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> Most people that climb Everest take out insurance that protects them from a cancellation of their trip. It is the insurance companies that, in turn, refuse p
by chimeracoder 11y ago
> Most people that climb Everest take out insurance that protects them from a cancellation of their trip. It is the insurance companies that, in turn, refuse payment to the Sherpa.
That can't be the full story, though. Because the obvious answer to that is that the Sherpa mountaineers should purchase insurance against cancellation of bookings (this is quite common for tourist attractions in more developed economies).
Underwriting this insurance would be quite easy, because the people who underwrite the insurance policies for the tourist climbers should be quite happy to underwrite policies for the Sherpa mountaineers as well.
- takk309 11y agoYou raise a very good point about the Sherpa needing to have insurance against a failed expedition. Sadly, they rarely even have life insurance. An article from Rock and Ice cites a death benefit of $4,600 in 2013.[1] [1] http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/exploitation-everest-sherpas-no-longer-willing-to-grin-and-bear-it http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/exploitation-everest-sh...
- drzaiusapelord 11y agoThe GDP per capita in Nepal is $700. So $4,600 is 6.5 years of wages. That's like someone in the west who makes $100,000 a year having a $650,000 life insurance. Which is a whole hell of a lot more than the one my employer offers.
- Scarblac 11y agoIn this case, it would be the Sherpas deciding that they didn't want to continue. Do you see any insurance companies paying out such a policy when it was their own choice?