UKH

I've just been reviewing my need for BMC membership and compared their costs with the Austrian Alpine Club(UK Section) These are the comparative costs for one year's membership and one (hypothetical) trip to the alps or similar.

BMC                                         AAC

Membership £39.95                Membership £40

Insurance £70.00                     Search and Rescue included

Reciprocal Rights £45              Hut discount Included

                                                 Stand alone Travel insurance £45

Total £154.95                            £85

I really can't see any point in stumping up another £70 for the BMC "deal" or am I missing something?

In reply to MrsBuggins:

I have both currently because it was cheaper than buying BMC insurance for a trip earlier this year. I'm seriously considering sacking off my BMC membership.

In reply to MrsBuggins:

Won't you miss the summit magazine

In reply to MrsBuggins:

Presumably there are other people out there like me who join the BMC because of the work it does on climbing and hiking access and conservation in the UK. I've never even considered it in the way you suggest. So why not join the other organisation if it's services in/for the Alps you need?

In reply to MrsBuggins:

Minor correction: AAC insurance covers rescue, medical care and repatriation. It's quite an important distinction; even in France you could end up with some very steep medical bills if you end up in the wrong hospital, of which the EHIC will only apparently cover 20%.

One indirect benefit of BMC membership is supporting the work they do to ensure access to many of our crags.

In reply to MrsBuggins:

I am a cub member with BMC affiliation which is a lot cheaper than the full membership, I don't stay in alpine huts so to me the cost of this plus annual BMC insurance is cheaper than AAC.  Horses for courses.  Also I'm happy to chip in for the cost of running the BMC for the work they do on access etc

In reply to MrsBuggins:

I doubt the AAC have done much for British climbing. No reason they would, being Austrian...

In reply to tehmarks:

"Stand alone travel insurance"

In reply to MrsBuggins:as ever Brexit enters the picture - if the UK leaves with no deal or whatever, then access for UK citizens to European healthcare will change. I fear that as AAc insurance reflects access to that healthcare the current situation might change?

In reply to MrsBuggins:on the upside you're doing a great service to crag access in Austria

In reply to MrsBuggins:

The free part of AAC insurance covers rescue, medical costs and repatriation. It's an important note because the rescue could easily be the least expensive part of any incident.

The work done by the BMC is more than worth the membership money. We will ALL be a lot worse off without the BMC as citizens in general, even more so as climbers and hikers.

In reply to mauraman:

I'd add most of their work is done by volunteers.. the fees just pay for the organisational coordination and lobbying tip of the iceberg. Their latest Hills to Ocean litter-picking initiative is a good example. 

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/h2o-bmc-hills-2-oceans-campaign-litter-pick

Lots more detail of what the BMC is and does is here in the annual report summary especially the graphics on p.3.

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/Handlers/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=1754

In reply to All:

Happy to report that, following negotiations with the BMC, I am maintaining my membership.

In reply to MrsBuggins:

Says BMC membership is only £19.97 by direct debit, so why wouldn't we!

In reply to MrsBuggins:

Well BMC is BRITISH and AAC is EU, and we KNOW what YOU think about THAT.

In reply to Deadeye:

Right now BMC is as EU as AAC.

The fact that we have the choice, with benefits to both individuals and national federations, is a wonderful example of how the EU successfully manages to balance national interests with international opportunity, without prejudicing any EU citizens 

In reply to john arran:

Yes John - I was poking fun at the OP's nom de plume, givent he beef they have and the proposed solution.

In reply to Misha:

Spot on. It's not just a question of "me" or "I", that's a narrow and in effect, selfish attitude. it's more about the common good that the BMC does for British climbing. BMC owned crags and access arrangements with land owners.. being prime examples.

In reply to tehmarks:

Exactly 

just heard a story about a walker who broke a leg abroad. Treatment paid for but then needed 3 seats for the flight home, assistance, taxi home etc etc 

In reply to tehmarks:

I see your AAC and BMC insurances and raise you CAF insurance. €180 for the entire year gets you insured worldwide, to any altitude. This seems too good to be true, but I’ve read the insurance docs with a fine-tooth comb and can’t find anything up with it. I’ve not had to use it yet (thankfully) but it’s saved me plenty of money on expeditions. 

Worth adding also that BMC and AAC are worth their membership fees for access to grants alone (if you’re into that). £34/year membership fee for the BMC makes you eligible for thousands of pounds of support. 

In reply to MrsBuggins:

Very depressing to see BMC membership benefits reduced to the financial cost of insurance and hut usage. It's very reminiscent of Thatcher-era elections fought on how many pounds you could expect to have in your pocket, regardless of any societal benefit you may be losing unless you use some of those pounds to help pay for it separately.

The bottom line is that British climbing needs a British climbing community to contribute, whether that be in voluntary effort or in paid membership, or both. Reducing it to individual financial benefits is missing the point by a country mile.

In reply to john arran:

Well said

In reply to Tim Davies:

Same when my Mum injured herself skiing. BMC insurance also paid for hotel for someone to accompany her whilst still abroad, organised the flights, etc...  If you have the readies to stump up the cash, and the where-with-all to organise it from your hospital bed (assuming you're conscious) then great, go for it.