 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Interesting.
Last September I insured for the year with Insure and Go, for travel in Europe (including skiing). In December I booked flights to Carinthia - KLM Aberdeen - Amsterdam - Vienna. Then Austrian Vienna - Klagenfurt. The flight from Aberdeen ran about 2 hours late, so I missed my connection to Vienna (and thus my connection to Klagenfurt). KLM got me in to Vienna about 10pm, so I stayed overnight, having had to buy a new ticket to Klagenfurt for a flight the following morning. I was unconcerned about this, thinking that my travel insurance would pay out for the missed departure.
I should perhaps have read the insurance terms and conditions more carefully. Missed departure was covered, but only for the first part of the outward journey and the last part of the return journey. However, as I'm neither a travel expert nor an insurance agent, I'm not sure I would have picked up the implications of this particular condition. Of course, had I booked all the flights with the one airline, it would have been their problem.
Don't think I'll be renewing with Insure and Go for next year's policy.
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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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All my sympathies ... but you should have appeared before 'The Judge'.
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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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Seems to have moved - http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/authors/the-judge/judge-june-mcewans-ski-casualty-2277501
"The Judge" is a regular column where people ask for help in getting their complaint heard. It works well, as no-one wants to appear in print as being unhelpful.
I also suspect that there's more to the story than meets the eye, for example the fact that she "was forced to travel across Europe" is somewhat disingenious given the fact that teleportation hasn't been invented yet. From Sauze d'Oulx to Hamilton via Milan, Frankfurt and Edinburgh doesn't seem that bad to me, although I'm a little surprised that a flight out of Turin couldn't be arranged, but lets face it when an insurance company has to repatriate someone who's strapped to a board they're not going to hire a helicopter to take you to the nearest airport, and then have a private jet waiting to deliver you to your local airport, with another helicopter to drop you outside your house. They'll do what is necessary, and not a lot more.
Also, the suggestion that "her insurer took a week to get her home to the UK" is maybe more to do with when the hospital were happy to release her for travel, rather than anything to do with the insurers delaying the process. I'm sure if she'd been fit to travel after two days, the hospital would have deposited her outside with a bottle of painkillers and a list of private ambulance companies who could drop her off at the hotel of her choice.
I've never been a customer with Insure & Go, and I have no connection to them. My observation would be that they paid up, and when queried over the difference, admitted their mistake and refunded the excess as well, which is just about all you could ask.
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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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| deerman wrote: |
Interesting.
Last September I insured for the year with Insure and Go, for travel in Europe (including skiing). In December I booked flights to Carinthia - KLM Aberdeen - Amsterdam - Vienna. Then Austrian Vienna - Klagenfurt. The flight from Aberdeen ran about 2 hours late, so I missed my connection to Vienna (and thus my connection to Klagenfurt). KLM got me in to Vienna about 10pm, so I stayed overnight, having had to buy a new ticket to Klagenfurt for a flight the following morning. I was unconcerned about this, thinking that my travel insurance would pay out for the missed departure.
I should perhaps have read the insurance terms and conditions more carefully. Missed departure was covered, but only for the first part of the outward journey and the last part of the return journey. However, as I'm neither a travel expert nor an insurance agent, I'm not sure I would have picked up the implications of this particular condition. Of course, had I booked all the flights with the one airline, it would have been their problem.
Don't think I'll be renewing with Insure and Go for next year's policy. |
I had something similar with another insurer. My flight had to make an emergency landing in Munich and we ended up having to stay the night there. The insurance would not pay for my delay as the flight took off on time (regardless of the fact that I arrived at my destination 24 hours late). Airline paid statutory amount as compensation.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ousekjarr, ...actually that IS what an insurance company did for a colleague of mine. Also broken back as original woman in story. Ambulance to Chambery - nearest airport. Private air ambulance plane to Teversham airport (small local field near Cambridge) and then ambulance to Addenbrookes hospital (10 min drive). And this was a standard policy. Excellent service - two years ago, now.
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My wife broke her pelvis in Italy a few years ago, insurance company flew her from Verona to Leeds\Bradford in a private jet, with an English nurse who saw she had a trouble free transfere from Bolzano Hospital to the ambulance at the airport, the pilot even dipped the wing so she could get a better view of Paris as she was laid on a board.
You never know how good a insurance policy is until you have to use it. We wouldn't use anyone else but Staysure as we know they work.
I have to say we found the hospital in Italy to be first class, food and cleanliness of the 4 bed, same sex ward, was superb.
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My brother-in-law was repatriated to the UK last year, with a nurse, by private jet from Chambery to Biggin Hill and thence to London by ambulance. All arranged and paid for by his insurers (not Insure and Go).
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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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Bartezki, I think that illustrates the issue nicely - if the medical situation requires a private jet kitted out as an ambulance, that's what you get. If a scheduled flight can be used, then that's the option - given that commercial flights aren't renowned for their desire or ability to carry stretcher cases, then for all we know victim in this case could have been in a wheelchair with a brace rather than on a board.
Plus, in your case it involved a 150km transfer to Verona, when Bolzano has a perfectly good airport which a private jet should have been able to use, but it may be that the pilot wasn't highly enough qualified to land there in the conditions. These things happen, and solutions are sometimes far from ideal, but they get you home. All for the £80 premium you paid "just in case" something went wrong. I suspect the original complaint was all about the difference in cash and lack of compensation for her companion rather than how they were treated. Publishers have papers to sell, and "the insurance company were great, but I misunderstood the coverage my policy provided" doesn't look as good.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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At least he was wearing a helmet 
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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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| ousekjarr wrote: |
Bartezki, I think that illustrates the issue nicely - if the medical situation requires a private jet kitted out as an ambulance, that's what you get. If a scheduled flight can be used, then that's the option - given that commercial flights aren't renowned for their desire or ability to carry stretcher cases, then for all we know victim in this case could have been in a wheelchair with a brace rather than on a board.
Plus, in your case it involved a 150km transfer to Verona, when Bolzano has a perfectly good airport which a private jet should have been able to use, but it may be that the pilot wasn't highly enough qualified to land there in the conditions. These things happen, and solutions are sometimes far from ideal, but they get you home. All for the £80 premium you paid "just in case" something went wrong. I suspect the original complaint was all about the difference in cash and lack of compensation for her companion rather than how they were treated. Publishers have papers to sell, and "the insurance company were great, but I misunderstood the coverage my policy provided" doesn't look as good. |
I am sure that you may be right but in my pers experience I was released for travel by commercial jet from Sallanches hospital but the insurers insisted in flying me by chartered turbo-propj (Annecy - Northolt) on the basis of conversations between insurers medical experts and treating doctors in Sallanches. I wanted to get home sooner and protested but they pointed out that cover would be withdrawn and if I caused the commercial flight to deviate I would be liable. On the basis that I needed an urgent op on my lumbar spine the next week, I think they were right. Plus I was off my chops on opiates as well.
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