Insurance

There's so much variety, how do you know you're getting value for money?

Anyone come across anything they swear by and use over and over?

The trouble is, Nelly, that you can only really swear by it if you have had to use it ! I guess most of us prefer never to have to find out whether our insurance is any good or not !

For about 12 years I thought my travel policy(Banks packaged account) was good-certainly worked for my husbands broken ankle about 6 years ago. However you just have to imagine every scenario possible that you might need to claim for and I've just found out I was not covered for a claim earlier this month for reasons ive put on another thread. I am currently looking for a new policy and reading the small print very carefully. AS for value for money you only get what you pay for if you have to claim.

billip1 wrote:The trouble is, Nelly, that you can only really swear by it if you have had to use it ! I guess most of us prefer never to have to find out whether our insurance is any good or not !

This is true. Suppose as long as you get the cover you want, basics really, just hope you never need it.

What's the worst that can happen.......

I think that's injury, or worse.....
Anything else such as delays, cancellations, loss or theft.....all a pain in the backside and financially problematic, but in the grand scheme of things your worst scenario is getting injured on the mountain and having to cover costs to get you off, repaired, and returned to the uk. Your insurance has to cover these, and levels of cover for all other scenarios.
Excesses will come into play of course, but these days insurance companies are looking at ways of getting out of paying out rather than helping us.

Some people don't bother taking it out as they don't believe it worth the money.

Personally I get "free" cover with my bank account which covers what I feel I need, and I've claimed for losses for delays and damaged equipment and got something back for the hassle so I'm happy with that.

Don't spend unnecessary hours comparing policies. If you want ski specific insurance, take it out through something like carre neige.

As has been said, you'll only find out how good/bad your cover is if you are unlucky enough to have to make a claim.

Annoying, isn't it?

Does the carre neige cover you for repatriation? It'll get you off the mountain and get you treated but you'll still need cover to get you come if you aren't able to get home under your own steam.

One thing that comes to mind is the question of where in the world you are skiing. Most posters on this forum seem to ski in nearby western Europe, ie, within the EU (with the exception of Switzerland of course). So even if the worst (ok, not the very worst, but let's say a broken leg), happens, once you're off the mountain you will have a level of cover equivalent to that of the locals so long as you have your EHIC, insofar as I understand it. You may have to pay, but only to the same level as a local would. However, if you are skiing in the USA, or somethere even more exotic, Chile say, or Japan, then your insurance cover becomes far more critical, as I doubt those countries will provide anything free for damaged UK skiers !

Does anyone know if a scheme similar to the French Carre Neige operates in other popular countries, eg Austria ?

Bilip amd Andy are right. Carre neige gets you off the mountain and then your own insurance via EHIC kicks in.