You love the outdoors. No matter the weather, you’re eager to slip on your hiking boots and see nature in all its glory. You’ve visited all your local state parks and even camped at some of the largest national ones like Yosemite.
Like many other hikers, you haven’t had the misfortune of a major injury on the trail. But they do happen. Like the one in five Americans who get hurt every year, you’re just one bad step from a minor, or major, injury.1
What’s in this article
- What are common hiking injuries?
- What are hiking injuries to watch out for?
- What’s the cost of treating hiking injuries?
- How can supplemental health insurance protect your health and finances?
What are common hiking injuries?
Hikers face a variety of potential injuries while exploring paths and the outdoors. If you’re wondering what they are, Backpacker Magazine compiled a list from injury data from the National Outdoor Leadership School2:- Strains and sprains
- Abdominal pain
- Allergic reactions
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Toothaches and chipped chompers
- Frostnip and frostbite
- Flesh wounds
- Blisters
- Cuts and scrapes
- Burns
- Flu-like illness
- Genito-urinary illness.
- Broken and dislocated bones
Most injuries could be treated with a mix of common sense, a first-aid kit, and rest. Wearing proper footwear and clothes helps a great deal too.
In most instances, you’ll be able to make it off the trail and back to civilization for any additional medical help.
But some injuries might merit more than just a bandage and ointment.
What are hiking injuries to watch out for?
Major injuries like a broken bone can end a hike in an instant. You might be able to create a splint and walk out on your own. Or you might need the help of a search and rescue squad to carry you off the mountain to a waiting ambulance for treatment.A survey of hikers who traveled the Pacific Crest Trail, which extends from Mexico to Canada on the West Coast, cited the overuse of a foot or leg as the top reason to end a hike.3Other injuries included4:
- Broken bone (foot)
- Stress fracture (leg)
- Torn Tendon
- Stress fracture (foot)
- Back Injury
- Hip Injury
- Knee Injury
- Plantar fasciitis
- Concussion.
What’s the cost to treat hiking injuries?
Most common hiking injuries can be handled with the contents of the standard first-aid kit. An elastic bandage, moleskin, and painkillers can go a long way to help alleviate any pain or discomfort you might have.But for more serious injuries that can end your hike, the cost could be much greater.
Imagine you’re on the trail, fall, and break your leg.
Treatment for your leg could set you back up to $7,500, according to HealthCare.gov5.
If you’re unable to walk, then a search and rescue team will have to bring you out of the wilderness. That could cost somewhere between $500 to $3,000.6
Next, the ambulance ride to the hospital could cost you from $940 to $1,277, depending on your location and the level of care you need.7
What if your injury is more severe and you have to be flown?
A ride by airplane will cost on average $24,507; one by helicopter will run $30,446.8
Other injuries to watch out for carry equally hefty price tags for standard treatment9:
- Ankle sprain: $292 to $2,268
- Ankle fracture: $1,908 to $19,555
- Foot fracture: $998 to $21,801.
How can supplemental health insurance protect your health and finances?
If you have health insurance, it’ll likely cover most charges to treat any major injury you incur while hiking.But all major medical health insurance and Medicare have some amount of out-of-pocket payments you’re responsible for.
If you purchased a high-deductible health plan, you’re possibly facing deductibles as high as $9,450 for individuals or $18,900 in 2024 for a family before your insurance pays for any care.10
So how do you protect your health and finances from an unforeseen accident on a hiking trail?
The first step: take precautions before going out on a hike. Make sure you have the right footwear and gear. Pack a first-aid kit. Travel with a companion.
The next step: look into ways to limit your out-of-pocket exposure should you need emergency medical care. Supplemental health insurance is one option that can provide cash payments directly to you if you’re hurt. In many instances, you’re able to use the money however you want or need.
For instance, accident insurance pays you if you get injured hiking. You can use it to pay off your five-figure deductible or help cover the costs of flying you to a hospital.
Depending on the kind of plan you enroll in, you could receive anywhere from $2,500 to $16,000.
What if you’re injured and can’t go back to work? Well, accident disability insurance can provide monthly payments to help with the income drought.
Hospitalized? Hospital indemnity insurance can help pay for the $18,150 you may be on the hook.1112
Getting hurt is no fun and neither is receiving the bill for medical care. But getting supplemental insurance to protect your health and finances is a preventive easy step to take.
Next Steps
Remember: most hikes won’t end in injury. You may go years without a sprain or misstep.
But that doesn’t mean it won’t ever happen.
Take basic precautions, buy a first-aid kit, and get yourself the right gear for the trails.
Then protect your wallet and finances with added assurance to help out-of-pocket costs for emergency care.
