 Poster: A snowHead
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I have just received a renewal invite from Direct Travel, for my Annual Travel Policy. I have just spoken with them by phone, and can happily report that their Insurance Company, AXA no longer uses Strategic Claims Management for handling of claims. AXA have taken the process in-house, with a claim handling centre in Morecambe, apparently.
Direct Travel seemed quite happy to be no longer associated with SCM, and pointed out to me that AXA had chosen SCM, not Direct Travel. They may just get my business again this winter, based on the fact that off-piste is covered, and any number of 17 day ski trips can be made, with a total trip length limit of 45 days. Time to study the small print. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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snowbunny, That's excellent news having just taken an annual with them at the start of summer - the reports of SCM on here were disturbing, but the rest of the deal seemed too good to ignore with them making most points clear while other insurers leaving things a little more ambiguous. Hopefully I will never have to use them.
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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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snowbunny, Good news....I'm with DT and was worried about trying to track down another insurer that gives as much time on the slopes! Let us know if you find anything horrible in the small print...I've only got another couple of months before I have to think about renewing.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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 am pleased that I had not made a final decision. They had quoted £40 fotr the week for the family but I had been put off by bad press and was about to go to Egg for £57. My bank and dogtag suggested £105.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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One of our other posters, who worked in the insurance industry did warn against cheaper deals. I do think that there is an element of getting what you pay for with these things.
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I was with AXA(via Egg) this year when I took the wife and daughter to La Plagne. Daughter had to be helicoptered off the slope and it cost about £500 in total with the ransport, ski school cost, treatment, medicines, etc. Axa were brilliant. Paid up vey quickly and were great when I phoned them initially (although very long winded on a mobile from France) Just waiting to see what this year's premium is going to be!
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snowbunny,
I need to renew my annual policy pretty soon - do you have contact details perchance?
Ta muchly.
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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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Caspar, Yes. Find them at www.direct-travel.co.uk or 0845 605 2510 Please have a good dig in the small print before parting with any money. I will read mine through this w/e, and post up any concern areas I find.
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They do seem quite good for the annual with 24 days ski cover.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Scarpa, Have a look at the Annual Multi-trip "Premier" policy. This is the one I am considering renewal on. Cover is provided for 17 days wintersports per trip ...and quote" With no limit on the number of wintersports trips you can take"....
Off piste is covered, with no visible caveats, that I can see. A large number of snow sports are covered including (Non FIS) racing.
The policy also covers trips up to 45 days long. If you are travelling as one half of a couple, that reduces to 21 days per individual trip.
Their prices are not rock bottom Kramer, , and really doubt if AXA would allow them to sell their product if they were offering an unsafe product.
I'm still studying the small print 
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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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snowbunny, The Devil is in the Detail.......continue studying!
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snowbunny,
Thank you. Will have a delve this week.
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You know it makes sense.
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snowbunny - I've just taken out the Annual premier - starting it in Jan so will give me a few ski weeks  Cheers.
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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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A year on I wonder if anyone used Snowcard - they seemed to have the best cover for me last year so I used them. Fortunately no need to claim though - so no experience on how good they are. I do know that the policy was designed by them and they were tremendously helpful when I called about a family illness...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Well, the underlying theme still seems to be how you go about saving a few quid. If you negotiate a hundred quid off a pair of skis you still get a pair of skis... doesn't work like that with travel insurance. Never has.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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JohnHill,
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Well, the underlying theme still seems to be how you go about saving a few quid. If you negotiate a hundred quid off a pair of skis you still get a pair of skis... doesn't work like that with travel insurance. Never has.
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Since I started the thread, and I haven't mentioned the price of the Direct Travel policy, so I can't agree with your post. BTW, a comparable Snowcard policy will cost me (if I cancel their personal possessions element) £160. For Fogg Travel about £112(ish) (after I emailed them for clarification on travelling apart-they charge extra). Since lots of these insurance intermediaries use the same Insurance Underwriter, it seems sensible to check out the opposition every year.
