Latest posts for the topic "Travel Insurance"

Travel Insurance

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 12:56:05 GMT

One of the ads on this site is for Staysure Insurance - over 50s specialists. As our annual travel insurance runs out shortly I thought I would get a comparison quote from Staysure, partly because of being over 50s specialists but mainly because of the fact they have chosen a ski site to advertise.
As a company to deal with over the phone, they are a breath of fresh air. Friendly, helpful, and very competitive quotes BUT I haven't gone ahead with their annual travel policy including winter sports due to one very important obstacle - cover for luggage is only GBP200. If I take out a single trip policy, I can have GBP2,000 worth of cover, but not on the annual policy.
Bearing in mind what might be in your luggage for a winter sports trip and the cost of replacing particularly out in resort should the worst happen, GBP200 is derisory.
At least I found out before going ahead with the policy!

Re:Travel Insurance

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 14:31:15 GMT

It's not surprising that they are competitive - if the max they will pay is GBP200 for luggage!

A lot of over 50's specialists are not that cheap - if motor insurance is anything to go by anyway.

Re:Travel Insurance

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 15:54:59 GMT

Lucky escape if you ask me!

Re:Travel Insurance

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 22:26:29 GMT

What is the excess? I keep my quotes low with a GBP200 excess. Given 40 years+ ski insurance with only one closed piste claim, I guess I am GBP8000 ahead. To be honest, since all my spensive gear, laptop, paintings, Ipod, camera, is in my hand luggage, the contents of my hold rucsac mught be worth GBP35.67, accounting for inflation.

Re:Travel Insurance

Sat, 5 Feb 2011 10:16:06 GMT

The excess seems to be a standard GBP65, but I also got a quote for no excess and that was still (on the face of it) a very competitive quote - until I found out about the limit of GBP200 on baggage!

As I age, it may be more difficult to read the small print but it really is worth doing :D

Re:Travel Insurance

Sat, 5 Feb 2011 10:53:12 GMT

jastem wrote:The excess seems to be a standard GBP65, but I also got a quote for no excess and that was still (on the face of it) a very competitive quote - until I found out about the limit of GBP200 on baggage!

As I age, it may be more difficult to read the small print but it really is worth doing :D

Jastem,
Have you checked your household insurance? We have baggage insurance on ours.

Ally

Re:Travel Insurance

Sat, 5 Feb 2011 11:52:56 GMT

Good point - and it certainly was on a previous household policy. We are now reassessing several of our policies with what looks like a very positive outcome in terms of cover, very competitive quotes and nice people to deal with - am I allowed to say NFU?

Re:Travel Insurance

Sat, 5 Feb 2011 16:44:49 GMT

Jastem,
As farmers, we have had our business insured with the NFU for 'forever'. They are a very reputable company and they have always settled all our claims without dispute.

However, they told me a few months ago that they're not covering pre-existing conditions on travel insurance, even if we don't actually suffer from it but have been prescribed medication as a preventative measure. In our case they said taking statins meant we suffered from a heart condition and therefore wouldn't be covered for this even though the one taking the statins has always had a very low cholesterol and the doctor prescribed them because of her age (not me I hasten to add).

So, the one taking the statins has got her travel insurance from Saga, which will insure her in spite of them (at an increased cost). One of the many problems with getting older is that one builds up an ever increasing number of 'pre-existing' medical conditions, and medications for them.

Our household insurance is with the NFU and does include baggage insurance :D

Ally

Re:Travel Insurance

Sat, 5 Feb 2011 17:14:17 GMT

As posted on another thread you are responsible for informing the insurance co if you have had any disease or injury in the past 2 years for ski insurance.

I wonder how many are aware of or indeed inform their insures of these preconditions, I would expect a fair few will chance it & hope that if a claim arose they would not get found out.

Ducking the issue could mean that you are not insured.

Re:Travel Insurance

Wed, 9 Feb 2011 18:00:04 GMT

Jastem,

Thank you very much for your comments regarding Staysure insurance. I thought it best to clear up one small point, with regards to the baggage limit. While it is true the standard baggage cover on the travel insurance policy is GBP200. It is possible on BOTH single trip and annual policies to include the baggage upgrade to GBP2000.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me at stan@staysure.co.uk.

Staysure

Re:Travel Insurance

Wed, 9 Feb 2011 18:17:00 GMT

Stan, I have a question.

If you have stated that you have NO pre-conditions, then where in the policy wording does it say you must provide proof later that this is true if you need to make a claim?

Second question, if it does not say you MUST provide proof with your application for insurance, then why should you be asked to do so later after you have already been accepted for the policy cover? If proof of NO PC's is required should you not be asked in advance before the Insurer takes you onboard?

