 Poster: A snowHead
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Just out of interest..... how is an insurer to know how long you have skied? Say you go on a 4 week holiday and have an incident on the slopes on the 27th day.... how do they know or argue whether you have or have not skied on less than 17 day?! Looking at lift tickets is no good because you may simply not have skied on any one day.....
By all this, I assume there is a definition of what exactly a 'day of wintersports cover' actually means.... otherwise it is pointless cos you could simply lie and tell the insurer that this was only your 16th ski day of the year and they really couldnt argue....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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buns, the answer is that they don't know. What they always ask for in the event of a claim, however, is evidence to support the dates you travelled. This can be air tickets, ferry tickets etc. For that trip they'll certainly want satisfaction that you haven't stepped outside of the terms of the agreement. If you had a really big claim and they were at all suspicious that you had gone way over your 17 or 31 days ski cover then they may well try taking a closer look. But essentially you're right, they have no way of really knowing or being able to prove it and it is something of an "honesty box" when it comes to taking out the policy. For the smallish difference in cost of upgrading from say 17 to 24 or 31 days cover it really isn't worth chancing it.
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definition of what exactly a 'day of wintersports cover' actually means
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Another grey one. Your annual multi-trip policy already covers you for days spent outside UK, so the 17 days you get are purely the days you spend on snow and do not include travelling days IMO. Again, how on earth would they know whetHer you skiied every day or not (unless electronic lift pass system data could be accessed... unlikely).
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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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evidence to support the dates you travelled. This can be air tickets, ferry tickets etc.
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JUST ANOTHER POINT ON THIS... the worst mistake is to travel out to resort, realise you've forgotton to buy insurance, go online somewhere and buy it. Once you have travelled this is too late. Your claims will not be paid. It's in the small print. You have been warned. 
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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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And yet another one..... many policies require you to travel on a return ticket..... so do not travel out on a one way with the intention of just getting a cheap flight back when you are ready!
Adam
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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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buns, good point, forgot that little gem. Wonder what percentage of claims are ever paid.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Johnhill, it really is frightening how many ways out are available to an insurer. It shows just how important it is to read your policy, something which I suspect very few people do in any depth.
I ended up renewing with direct travel..... at the end of the day it seems a safe bet. The cover is reasonably good, the underwritter is good, hopefully the claims process isnt so bad (thanks snowbunny!) and it covers me without lies just in case I am lucky enough to get another trip!
Adam
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Snowbunny,
The existing conditions is a real sod but as long as you have your other private care, its no biggy as you say. I'll be honest with you, I now virtually refuse to go to a doctor unless i think I am going to croak it, this is for 2 reasons- first I have limited belief in physicians and secondly (more importantly), virtually any medical consultation can wreak havoc on your health or travel insurance were you to have a claim that was somehow linked!
As for the other trip..... im dreaming really! My brain will no doubt persuade me that getting my thesis further underway is a better long term decision than going skiing 
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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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Durham Red, trip now off! It was a business thing and enough have pulled out to make it not worth doing. Looks like you'll have some great conditions. Enjoy.
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10 days ‘Elite’ cover with Worldwide cost us £69 for two.
But they are very thorough about previous conditions, & so they should be. If you do not declare to any insurance company, any reasons for attending a GP, or any treatment you had, or any you are awaiting to have; then your policy will be null & void should you make a claim, even if the condition you are claiming for bears no relation to anything else. However, many, including the tour operator’s insurance companies, rarely ask any questions about your present or past state of health. This type of problem only comes to light for most people when it’s too late! So if your insurance company doesn’t ask you about pre-existing health problems in the last 12 months, or about any present ones, give them a wide birth!!!! If you do declare, it doesn’t mean they wont insure you, but they will probably exclude those medical conditions from the cover, and perhaps charge you more, (rather like private health policies) but it’s better to come clean, and know where you stand than think you are covered, only to find you aren’t when they check with your medical records.
It’s all in the small print, “you must tell us all Material facts. Material fact is one that is likely to influence us accepting your insurance. This could be the state of your health or that of a CLOSE RELATIVE…if you are in doubt as to whether a fact is ‘material’ you should tell us. If you do not tell us this may result in your claim being invalid”… “You are not covered for any directly and indirectly related claims if you or your travelling companions have:
1. Any pre-existing medical condition as defined or have ever suffered from or been investigated or treated for or diagnosed with ….(long list of ailments) …….. 2. Any pre-existing medical condition that, as far as you are aware, affects ANYONE ELSE who is NOT travelling WITH YOU but whose illness may cause you to cancel or curtail your trip…”. So if you cancel do to an ailing relative or curtail your tip, and you didn’t tell them about that relative, they won’t pay out either !
We only chose ‘Worldwide’ because they came off well on a consumer report from Which? particularly for our age group, skiing & for single trips, but I hope I never have to put them to the test!
As for luggage left unattended as we had to in Cervinia, (the coach drops you off and leaves all the luggage in a car park for the local taxi’s to pick up and take to your hotels up the hill) NO, you are not covered, and when we highlighted this to Thomson & Crystal, the next year they placed a rep on luggage duty in the car park!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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All backing up my assertion never to visit a doctor unless your life depends upon it!
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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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I have annual travel insurance with www.gotravelinsurance.com and I pay £46.91 per year for worldwide including winter sports.
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bedfordblue,
My bad. That's still enough coverage for two weeks and a weekend skiing - with only 30 days leave a year, I can then just about squeeze a summer holiday in as well.
I figure that's a pretty good insurance price but will still shop aroud next year.
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You know it makes sense.
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Paul Mason, That' strange because my renewal with EGG is significantly cheaper than that 
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FAQ
. I will probably reinsure with them, but can look forward to having no cover whatsoever for pre-existing conditions...not that I care a hoot, since we have PPP which covers our personal health in Europe anyway. What I'm looking for is slope rescue and repatriation cover and the medical costs of ski injury to be covered. Have a safe winter, and work on that extra trip. 
