of this sport, which is why Base Jumping is considered a separate sport by those who participate in them and by the life insurance industry as well.

Why do life insurance companies care about Base Jumping?

Pretty much any time someone chooses to engage in an activity that would be considered by most to be dangerous, it’s fair to say that most life insurance companies are going to be a little “bit” interested in it especially if the activity in question requires someone to leap off a building or cliff for the sole purpose of experiencing a MASSIVE rush of adrenaline! 

And the funny thing is that…

Base Jumpers, unlike other folks who like to Sky Dive, Rock Climb, or Bungee Jump, know (and are generally willing to admit) that their sport is dangerous. We know this because very few Base Jumpers like to claim that their sport isn’t all that dangerous.  

In fact…

Base jumping is considered an extremely dangerous sport, and it’s safe to assume that those who are passionate about it and deeply involved in the community likely know someone who has died while jumping.

To put things into perspective, statistics show that base jumping accidents result in death in about 1 out of every 2,300 jumps. This alarming rate highlights the severe risks associated with this activity.

When compared to skydiving, which only results in one death per three million jumps, one may want to seriously reconsider whether or not they want to continue base jumping.

With that in mind, let’s move on to our next topic…

What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?

Insurance companies will likely ask for a variety of information regarding your base jumping activity to determine your risk level and insurance options. Some common questions they may ask include:

1. How many years of experience do you have in base jumping?
2. How many base jumps have you completed?
3. Have you ever had any accidents or injuries while base jumping?
4. Do you have any professional training or certifications in base jumping?
5. What type of gear and equipment do you use when base jumping?
6. Do you jump alone or with a group?
7. What type of base jumping do you typically engage in (e.g., cliff jumping, bridge jumping, etc.)?
8. How often do you base jump?
9. What safety precautions do you take before, during, and after a jump?
10. Have you ever been denied insurance coverage or had an insurance claim denied due to base jumping in the past?

Based on your answers to these questions, the insurance company will assess your risk level and determine whether or not they are willing to offer you coverage. They may also offer specialized insurance policies designed for high-risk activities like base jumping.

What kind of rate (or price) can I qualify for?

Unlike other adventure or high-risk sports, where an insurance company may choose to approve one’s application (albeit at a higher rate). Most (if not all) traditional life insurance companies are going to choose to Deny anyone who actively participates in Base Jumping.

That said, however…

Some life insurance companies may be willing to offer you a Preferred or Preferred Plus rate, provided you accept a “base jumping exclusion” on your policy. This means that you would be fully insured as long as your death was not related to a base jumping accident.

While this may not be ideal for base jumpers, there are a couple of advantages. Firstly, you would still be insured if you were to die from an accident unrelated to base jumping, such as a motor vehicle accident or a slip and fall accident. Secondly, you would be covered for any natural cause of death, such as a heart attack, stroke, or cancer.

Furthermore, by accepting a base jumping exclusion, you could avoid added “flat rate” charges that are often added to high-risk life insurance applicants. These charges can cause life insurance to become costly.

However, it is important to note that you would not be insured while base jumping. This is why at IBUSA, we take the time to learn about our clients’ activities when participating in high-risk activities like base jumping. There are instances where a life insurance company may make an exception in certain situations.

It’s also why…

We may try and find an Accidental Death Policy that does not have a specific exclusion for base jumpers that might be available to some individuals as well.

*** Important Note ***

While Accidental Death Policies are designed to provide coverage against dying in an accident, many will have exclusions for deaths caused by participating in dangerous activities such as Base Jumping. For this reason, please be sure that you confirm with the insurance company directly that you would be covered if you died while jumping.

This brings us to our final topic today, which is…

What can I do to improve my chances of purchasing the “right” life insurance policy for me?

In our experiences here at IBUSA, we’ve found that usually, the “best” approach in helping someone find the “best” life insurance policy for them is to first:

• Fully understand what an individual is trying to achieve by purchasing their life insurance policy.
  • Are you looking to:
    • Cover the cost of a mortgage?
    • Replace lost wages?
    • Protect a child or spouse?
    • Or just cover one’s final expenses?
• Then provide one with plenty of options to choose from so that you’re not limited to just one or two different options.

This is why…

We here at IBUSA choose to work with so many different life insurance companies so that when it comes time to help you decide “which” life insurance company is going to be the best for you, we don’t have to apply a…

“One Size Fits All”

Approach. Instead, we can make dozens of different life insurance companies compete for your business.

So, what are you waiting for? Give us a call today and experience the IBUSA difference.