Injured or stuck in the middle of nowhere? Overwatch x Rescue (OxR) is a subscription service that coordinates rescue operations and covers the costs when you break down or get injured in the backcountry, for $80 a year.
The service comes from FocusPoint International, who say they coordinate 15,000 rescues annually across 220+ countries, and have been doing so for over 15 years. They also say the average air ambulance costs $36,400, should you need one, but they’ll cover it if you need it.
While technically (and legally) not “insurance”, it’s basically rescue insurance for people like us who drive vehicles that are often modified in our garage and 10-20 years old with 200k miles on the clock.
One important caveat, this isn’t vehicle recovery service…it’s personal recovery if you get lost, stranded, or injured. That said, you can contact them and they’ll help arrange vehicle recovery for you, which is super helpful if you’re in the middle of nowhere and don’t have cell service or know who to call.
Overwatch x Rescue Key Features
- Works with iPhone (14 and newer), Android phones with satellite capability, and dedicated satellite communicators (Garmin inReach, ZOLEO, SPOT)
- Covers up to three devices per account, useful when your primary device decides to stop working at the worst possible moment
- No altitude restrictions, no activity exclusions, no coverage caps
- Crisis Response Center stays on the line through the entire incident, not just the initial SOS button press
- Coordinates everything from vehicle extraction to Medevac helicopters and covers the bill
The multi-device support matters more than it sounds. GPS units get dropped, phones overheat, batteries die. Having backup devices linked to the same account means you’re not stranded because your phone took a swim. Maybe there’s still a reason for non-phone GPS communicators after all…
Two caveats: The iPhone satellite SOS currently only works in US, Mexico, and Canada, and they coordinate and cover the cost of rescue but don’t own helicopters or employ SAR teams themselves, those are contracted through third party services nearest your location.
Bottom Line? Eighty bucks is cheaper than one ambulance ride, let alone a helicopter ride out of the mountains.
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