For $80, SOS Service Will Pay for Your Backcountry Rescue

Traditionally, staying safe on outdoor adventures has meant purchasing expensive GPS devices, and then paying even more for insurance covering costly rescues.

But the status quo is changing fast.

An expanded subscription service may offer the cheapest way to ensure financial coverage of backcountry rescues. With its global launch today, Overwatch x Rescue (OxR) is the first SOS plan to take advantage of the satellite capabilities added to newer-model iPhones two years ago. For $80 a year, iPhone owners in North America can get access to 24/7 emergency assistance that also covers the cost of rescues, including air ambulances.

Moreover, OxR is compatible with GPS devices like SPOT X, Garmin inReach, ZOLEO Satellite Communicator, or the new HMD OffGrid. And because the annual plan supports up to three devices at a time, a backcountry hiker could potentially bring along both an iPhone and GPS device for redundancy.

FocusPoint International’s Crisis Response Center in Sunrise, Fla., which supports the Overwatch x Rescue service. Photo: FocusPoint International

Backed by FocusPoint International, which coordinates 15,000 rescues a year around the world, OxR could “democratize access” to emergency support, said Greg Pearson, the company’s founder and CEO.

“I’ve taken away the messiness of insurance,” said Pearson last week. “I’m in the business of rescuing people and covering the cost along the way.”

‘Paying for your ride’

OxR first debuted during the pandemic in 2021 when FocusPoint International was asked to take over SOS coordination for SPOT devices. Garmin had bought up SPOT’s previous provider, GEOS SOS, forcing SPOT’s parent company to find a new partner.

For the last few years, OxR has been available only to users of SPOT devices, who could purchase the SOS plan as an add-on.

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As Pearson developed the new service — an outgrowth of FocusPoint’s experience in emergency response — he saw the need for improved insurance coverage in the outdoors. He recalled a friend who was injured while hiking and, after using an emergency satellite device, was rushed to a trauma center by ambulance. Pearson said he received a $1,800 bill that his insurance refused to cover.

“It turns out that happens thousands of times every year in the U.S.,” Pearson said. “Don’t pay that, and then try to seek reimbursement. Just get our service and send me the bill. I’m paying for your ride.”

Graph: Overwatch x Rescue

In the last few years, OxR said it has helped coordinate more than 15,000 rescues in 200+ countries and territories. Unlike a number of competitors, there’s no tiered pricing with OxR. And it claims it will even cover the cost of “extreme,” high-altitude rescues.

For example, getting coverage for high-altitude rescues costs $1,000 a year through Garmin’s Search and Rescue insurance. At Global Rescue, you’ll pay about $764 for an annual plan that includes high-altitude rescue.

But OxR said that’s already folded into its basic annual package. Additionally, OxR advertises that it will send you to a hospital of your choice in your home country — not whichever facility is closest. That can be difficult to find in alternative insurance plans without paying a higher premium.

How it works

So, how is it possible for OxR to cover such steep costs at such a low price? According to Pearson, it’s because of FocusPoint’s “strategic relationships” with insurance companies and its ability to fold OxR into a larger portfolio of products, including CAP Tripside Assistance, a travel protection plan.

“We’re on risk daily for over 15 million souls through our other services,” Pearson said. “I’ve got purchasing power because I’ve got bigger risk exposure.”

Newer iPhone users still have baked-in SOS capability with their devices. But after purchasing an OxR subscription, customers will receive access to an Apple Shortcut that enables them to request emergency assistance from OxR’s Crisis Response Center (CRC).

This process transmits details and location instantly, according to Overwatch. Subscribers can also share their location and other details with OxR’s Crisis Response Center through the Apple Maps’ “share location” feature combined with Apple’s satellite messaging.

Even with OxR, backcountry hikers with iPhones will still benefit from a rugged GPS device. Photo: Nick Belcaster

Don’t toss your GPS just yet

To be clear, Pearson recommends that most outdoor adventurers bring along a GPS device rather than just their iPhone 14, 15, or 16. Most smartphones still lack the battery life and durability of true outdoor products, so anyone hitting the trail for several days should have a backup.

And because OxR works with multiple devices, hikers and skiers could have access to multiple satellite networks under the same SOS service. (Apple relies on the Globalstar network, for example, while Garmin uses Iridium.)

There are some other caveats for iPhone users. The phones’ satellite texting currently works only in the U.S. and Canada, though users can still send a simple SOS from 16 other countries, mostly in Western Europe. Also, OxR doesn’t replace the existing SOS feature on iPhones. It’s essentially an additional SOS service — albeit one that covers rescue costs.

“I still carry a Garmin inReach ’cause the Iridium network is fantastic,” Pearson said. “But I also have an iPhone and a SPOT because I want redundancy.”

Learn more about the service through the Overwatch x Rescue website.

This article first appeared on GearJunkie.