Re:Travel Insurance

Wed, 9 Feb 2011 19:38:54 GMT

How do you prove you have no pre conditions?

IMO insurers don't ask for PCs as this could give them a reason to to reject claims if one exists & not revealed at time of purchase, pay your premium & receive a policy that's worthless, easy money.

You must not forget that the onus is on the insured to provide any information that could affect the validity of cover, not on the insurer.

Re:Travel Insurance

Wed, 9 Feb 2011 19:55:51 GMT

Well this is an interesting development :D

Watch this space - I have contacted Stan!

Re:Travel Insurance

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:19:22 GMT

Brooksy, sorry to disagree, but what you say in my experience is not correct.

The Insurance company did ask if the person had any pre existing conditions on the form when he took out the insurance. The person said NO he did not, then when a claim was made he was asked to prove what he said on the form was true before they would meet the claim which caused a great deal of unnecessary stress for the family concerned.

If you must give a medical certificate to prove what you say is true on the form where they asked the question, they should ask for this up front as Carte Neige do for racing insurance. Then it is clear.

Being asked to prove what you have already stated is true after an accident and refusing payments to hospitals etc when someone is seriously ill until that proof has been provided, in my view, is unreasonable behaviour by an Insurance company.

I would be interested to know what others think about this and has this happened to other people?

Re:Travel Insurance

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:12:24 GMT

Snowcrazy I have reread you're post & sorry about the precondition part, a company I insured with did not ask for info on preconditions & drew my conclusions from that, obviously this is not the case in your post. :oops:

AS to the the rest I completely agree with all your comments & feel as you its disgraceful service.

Re:Travel Insurance

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 22:13:09 GMT

Direct Travel ask you to declare if you are undergoing any medical treatment, taking medication, or have been hospitalised in the past 5 years. Or something close to that.
It would be be fraudulent to lie.

Re:Travel Insurance

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:02:26 GMT

I'm with Direct Travel (annual) and have a pre-disclosed medical condition.
I get asked a series of questions and get a letter confirming this. I am then covered for ALL problems.
Once they know that it is reasonable to travel the fact I have a life long medical condition doesn't up the premium or reduce cover.
They are happy that it would be really hard luck if I needed medical help for the pre-disclosed condition on holiday.

Re:Travel Insurance

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:54:27 GMT

I have Direct Travel and so does OH. They charge us GBP20 each (AFAIR) for a pre-existing conditions sheet. There is nothing on there that would affect a ski trip, or any other sort of holiday.

Re:Travel Insurance

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:55:28 GMT

Staysure - The Sequel

So..... I e-mailed Stan and had an e-mail back (not from Stan) apologising that I had been given incorrect information. It is indeed possible to upgrade baggage insurance to GBP2000 on their annual policy with winter sports.

Am I taking out their policy? No!

I am currently exploring other options :D

Re:Travel Insurance

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:58:57 GMT

OldAndy wrote:I'm with Direct Travel (annual) and have a pre-disclosed medical condition.
I get asked a series of questions and get a letter confirming this. I am then covered for ALL problems.
Once they know that it is reasonable to travel the fact I have a life long medical condition doesn't up the premium or reduce cover.
They are happy that it would be really hard luck if I needed medical help for the pre-disclosed condition on holiday.

Probably my posting is well covered in the umpteen pages thus far on travel insurance on j2ski and HAT France etc

Briefly, at my age I've always given my insurer 'shopping' lists of medical pre-conditions. It seems the insurers are also trying to clarify dodgy situations that are currently being discussed in various fora.

Snowcard's recent rewrite asks just 6 questions. Then,(in part).."If you can agree this declaration any existing medical conditions will be coverd by this policy".

Re:Travel Insurance

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 08:37:02 GMT

DaveW wrote:

Snowcard's recent rewrite asks just 6 questions. Then,(in part).."If you can agree this declaration any existing medical conditions will be coverd by this policy".

It's probably not a good idea to be sent for any tests or scan's, or have any health changes whilst running a Snowcard Ski Insurance Policy.

When I was a policyholder, I'd informed the company (as obliged to do in the t&C's of the policy) that I was having an MRI Scan of 1 knee (which was to confirm the consultants' findings) Snowcard quickly withdrew cover for "a knee". When the consultant viewed the results and advised doing nothing, Snowcard were IMHO quite slow to act and seemed reluctant to reinstate my cover. I've skied about 70 days since then, and not been back to Snowcard.

My consultants' summing up consisted of 3 words "you're getting old".

