 Poster: A snowHead
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| tangowaggon wrote: |
I've used skicover annual policy for a few years now, never needed to claim.
I asked them how did they know how many days that I had been skiing each year, they said they didn't/couldn't know, so with a 30 day policy, if I had already had 30 days worth of trips without claims then pranged myself on the eosb, they had no policy in place to find out if I had already used up my allowance. |
I agree it seems highly unlikely they would know or be able to prove you have gone over the limited. Maybe if you had a seasons pass? I guess the consequences of making what would in effect be a fraudulent claim could be something to think about. But I agree chances of being found out very very slim.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Layne wrote: |
| tangowaggon wrote: |
I've used skicover annual policy for a few years now, never needed to claim.
I asked them how did they know how many days that I had been skiing each year, they said they didn't/couldn't know, so with a 30 day policy, if I had already had 30 days worth of trips without claims then pranged myself on the eosb, they had no policy in place to find out if I had already used up my allowance. |
I agree it seems highly unlikely they would know or be able to prove you have gone over the limited. Maybe if you had a seasons pass? I guess the consequences of making what would in effect be a fraudulent claim could be something to think about. But I agree chances of being found out very very slim. |
Using this to ski all season is pushing your luck but I was on skis for 36 days in 2018, over four separate trips, in which case I'm not going to worry about the 30 day limit for skiing, apart from maybe not shouting about every single day on social media.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Did not see this covered (but I have not read every single post in this thread), but Blister are offering a more tailored for outdoors people insurance. It is from the US for worldwide cover and the gist seems to be that it is open to non-US based people BUT that should be checked. It just started but covers more activities than I could even try and do; not cheap but might work for some.
https://blisterreview.com/shop/blister-plus-spot
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| jebroni3_16 wrote: |
Having had my flight to Geneva from Birmingham today cancelled by Easyjet (despite the weather in the Midlands being fine, so presumably due to operational reasons and planes not being where they should be), I'd encourage everyone to read their insurance policy cover more carefully than I clearly didn't when I took out my LV policy earlier this year.
My "essential" policy doesn't offer any cover in the event of flights being cancelled by the airline. Absolutely nothing. Their "premier" policy does, but obviously with some restrictions and excess to pay.
I can't even claim it was in the REALLY fine print, as it was in the "general policy information" although not obvious from the contents.
Please don't make the same mistake I did. Go and have a read of your policy now. Thanks and if you've got an "essential"-ly useless policy from LV like me, you're welcome  |
I would assume LV will not pay out because the airline should be compensating you ?? -- is that not so ...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| albob wrote: |
I would assume LV will not pay out because the airline should be compensating you ?? -- is that not so ... |
I suppose the question is - who will then pay for the lost accommodation/train tickets if another flight can't be found in time?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Old Fartbag, Ahh -- the perils of DIY....
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| Layne wrote: |
@jebroni3_16, What have Easyjet done?
What costs are you looking for the insurance to cover - did you get another flight (more expensive I guess) or lose days skiing? |
They cancelled the flight, sent out an email and text about 8 hours in advancing stating it was "exceptional circumstances" and then encourage you to rebook, claim voucher, claim refund etc.
Luckily (unluckily?) I wasn't already at the airport, otherwise the seeking an alternative flight using a third party might have been more of an option. But as things stand, I still haven't booked another flight and still don't know what I'm going to do. But that's a discussion for another thread really, as I don't want to distract too much from the insurance side of things on this one!
| albob wrote: |
| I would assume LV will not pay out because the airline should be compensating you ?? -- is that not so ... |
No. LV will not pay out because the "essential" (basic) policy does not include any cover for cancellation if relating to an airline cancelling the flight (for example). So, nothing to do with either the flight itself or any of the associated costs (onward travel, accommodation at destination etc) are covered at all.
Again, to be fair to LV, this appears to be very clearly shown HERE , but is slightly less obvious in the policy document and potentially easily missed, especially by those renewing. So, just trying to make sure others don't make the same mistake I did.
