 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys,
I appreciate there are loads of threads on insurance but this is a pretty specific question which I can't find an obvious answer to. My friend and I are moving out to Chamonix for our second season and are looking for decent comprehensive insurance for the above.
I just cant seem to find one for a decent price that covers the above. The only one that seems to cover them all without question is SportscoverDirect but they want £500+ for their base level 3 package... well beyond my means.
The only other option I can think of is get the Carte Neige and sign up to the AAC and return to the UK before I do any of the activities not covered by the carte neige (much cheaper than a £500 outlay).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yup - a flight home to break the trip is much cheaper. Insurance gets ridiculous as soon as you go over the specified number of days. In fact, hitch a lift to a ferry terminal, get an away day ticket, step foot on Blighty and then return 
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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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I have come to the same conclusion as i'll be away for 4 months, its cheaper to come back for a couple of days and restart the clock, although the AAC rescue has no 56 day limit only the medical repatriation part.
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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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The problem is I'll be working so to try and get 1-2 days off every 8 weeks seems a little ridiculous, especially when my shifts aren't set. Some people over on UKC mentioned the French Alpine Club - does anyone have any experience?
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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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BMC worked for me (quite some time ago though!)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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BMC has gone pretty pricey too these days. Maybe suss local insurance out while you are over there. See what the local climbers and skiers have in place.
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Are there any policies that cover unguided offpiste just for holiday periods <21days?, it frequently concerns me when I am just skiing small bits of offpiste, alongside a piste, between pistes etc.
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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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| Avalanche Poodle wrote: |
| BMC has gone pretty pricey too these days. Maybe suss local insurance out while you are over there. See what the local climbers and skiers have in place. |
and discriminates against boarders...
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| Quote: |
The French Alpine Club (CAF - Club Alpin Francais) insurance is good and would cover you very well for what you are after. (I'm a member and it also gives you reductions in huts / refuges).
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Could you explain what the insurance covers, my French is a bit basic and Ill be in france for 4 months, is this suitable for me?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| nevis1003 wrote: |
Could you explain what the insurance covers, my French is a bit basic and Ill be in france for 4 months, is this suitable for me? |
Is insurance your biggest problem? I'd worry about ordering fish. You have no idea what might arrive.
"Mais oui Monsieur, ca c'est l'homble chevalier!" When you thought you'd ordered prawn cocktail.
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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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rich739, this is what I put in the annual insurance thread - have you posted on Natives and asked seasonaires there what they are doing ?
Over the past years as we've been out for trips of five to six weeks at a time plus the odd week here and there have gone through various Co's - in the past we've done annual BMC insurance and that was around £450 each !
This year we're out for the season, and back in the Summer I suggested to the other half that we should try and see if there was a local ski touring club in Briancon so we could go out with other like minded people etc
We went down and met with them and transpired that by joining Club Alpin Francais there were various insurance policies available, in much the same way as the Austrian Alpine Club, as well as many other advantages re hut prices and a whole lot more, plus the insurance is Europe wide.
Think for me membership including insurance 97€ and there's an option to take out Comprehensive insurance Worldwide (RC + AP) for 77 € and for my wife 73€
Mind you don't know whether I'm covered from getting taken out by some cock if I'm piste skiing wink
I will be double checking when next out!!
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Brilliant thanks guys. Going with CAF as apparently (found from another source) there's a shop in Chamonix that you can just walk into and sort it out on the spot.
Just a note to some the above, anyone buying with the BMC on a season make sure you're not working as it voids it.
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You know it makes sense.
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Which shop in Cham, will probably pop in myself next week?
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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 quick question to add on to this. Will the CAF insurance ONLY cover for sporting accidents? Am I covered if I have a normal accident, or one at work (transfer driver). Obviously the vans and company has insurance I'm just worried there might be a gap in between.
If it wont cover this I'll have to get both CAF and MPI (nightmare, but at least MPI is relatively cheap compared to other UK providers)
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Poster: A snowHead
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rich739,
Did you join the CAF, & did all go smoothly? I am in Chamonix all winter 2015 & this all seemed ideal to me.
Then I read the information online. The website seems to say that under the "medical regulations of the federation of French Alpine Club", that "the first issue of a sports licence is subject to the production of a medical certificate attesting the absence of cons-indication to the practice of physical activities & sports". The aforementioned medical certificate shall be obtained at the "conclusion of a medical examination...."