Re:Travel Insurance

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:06:47 GMT

'you're getting old'

Like a dagger to the heart......but don't worry, i am always to see the ages of some people on the pistes.
On plenty of occasions i have been the youngest (at 37) on a lift and not by any small margin.

Re:Travel Insurance

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:51:16 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:'you're getting old'

Like a dagger to the heart......but don't worry, i am always to see the ages of some people on the pistes.
On plenty of occasions i have been the youngest (at 37) on a lift and not by any small margin.

I'm way older than that, I just don't act it ) It is interesting that a mainstream ski insurer was not be keen to indemnify what for me, was officially termed "minor age related degeneration". Bloody umbrella salesmen the lot of em )

Re:Travel Insurance

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:50:57 GMT

bandit wrote:

DaveW wrote:

Snowcard's recent rewrite asks just 6 questions. Then,(in part).."If you can agree this declaration any existing medical conditions will be coverd by this policy".

It's probably not a good idea to be sent for any tests or scan's, or have any health changes whilst running a Snowcard Ski Insurance Policy.

When I was a policyholder, I'd informed the company (as obliged to do in the t&C's of the policy) that I was having an MRI Scan of 1 knee (which was to confirm the consultants' findings) Snowcard quickly withdrew cover for "a knee". When the consultant viewed the results and advised doing nothing, Snowcard were IMHO quite slow to act and seemed reluctant to reinstate my cover. I've skied about 70 days since then, and not been back to Snowcard.

My consultants' summing up consisted of 3 words "you're getting old".

Yes I did read your earlier posting. It's a bit different if you're running a multi-trip, seasonaire or annual policy. Updating the insurer can be tricky.

Speaking as we find, I have always noted that in any discussion wih Snowcard they did seem quite willing to accept my many pre-conditions raised with them. My only reason in posting was that it has struck me that their re-write seems to confirm my earlier impressions of them. That is NOT the same as a record of 'Claims' experience, of course.

In a number of (single trip) ski-touring, skiing and low grade rope-work, I have never had a premium 'loaded'. I am currently running their Health Declaration past my doctor. Apparently people do this all the time. I never have!

Re:Travel Insurance

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 16:35:54 GMT

DaveW, yes it was an Annual Policy. Love your comment,

Updating the insurer can be tricky.

My cover was pulled by Snowcard on the basis that I was having an overly complicated x-ray ordered by an Orthopod to back up his suspicions. No pre-existing conditions, no early diagnosis, no injury... nada.
I was not given the option of paying a loading on the premium.

I really don't rate a company so plainly keen to pull out of an Insurance Contract before there is even a diagnosis on which to base a decision.

Re:Travel Insurance

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:11:38 GMT

Still hopefully on the thread.. apart from Health issues, my problem recently was losing a ski under the snow off piste and facing a bill of GBP440, net of discount.

Despite (usually) taking out both 'Recovery' and Rental-shop insurance AND a solid Uk insurance cover for off-piste skiing, I still slipped-up (in both senses). We did find the ski, eventually.

A quick trawl of major internet hirers prompts me to warn (without any guarantee of suitability as to my comments or opinions for your case/situation, Folks. Check-out everything youself before getting into any agreemeny/insurance situation!)

Relying on UK Insurers will mean you're debited (cards)/invoiced cash for full-price of the SKI PAIR. Whereas UK insurers may restrict claims to the proportional cost/value of the ONE ski.

So, take out double cover UK/local like I do and your clear?
Maybe, but not certain unless the small print states 'Loss' as well as 'damage' and 'theft'. A busy ski shop on the first day may not be the ideal place to do this! Check the limit for hire-skis it may be restricted to say, GBP300.

Check the security stipulated. Locked when un-attended? How, Where and When? Lunch times on-mountain, apres ski, overnight in accommodation, car, 4x4, the pub in the street? Lockable racks in mountain rail stations and so on. What constitutes an acceptable locking device or fixed object?

My insurer actually states in-policy... (the exclusion) does not apply to skis left during daytime for the purpose of obtaining refreshments.
You MAY get what you pay for/deserve. Caveat Emporia,
let the buyer beware!

Re:Travel Insurance

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:14:50 GMT

Since I started this thread, I have done a lot of 'small print' investigation, but although at times I have felt so frustrated that I could throw a ski boot at someone, I have finally reached an apparently successful conclusion and this morning took out an annual policy for the two of us with Direct Travel. What friendly and helpful people to deal with, everything explained thoroughly and a good level of cover at very reasonable cost.

Thank you everyone for help, advice and suggestions. :D

Re:Travel Insurance

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:56:57 GMT

Congrats. jastem,
I've been with Direct Travel for years now, like you found them straightforward and good to deal with.