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| albob wrote: |
| @Old Fartbag, Ahh -- the perils of DIY.... |
Indeed and a lesson for me if nobody else with regards to checking in detail what your insurance covers if you are going to risk DIY.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@jebroni3_16, I have a policy with LV -- just going to dig out the documents..
===edit===
Thanks for the link -- I only have 'Essential' ; expires in Jan 23, so I can search for another company (or pay the extra..)
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| albob wrote: |
@jebroni3_16, I have a policy with LV -- just going to dig out the documents..
===edit===
Thanks for the link -- I only have 'Essential' ; expires in Jan 23, so I can search for another company (or pay the extra..) |
Sounds like that may be two people I've alerted to this then. I wonder if I can get LV to pay me commission on people upgrading to Premier insurance to help cover some of my losses?!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Has anyone got any experience of making a claim with the Halifax flexiplus account? The cost of the account is £156 per year, but that is cheaper than last year's travel insurance with LV, which came in at £178 for the family. It also means I can scrap my RAC cover too, as that is thrown in, so a significant saving, but want to make sure it's decent if I have to make a claim.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Timmycb5, I think the Halifax account is called Ultimate Reward and the Flexplus is the very similar Nationwide one? I have no experience with Halifax, but had to make a claim in June (cancellation due to having Covid) on the Flexplus one and the whole process was very easy, with no quibbling and fast payment.
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@sj1608, yup, I meant the Nationwide one. Feeling very fuggy today so not thinking straight!
Cheers for the feedback
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You know it makes sense.
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As a heads up in case it is of benefit to anyone else. Coverwise seems to have heavily discounted it's Bronze annual policy. It's half the price of the (lower) Standard annual cover, a lower excess but with a higher cancellation and baggage cover. All other (medical, accident and liability) coverage is of the same value as that of the Standard cover. Our annual premium, for two people with winter sports in Europe came in at £34.30 via the meerkat fella  .
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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What about American Express Platinum if you can hit the spend target
£575 Annual fee, but :-
30,000+ points (can be converted to other point schemes), with referral you can get a lot more points, anything from an extra 5,000 to 15,000!
So that is worth a minimum of £150 with Amazon, or 2x flights to Europe return (thats the ski flight sorted)
World Wide Travel Insurance inc Winter Sports for the whole family (prob worth £200)
£150 UK dining credit (can be used for 1 meal or several!)
£150 World Wide dining credit (check their website where it can be used)
Airport Lounge access for 2x (value about £30 per person per trip)
2x £50 Harvey Nicks credit (£50 every 6 months)
+ other perks like tier status at hotels for late checkin/out, breakfast, free upgrades, etc., concierge service, more credit at some hotels, £200 credit if booked through onefinestay
So the high fee does not really seem that bad. Easy make the fee money back.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Coverwise seems to have heavily discounted it's Bronze annual policy
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Their Bronze and Standard has limits to the total number of days of ski trips per year though, 17 I think? Whereas Silver and above limits you to a maximum trip length of 17 days per trip, but no limit to the number of trips or total number of days per year. Last March I bought a Silver policy from them for £32 for Europe with winter sports cover, also via the meerkats, but 2 people for £34 is a great deal.
Their definitions of off piste are much better than any other non-specialist ski insurers that I've seen. Just saying that "off piste is covered unless against the advice of authorities", unlike insurers like LV who say it's only covered within resort bondaries, which raises problems in Europe as the resort boundaries are the pistes, so anyone getting injured while going off to ski in the trees by the side, or cutting across between 2 pistes wouldn't be covered with LV.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| zaphod424 wrote: |
| Quote: |
Coverwise seems to have heavily discounted it's Bronze annual policy
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Their Bronze and Standard has limits to the total number of days of ski trips per year though, 17 I think? Whereas Silver and above limits you to a maximum trip length of 17 days per trip, but no limit to the number of trips or total number of days per year. Last March I bought a Silver policy from them for £32 for Europe with winter sports cover, also via the meerkats, but 2 people for £34 is a great deal.
