Latest posts for the topic "That age old insurance question"

That age old insurance question

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:34:47 GMT

This question must get asked at least 4 times each season in various different guises ;)

Here goes another.

I have some existing medical conditions that tend to put on GBP20 - GBP25 on a policy. The typical policy costs me about GBP50.

I am not prepared to take insurance out and not have the medical cover.

I have been searching this evening and have come across a policy for GBP41. I got quite happy :)

The company is Direct Travel. I have heard of them before, just wondering if anyone here has any bad/good reviews of them? The policy seems to be like for like of those that are a tenner more expensive. I cant see the difference (in some areas this actually has more to offer than the others)

Before I press "submit", anyone any feedback?

:roll:

Re:That age old insurance question

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:35:58 GMT

Right time for bed .......

Re:That age old insurance question

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:37:37 GMT

That comes with age, as with the ability to wibble the 2nd post :evil:

Re:That age old insurance question

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:07:38 GMT

A saving of GBP9.
Is it worth getting concerned about?

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:12:41 GMT

Used Direct travel for what seems like forever but I can only comment on the front end as I have, yet, to make ant sort of claim.
I have a pre-existing that needs notifying and this is handled simply and easily, bumping up the annual multitrip by about GBP15/20.
I have always found their phone people helpful and knowledgeable and have had to phone to discuss things and ask for clarification etc several times.
They were very helpful when I had some funny questions on a trip to Africa and got clarification from an underwriter and gave me written confirmation of acceptance of my activities and were very helpful when my son needed a single trip policy while still "in treatment" technically with a hospital.
My view ...
Not the cheapest, but have always given me confidence to continue using them.

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:58:45 GMT

The important issue with travel insurance is often not who you buy it from but who underwrites it, in other words the insurer behind it. Direct Travel act almost as a sales arm/broker.

In this case it appears to be Chartis, who are effectively AIG who were the biggest insurer in the world before they went belly up during the recent world financial meltdown, but they now trade as Chartis in Europe but are a large company and well respected.

I would expect when you ring the claims number you will be spoken to by Chartis claims handlers, rather than anyone from Direct Travel, why dont you give them a ring on the claims number and see if you can ask them who handles the claims and what their procedures are if you're concerned, at the end of the day thats what you pay for.

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:53:38 GMT

Hi,

I have used Direct Travel for every holiday I have been on for about the last 6 - 7 years. Lucky enough to have never needed to claim off them for a Ski related holiday so can't say how they would handle that specifically - however I was unlucky (daft?) enough to break my foot whilst on holiday in Cyprus (no alcohol involved would you believe!).

In that instance, everything just 'seemed to work' - and by that I mean I turned up at hospital and was asked the usual 'Do you have insurance' question. I showed them my Direct Travel wallet card that they helpfully issue and then got taken off for X-ray. Whilst then waiting to have a cast put on the receptionist came over and asked me to pay the policy excess - so she must have by that time already contacted them and been given the go-ahead to treat me (and informed what excess I needed to pay).

All other visits for the rest of the week, and the 'Fit to fly' report I had to get from one of the doctors (and the pair of crutches they gave me) all just happened with no mention of money ever again.

Based on that experience I have continued to use them.
Hope this helps

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:01:56 GMT

Hi Iceman

Remember that you should have hospital and other medical cover under European E111 card. However, this will not cover you for on piste injuries, but, depending on where you are staying opt for the local ski insurance at the resort when purchasing your ski lift. This insurance will cover you for anything on piste including helicopter removal and onward journey to medic centre or hospital whatever is required. This type of cover in France and Italy is usually 1.50euro per day. Hope this may help. Colpam

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:55:12 GMT

Colpam wrote:Hi Iceman

Remember that you should have hospital and other medical cover under European E111 card. However, this will not cover you for on piste injuries, but, depending on where you are staying opt for the local ski insurance at the resort when purchasing your ski lift. This insurance will cover you for anything on piste including helicopter removal and onward journey to medic centre or hospital whatever is required. This type of cover in France and Italy is usually 1.50euro per day. Hope this may help. Colpam

The EHIC will cover you for all A&E treatment skiing related as well, but remember depending on which country you're in you may still have to pay some costs for this, the rest is as Colpam states.