Have I got this wrong? This all seems a bit OTT. Did you have any such requirements?
Cheers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The French are very keen on medical certificates. I needed one a few years ago to enter a long-distance bike ride. My own GP charged me £10 for a very brief note on Surgery headed notepaper saying that I was fit enough to ride a bike.
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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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I just stick these days to the Austrian Alpine Club which covers mountain rescue and to hell with standard insurance. I rely on the reciprocal health agreements in Europe but depending on which European country you are in you may be more or less happy with this.
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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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| HammondR wrote: |
rich739,
Did you join the CAF, & did all go smoothly? I am in Chamonix all winter 2015 & this all seemed ideal to me.
Then I read the information online. The website seems to say that under the "medical regulations of the federation of French Alpine Club", that "the first issue of a sports licence is subject to the production of a medical certificate attesting the absence of cons-indication to the practice of physical activities & sports". The aforementioned medical certificate shall be obtained at the "conclusion of a medical examination...."
Have I got this wrong? This all seems a bit OTT. Did you have any such requirements?
Cheers. |
You need a sports medical yes.
What sort of cover were you hoping to get from the CAF?
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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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davidof,
Broadly the same as that set out in the original post: off piste (& on!) with & without a guide, rock climbing & mountaineering. Comprehensive insurance for the whole winter season. That appears to be what the thread above indicates is best provided for by CAF.
Valkyrie,
Was this a French GP. Is there some way of having the medical in the UK, & presenting this to the CAF & Co?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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HammondR, as per many sporting events in France such as 10km runs through to cycling sportives you have to have an up to date medical certificate - this is a letter from your GP attesting the fact that you are basically fit and healthy.
Both the OH and I went to our GP and then along with the letter(s) went to our CAF in Briancon and signed up.
They take a photocopy of the letter and attach it to the membership application.
I only went out with them once the past season on a good ski tour, and as I suspected there were some very fit feckers going up but not too adept on the descents, mainly because they were using very old school light & narrow touring skis.
Even in the Summer I carry the CAF membership together with my E1 -11 should I prang myself cycling / hiking etc
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Weathercam,
Was this a UK GP of Francais? I dread to think of having to approach an unknown French GP for a clean bill of health with my French!
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HammondR, no just go to your local GP in the UK and get a letter, it's that simple.
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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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Weathercam,
Thanks for that, it's a relief to know. Now to persuade my GP that a gammy knee & shoulder are no impediment to me being fit & healthy.
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| HammondR wrote: |
davidof,
Broadly the same as that set out in the original post: off piste (& on!) with & without a guide, rock climbing & mountaineering. Comprehensive insurance for the whole winter season. That appears to be what the thread above indicates is best provided for by CAF. |
I still don't understand what you are trying to cover though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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davidof,
Personal accident rescue and repatriation, and damage, loss and theft of all winter sports equipment and clothing. Possibly also death or disability lump sum benefit. I understand the CAF cover can include just about all that for the whole year.
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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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Though I think the death and dismemberment option may be prohibitively expensive.
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| HammondR wrote: |
davidof,
Personal accident rescue and repatriation, and damage, loss and theft of all winter sports equipment and clothing. Possibly also death or disability lump sum benefit. I understand the CAF cover can include just about all that for the whole year. |
Okay, remember that rescue is free in France except if you are skiing in resort. Specify your home address if you want to be repatriated there. It only covers you for on sport activities; get hit by a car and it doesn't cover you. The medical cover may also be a bit on the low side (most French people, a typical CAF member, already have extra medical insurance).
So that said I'm not sure the CAF insurance is entirely appropriate unless you are taking a general holiday insurance; and then you may be over-covered.
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You know it makes sense.
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davidof,
Thanks, that's fair enough. I will however probably also be skiing on and off piste in Italy and Switzerland with the Chamonix Unlimited lift pass, and possibly climbing in both of those countries. I don't know if rescue is free in those countries also.
I understand that the cover will not apply to non sporting problems. I also intend to take advantage of the hut discounts, so all in all it seems reasonable for the price.
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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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Won't Carte Neige cover you for all that? No need to join any of the Alpine Clubs.
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Poster: A snowHead
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The Austrian club (UK branch) only costs £43.50 for the year, and will cover you in any mainland country excepting the Arctic and Antarctic regions for all sporting activities up to 6,000m. http://aacuk.org.uk/p-faqs-insurance
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