Their definitions of off piste are much better than any other non-specialist ski insurers that I've seen. Just saying that "off piste is covered unless against the advice of authorities", unlike insurers like LV who say it's only covered within resort bondaries, which raises problems in Europe as the resort boundaries are the pistes, so anyone getting injured while going off to ski in the trees by the side, or cutting across between 2 pistes wouldn't be covered with LV. |
Yup, here is their policy wording:
| Quote: |
| If annual multi trip cover is selected any trip not exceeding 24 days is covered, but limited to 17 days in total in each period of insurance for winter sports (provided you have paid the appropriate winter sports premium to include this cover). If any trip exceeds 24 days there is absolutely no cover under this policy for that trip (not even for the first 24 days of the trip), unless you have contacted us and we have agreed in writing to provide cover. |
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I asked LV some specific questions a couple of years back and here is the pertinent answer:
Question 1a: How does this work in Europe where they don't have in bounds off piste as they do in North America. What is a " a recognised ski resort" in this instance?
Answer: You can go off piste where this is allowed, there will most likely be areas where you are told don’t go to so we wouldn’t want you to go in those areas and you must stay within the boundaries of the recognised resort. You will need to check with the resort what their boundaries are.
It's up to you to decide if you are happy with their answer.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
and you must stay within the boundaries of the recognised resort. You will need to check with the resort what their boundaries are.
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So they answered the question "What is a recognised ski resort?" by just saying that you need to stay within their boundaries (which don't exist). Not a helpful answer tbh
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@zaphod424, it's not a perfect answer for sure but gave me sufficient assurance - as much as anyone can with any insurance company - to go ahead.
It's far better than many policy statements or answers given for sure.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Layne wrote: |
@zaphod424, it's not a perfect answer for sure but gave me sufficient assurance - as much as anyone can with any insurance company - to go ahead.
It's far better than many policy statements or answers given for sure. |
Idk, I mean you do you, but that response wouldn't give me confidence to ski anywhere other than on the pistes, unless you actually do ask the resort and they respond in writing with a clear answer, though I suspect that any European resort would just say that they don't have boundaries.
As I said above I got a coverwise policy last year which just says that off piste is covered unless against advice of authorities, with no mention of boundaries. The only caveat is that specifically in the US or Canada (where they do have boundaries), you need a guide if you go outside of the boundaries.
I did ask them what they meant by "against the advice of the authorities", and after some persistence after they gave some vague and unhelpful answers, they eventually said that you wouldn't be covered off piste:anywhere that is fenced off or marked as closed If ski patrol/authorities have said not to ski somewhere or they've said not to ski off-piste at all If the avalanche warning level is 4 or 5
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@zaphod424, I don't have touring gear. I've occasionally boot packed a little but to me it's all lift served. I guess ultimately it's about whether when you call the resort security they come or not.
Avalanche 5 nobody is going anywhere. Surprised they say 4. There is still some potential for very mellow off piste then but tbf it is pretty much a no go.
At the end of the day it's probably impossible to be 100% about any of this stuff.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've always been unsure how when you make a claim an insurance company would establish if this holiday was your 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 15th ski holiday in a year if you didn't claim for the previous holidays - because you don't inform them everytime you go on holiday.
Not suggesting you should risk it, but just curious as to how they would know?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Just had a renewal reminder - my "free" insurance through the bank will cost me £237 for the year, taking account of age and pre-existing medical conditions! No choice, really.....
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@skimummk, I doubt they would know. Though exceeding the maximum length of the trip they could know as I assume they would ask to see your flight/train/ferry tickets if you claimed. Obviously theres also the risk that if you did that, and had to claim on 2 holidays they would know that you'd been on 2.
I suppose if they were suspicious they could also ask to see your passport and check the stamps now that you get stamped going to the EU. I've never had to claim on travel insurance though thankfully so I'm just speculating here
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You know it makes sense.
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| skimummk wrote: |
I've always been unsure how when you make a claim an insurance company would establish if this holiday was your 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 15th ski holiday in a year if you didn't claim for the previous holidays - because you don't inform them everytime you go on holiday.
Not suggesting you should risk it, but just curious as to how they would know? |
Credit card expenditure, ski lift passes, social media postings, phone records, car rental records, etc. are all potential sources.
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FAQ
ie no off piste cover at all? 