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My little bro said that buying a fishing license in CO gives you search and rescue insurance. From what I have researched, this does not seem to be the case. The 25cents that is charged on the license for search and rescue if just a fee and I have not read that it is insurance should you need Search and Rescue (SAR) services. Does anyone know for sure?

You are correctamundo Katie and little bro is off the mark.

From the Colorado Department of Local Affairs:
Why Buy a CORSAR Card?
Colorado residents and visitors are well served by dedicated volunteer search and rescue teams, but mission costs are often in the thousands of dollars. By purchasing a CORSAR card you are contributing to the Search and Rescue Fund, which will reimburse these teams for costs incurred in your search and rescue. Funds remaining at the end of the year are used to help pay for training and equipment for these teams. Anyone with a current hunting/fishing license, or boat, snowmobile, ATV registration is already covered by the fund.

The CORSAR Card Is Not Insurance
The card is not insurance and does not reimburse individuals nor does it pay for medical transport. Medical transport includes helicopter flights or ground ambulance. If aircraft are used as a search vehicle, those costs are reimbursed by the fund. If the aircraft becomes a medical transport due to a medical emergency, the medical portion of the transport is not covered.

Purchase a Card
The CORSAR cards are available for $3 for one year and $12 for five years, and can be purchased at over 300 retailers in the state. You may also purchase cards online. Please visit one of these links:

For the cost of the card, you have helped ensure that trained and well equipped search and rescue teams will respond should you become lost or in need of rescue. Furthermore, volunteers will not have to incur undue expense due to your emergency.

Yikes!

In California all this stuff is free!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luDgb5vVHuA[/youtube]

You will never be charged for search and rescue services. The only time you will get a bill is if you need medical care ie.. ambulance or helicopter transportation after you have been found and evacuated. People are afraid they will get a bill so they delay calling for help. Please call right away if you need help waiting just makes it worse. The CORSAR card money goes into a pot and gets divided up for all the teams in the state so they can buy equipment needed for their services.

You can join AAC for some rescue insurance coverage:

http://americanalpineclub.org/p/global_rescue

A pretty good bargain for $75 a year.

Sarah