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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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JohnHill, I shop around every year, and if I can't be bothered I ask a friend who does. As SnowBunny said, the Direct Travel policy has extremely good cover in comparison to much more expensive policies. After all, we all shop around for our car insurance, and get vastly differing quotes, in my case a difference of £500 from one to the other this year, and the cheaper one had a lower excess, free courtesy car and personal business use included.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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JohnHill, Take a look at the research I did last year. I meant best cover; not best price.
FYI my premium is £190 for 2 of us with 3 weeks on or off piste with or without a guide.
Worldwide cover ( including the US) with full contents cover too.
I read every word of about 4 policy pdf's before deciding on this one. I liked the way most phrases were 'inclusive'. There are some excellent FAQs too.
I especially liked the specific coverage of ski theft if you leave your ski's unattended outside whilst buying a beverage on the mountain.
Some policies only cover you if you lock your skis in a ski locker. No cover if they are unattended.
Also the definition of 'off piste' is very woolly for those that don't cover it - is it just between the piste poles? What if you go off the side in an accident? Is that off the piste?
I'm very interested in snowbunny's policy though...
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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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Direct Travel Ins also cover ski equipment carried in roofboxes if you're driving.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have trawled the Premier Policy Document for Europe. Here are my thoughts...
In the Medical Expenses Section, "reasonable search, mountain rescue and other costs...is covered.
BTW what would an unreasonable search consist of?
Ski Theft. You need to lock them to a rack to be covered for theft.
Ski Theft. Max of £400, quite low. The insurer will pay a big fat £0 if your planks are 5 years old or more. There is a sliding scale dropping to this.If your planks are a year old and unused, you will get back what you paid. How do you prove it though!!
You are covered for 17 days skiing, per trip, no limits on number of trips. That's skiing days, not sitting at Gatwick days, I just phoned them to clarify.
Travel cover extends to 45 days. If you travel separately, and you are not the principal policyholder, you are limited to 21 days. No limit on number of trips.
There are a large number of wintersports mentioned by name. No mention in the policy of needing guides/instructors for off piste. Mind you, if you go ice diving, they want you to have an instructor!
Policy Excess for most sections seems to be £50, this can be removed by paying £15 per adult.
Policy Age Max is 65, but they do other policies for older travellers.
There is free cover for dependant children, on European Policies like this one.
The co. offer an renewal incentive of £5 for continuous cover.
It is possible to reduce policy costs, if you have Personal Possessions/Money cover elsewhere by 15%
My eyes are crossing, too much small print 
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I think what I liked about direct travel's ski policy is that in general they were pretty unambiguous and comprehensive in their wording (with the exception maybe of the 'reasonable search ...' clause snowbunny, points out above.
I'd rather know that I have to lock my skis/poles, than have vague terms like 'reasonable care' used - or have a specific list of exclusions/inclusions than just summary statements without any additional detail (e.g. is racing covered - is that ski school race defined as racing or not etc.!).
Last edited by After all it is free  on Wed 2-11-05 10:16; edited 1 time in total
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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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Yup - and direct travel cover me for any diabetes related issues for no extra charge, some policies have a blanket exclusion for previous medical conditions.
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| snowbunny wrote: |
There are a large number of wintersports mentioned by name. No mention in the policy of needing guides/instructors for off piste. |
Jus playing devil's advocate ...
Is it a good or bad thing that clauses are ambiguous?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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"reasonable search, mountain rescue and other costs to transport you to a hospital by land, sea or air using
an air or road ambulance if necessary ..."
and
"big foot skiing, cat skiing, cross country skiing, curling, glacier walking, glacier skiing, heli-skiing,
husky dog sledding (organised and non-competitive with an experienced local driver), ice diving (with a qualified
instructor at all times), ice hockey, ice skating, mono skiing, Nordic skiing, off-piste skiing and snow boarding,
parapenting (with a qualified instructor at all times), skiing, ski biking, ski-boarding, ski-doos*, ski racing (non FIS), ski
touring, ski yawing* (non-competitive), sledging, snow biking, snow blading, snow boarding, snow carting, snow
decking, snow kiting, snow mobiling*, snow scooting, snow skating, snow surfing, snow tubing, snowcat skiing,
telemarking, tobogganing and zorbing ..."
