Many people enjoy hiking outdoors, and some love exploring places off the beaten path. However, there are dangers associated with such activities. This is why some people turn to Garmin products like the inReach. However, the Garmin inReach may no longer be particularly enticing. Especially with Garmin halting the sale of SAR Insurance to customers outside the US and Canada.
SAR Insurance no longer available to international customers
According to a post on Reddit, many international Garmin users are discovering that the SAR Insurance is no longer available for purchase. The original poster of the thread, Jeremyze, says, “This is crazy, as Garmin suddenly stopped sales of SAR insurance for all residents expect the ones residing in US and Canada. I am an UK resident, I got my inreach for a bit now, but never activated it because I’d didn’t need to use it, especially with the new plans, I was going to go on a ski touring mission today(lucky cancelled due to weather).”
They added, “I activated my inreach and tried to purchase the insurance last night, and the order got cancelled three times in a row by Garmin. I called Garmin UK this morning, and they had no clue, I just got an email back saying that the just got word about this sudden crazy change today. Just called up Garmin US, they were not very nice, but they confirmed that it was true, and a surprise for them as well.”
Other users have also chimed in, echoing a similar situation that they have encountered as well. Garmin has yet to explain why it is no longer offering SAR Insurance to customers outside of the US and Canada.
What is SAR Insurance?
So, is this a big deal? Yes. For those unfamiliar, tools like Garmin’s inReach are crucial among hikers and people who love exploring the wilderness. They offer features like satellite communication, SOS functionality, and more. This is critical for outdoorsy users who might need emergency help.
However, since search and rescue operations aren’t free, insurance kicks in. It helps users cover the cost of a rescue operation in the event it is necessary. Without that insurance, users will have to pay out of pocket. In some cases, these operations can cost thousands of dollars, which is money some people do not have.
According to the comments, some users are pointing to alternative insurance programs. This includes Overwatch x Rescue, which is supposed to be better. We have no affiliation with them, so we can’t speak to their programs, but it might be worth checking out if you live outside the US or Canada.