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:02:22 GMT

Used them last year, daughter had a fall hurt her wrist put in cast as we were told it was broken. It was a lightweight cast so she was allowed to carry on skiing if she wished.

When we returned home armed with xrays and got into the NHS system, she had not broken her wrist at all. I had started the claim process but phoned travel Direct up to not pay as it had ruined my daughters holiday, they still paid the claim to the hospital.

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:47:28 GMT

brooksy wrote:

Colpam wrote:Hi Iceman

Remember that you should have hospital and other medical cover under European E111 card. However, this will not cover you for on piste injuries, but, depending on where you are staying opt for the local ski insurance at the resort when purchasing your ski lift. This insurance will cover you for anything on piste including helicopter removal and onward journey to medic centre or hospital whatever is required. This type of cover in France and Italy is usually 1.50euro per day. Hope this may help. Colpam

The EHIC will cover you for all A&E treatment skiing related as well, but remember depending on which country you're in you may still have to pay some costs for this, the rest is as Colpam states.

The EHIC may cover hospital treatment.
But most medical centres in sci resorts are private and the health card is of little use.
Best to get high quality travel insurance. Cheap is very often a false economy in this area. But on what is in the small print (yes, there is lots to read and it will take a while), not on anything else.
A skiing holiday is one of the most accident prone types of popular holiday and there is a very real chance you may have to make a claim at some point.

I ski in a party of around 15. In six trips, two people have had to be carried off the mountain and made claims - one beginner and one expert.

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:58:35 GMT

I have used DT annual travel insurance for over 10 years. I have made only one claim ~ a non-medical one ~ they paid, no quibbles, didn't even want to see the paperwork. They changed insurers a couple of years back, and I found that they could no longer meet my combination of requirements worldwide cover, a medical condition, (not me), a limit of 17 days ski cover per year, and specific off-piste cover.
Had they been able to continue to meet my needs, I would still have been with them.

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:57:22 GMT

Thanks for the helpful replies. Really appreciate it

It is not about the GBP9, if they are a good provider then they could well be used for other trips too.

:thumbup:

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:51:45 GMT

Hi Iceman, I've used them for quite a few years now. Fortunately I've never needed to make a claim for medical cover, but they did pay up GBP300 for piste closure in the 'no snow' season of 2006/7 . I just obtained a letter from the local tourist office confirming that all the pistes were closed & posted it to them & they sent a cheque to me without any delay.

Re:That age old insurance question

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:05:54 GMT

tspill wrote:

brooksy wrote:

Colpam wrote:Hi Iceman

Remember that you should have hospital and other medical cover under European E111 card. However, this will not cover you for on piste injuries, but, depending on where you are staying opt for the local ski insurance at the resort when purchasing your ski lift. This insurance will cover you for anything on piste including helicopter removal and onward journey to medic centre or hospital whatever is required. This type of cover in France and Italy is usually 1.50euro per day. Hope this may help. Colpam

The EHIC will cover you for all A&E treatment skiing related as well, but remember depending on which country you're in you may still have to pay some costs for this, the rest is as Colpam states.

The EHIC may cover hospital treatment.
But most medical centres in sci resorts are private and the health card is of little use.
Best to get high quality travel insurance. Cheap is very often a false economy in this area. But on what is in the small print (yes, there is lots to read and it will take a while), not on anything else.
A skiing holiday is one of the most accident prone types of popular holiday and there is a very real chance you may have to make a claim at some point.

I ski in a party of around 15. In six trips, two people have had to be carried off the mountain and made claims - one beginner and one expert.

I have used EHIC after having an accident in Switzerland & they have only private compulsory health insurance, they refused the card giving the reason that they didn't know what it was.Kept the bills & claimed through the Spanish health service when I got back. If you are to use this card you must go for medical treatment equivalent to your own countries health service even when the other country has private the same as Switzerland, so don't knock it unless you've tried it, definitely worth having.