Hmmm, yes snowbunny, I see your point. It implies that, combining section 2 and its terms of reference definition of winter sports, that off-piste is covered irrespective of whether a guide is present or not.
JohnHill, if you're still monitoring this thread, would you comment on our inference of these terms and conditions please?
PS - anyone for zorbing? 
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I made a mistake above. Direct cover of diabetes as a pre-existing medical condition is not covered, but issues arising from this during an accident (within reason) would be as it is the accident you are insuring against.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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snowbunny, I had a series of bizarre conversations with Direct Travel about pre-existing medical conditions. I'm fairly fit, have always done a lot of gym work (3 hours/week) and keep an eye on myself. Nine years ago, I had a coronary bypass after noticing my gym work rate was dropping. Although that "cured" the problem, it has earned me Strike 1 on the underwriting. My cholesterol was high but after taking these statin drugs, it is now low but that gets me Strike 2. This year, I noticed a 3% drop in my gym work and slight angina (Strike 3). After finding that one of my 3 bypass grafts was starting to block (the other 2 are completely clear), I had angioplasty that unblocked the artery (Strike 4).
Now I know that this may make me look a physical wreck but the facts are that my cholesterol is low, my heart blood supply is in very good condition, I have had intervention to address problems as they have arisen ….. and ….. as a result, I can't get insured for any heart-related problems. If I had ignored the symptoms then I would have been insured without any problems, assuming that I hadn't pegged out in the meantime.
It's enough to make you depressed ….. but don't say that because I think that will get your another strike!
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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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I've had Direct Travel annual multi trip cover for a couple of years. I looked at them initially because I was doing a season with Planet Subzero which entitled me to a 5% discount. The only claim I have mad is for a broken camera. They paid up after intitially asking for addition paperwork. It was a bit annoying that they didn't tell me all the things I needed to send in when I first rang, but not a surprise.
Plenty of Planet Subzero people have had injuries and have made claims, and I've not heard of any problems. Doesn't mean there haven't been any though.
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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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D G Orf, I know what you mean. On one hand, it is generally accepted that it is a good thing to address ailments early and on the other, the insurance companies, in effect, encourage you to keep quite about it, and in the case of skiing until after April.
I remember seeing an article that said if you are applying for life assurance then make sure you apply to 4 or 5 companies simultaneously. That way you could honestly answer "no" to the "have you ever applied before"/"have you ever had special loadings applied"/"have you ever been declined" questions.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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snowbunny, jtr, I wonder if any other travel insurance company will be any more reasonable or consistent when it comes to pre-existing medical conditions. In the meantime I'm glad that DT have dropped SCM as I'm still insured with them.
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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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jtr, I know what you mean about the fitness. My old fencing teacher was retired, had had massive full bypass ops several years previously and still did competition fencing as a veteren. Very healthy guy.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Ski Theft. You need to lock them to a rack to be covered for theft
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Apparantly not - I had some vague memory I'd spoken to them about this before and so I've double checked on the phone today...they told me to take a look at p27 of their online policy wording
"8. Loss, theft or damage to ski equipment: You are not covered unless....
d) locked to secure racking when available during the day"
They say they interpret that as meaning if locked racking is not available you are still covered as long as you take due care. I think it's debatable but as long as they think it means that - that's what matters right?
That said the cover is only up to £300 per set anyway (£700 in total for everything inc boots, poles) and that falls pretty rapidly with ski age - although it looks like they take rrp as the basis which might help, given I never buy anything ski related full price
Haven't seen anyone that's significantly better though - and to be honest it's the rescue and medical I'm bothered about anyway. If need be I can absorb the cost of my skis going walkabouts - just not the cost of taking an unintentional helicopter trip! They paid up ok for our mini claim (water poisioning) a few years ago so I'm hoping they are as good with the bigger claims!
aj xx
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FAQ
