ski insurance

Just reading some of Bandits commenets and have not really thought to much about insurance. Ive used Flexicover who have been bob on, I got Quincy in Bulgaria and they payed the Dr's bill even though he said it was tonsillitis :evil:. It took a phone call to the insurance until he did something. Just wondering what it would be like arguing on the piste about insurance.

Who do you lot use and why and are they priced Ok?

I guess that people have different insurance cover needs.

If you ski more than one week a year, then an annual insurance will usually work out cheaper, with the added benefit that this will cover you for a summer holiday.

If you never ski off piste, then you may not be too concerned about the t&cs off piste. If, however, you do ski off piste, then you should be careful. Many policies state that you are covered only if you are with a guide. Some state that you must be within the boundaries of the resort, some state must be on a recognised run.

I use Direct Travel, covers off piste, unlimited travel, with an extendable maximum of 17 days winter, 45 days summer, £61 for two people.

Having read of Bandit's nighmare in VT, I don't know what I would insure for in the 3Vs!

I now use Direct Travel, like Dave Mac. My policy covers 17 days skiing per trip, covers an unlimited number of (17 day) ski trips though. It's an annual policy, 31 days per trip away from skiing. Off piste is covered without a guide.

I used to use Snowcard, however switched away, after they withdrew cover (for 1 knee) when I told them I was due to have an MRI Scan on that knee. I told them I would travel anyway, since they failed to specify which knee they would not cover in their notice of withdrawal of cover. I think they are all umbrella salesman, but some charge more for their umbrella rental than others.

Dave Mac, should you find yourself in the charming, picturesque alpine hamlet of Val Thorens, :mrgreen: or in fact anywhere in 3V, I suggest doubling up your insurance cover by buying a Carre Neige with your lift ticket. No other Carre Neige will do, for VT it must be the cover sold at the VT ticket counters, or face some/all of the fun and games I experienced :evil:

mfc wrote:Just reading some of Bandits commenets and have not really thought to much about insurance. Ive used Flexicover who have been bob on, I got Quincy in Bulgaria and they payed the Dr's bill even though he said it was tonsillitis :evil:. It took a phone call to the insurance until he did something. Just wondering what it would be like arguing on the piste about insurance.

Who do you lot use and why and are they priced Ok?

I use essential travel Insurance about £74 family for one year 8)

Couple of further points about Direct Travel.

I made a closed piste claim in 2007, and Direct Travel paid up without any production of evidence, (which I did have)

Also, their existing injury/illness declarations are very clear.

Have extended beyond the 17 days at a cost of £15 a week.

And just as Bandit suggests that some companies are umbrella salesmen, you do get the sense that DT understand skiing.

I don't usually bother with ski gear cover. The price that I pay for skis.....

Not to mention the average age.

I use Dog Tag year round multitrip they are pretty good and seem reasonably priced.
You get the insurance on a Dog tag (as the name suggests) which is really hand as its always round your neck.

I used to use the insurance through Ski club of great britain which i can highly recomend.
When i had a blood clot in Andorra they paid for the Andorra Hospital, Helicopter to Barcelona and 3 weeks in a Barcelona Hospital with operation plus getting home. No problems no hassel and easy to sort most impressed.

I took a close look at the Dog Tag cover for me a year ago. I decided not to purchase the skiers policy because of their policy grading for ski tourers. Essentially, for the stuff I do, (non serious) I would need their "Extreme" policy.

To give you an example of their classification of extreme...



Based on: not a piste, not within the ski area, not lift served, no piste patrol, and we are on touring kit.
The fact that folks were walking yappy little dogs up the same path to the same mountain hotel would have not been relevant :lol:

Fogg Travel - although never (yet) having had to make a claim, they were excellent in years gone by when working in resort. At that stage they were one of the very few insurers who ALL the doctors surgerys' accepted cover from in the £V.

On a pre-season seminar, they said that c.70% of bills submitted by surgeries from the previous season had not been settled by the UK insurers, so decisions were made locally to charge and let the skier sort out the claim later.

As said above, it's essential to check what the off piste cover is.