skiing insurance -Snowcard vs MPI

A snowHead

Time to renew my insurance and can't decide whether to stick with snowcard or try mpi.
Currently, mpi seem to offer better cover at less price so am tempted to move.
Anyone had any particularly good, or bad, experiences of either ?

A snowHead

Snowcard were superb when I broke my leg last year. No queries and all sorted within 5 minutes if contacting them re an operation and 5 nights in a private clinic. The surgeon said it was the best UK insurance they had cone across as usually the insurance insisted on folk being transferred to the public hospital after assessment. I have also had direct correspondence with Russell the iwner...he is very customer focussed and helpful

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Thanks @holidayloverxx, great to hear someone happy with an insurance company & just the sort of recommendation I'm interested in hearing.
Anyone out there had any experiences with MPI ?

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Not had to claim with them but I've found them to be very helpful and efficient. Sorted me out a non-standard annual policy last year at a good price and I'm just about to renew and the price is the same.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I was a satisfied customer of Snowcard for years (never had to make a claim, so don't know about that aspect) but this year they told me that they have introduced a new underwriting process for pre-existing medical conditions. As a result, they wouldn't cover me for an annual policy. Fortunately, my "free" bank insurance underwriters were happy to cover me for annual insurance (including winter sports) and, by coincidence, the charge for covering the pre-existing conditions equalled the standard Snowcard annual premium.

(Admittedly, all irrelevant if don't have pre-existing medical conditions to declare.)

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@jtr, i declared my previously broken leg when I renewed along with the previously undiagnosed ligament damage, they charged anl additional premium but I was covered. I expect all will be back to normal now as it's more than a year ago, but to be fair it's not an medical condition as such

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I likewise found MPI helpful when I rang with a few questions about the policy. Their price is also very competitive, so it would be good to hear from anyone who has made a claim with them

After all it is free

@holidayloverxx, Hopefully, it will be fine in your case. The Snowcard underwriting process, this year, seemed to very much a checklist / point scoring system. The bank underwriter appeared to be more "informed" and asked pertinent questions. In any event, I got it all sorted out (and documented!) at no extra net cost.

I had to claim with MPI following a broken ankle. Claim was sorted quickly once they had all the bits of paperwork and the assistance company that dealt with my repatriation were also good.

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Thanks @Sitter, also reassuring. Anyone out there had any problems with either Snowcard or MPI ?

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@nickH I think some one here claimed for the cost of accommodation in Alleghe when they were unable to travel to Arabba due to avalanche danger last winter, but there were no problems with their claim as far as I am aware.

snow reports

Just called snowcard about my renewal - I don't need to declare my leg this year and as long as I don't want cover for a very minor surgery that I had in september (I don't) then I don't need to declare that either

@Hells Bells, was that with Snowcard or MPI?

You know it makes sense.

Have had a positive experience with a claim with Snowcard and used them ever since.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

With MPI for a few years now - just claimed for missed Birmingham flight when a jumper closed M42 fo 2 hours at 3.00am in morning and we missed Menorca flight.
They paid in full including taxi transfer to East Midlands and Jet 2 flights .....
Excellent service and will be renewing with MPI.

A snowHead

@nickH, sorry, that was MPI.

A snowHead

Something of a dilemma as so far only positive reports for both - pretty unusual when it comes to insurance i suspect - think it'll be down to small print and price then !!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@nickH, FWIW I asked two questions of MPI last year following other discussions on off-piste cover, and skiing under the influence of alcohol. I exchanged several emails with Michael Pettifer who owns MPI and this was his response quoted below.

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Wow, thanks @Hells Bells, an impressive reply and very reassuring in its approach and understanding. Think it could be a decider for me.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

It sounds like MPI is coming out of this very well. I am reconsidering my Building Society policy.

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@Hells Bells, what an excellent, cogent and comprehensive reply. Very impressed!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

MPI dealt with a 'pre-existing condition' for me swiftly, pragmatically and cheaply. I haven't claimed from them, though.

After all it is free

I was not impressed with Snowcard and the way they dealt with me, when I advised them about an routine scan. I moved my business, because they excluded a knee from cover (they never asked which knee) just because my consultant wanted scan confirmation of his diagnosis. As it turned out, the diagnosis was confirmed in the results and no-one recovers from old-age.

Just taken out annual insurance for myself and my granddaughter who is doing a season and am impressed with the policy terms and the helpful staff.

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Hi @skilegs, was that with Snowcard or MPI ?

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@snowbunny, but that's normal? You were under a consultants care and were awaiting a diagnosis. They would have covered the knee for an additional fee if you had said you wanted it covered

snow reports

@snowbunny, all your cover was removed as in they cancelled your policy? I thought website was very clear on covering such things

CHANGES TO YOUR HEALTH (APPLIES TO ANNUAL MULTI-TRIP POLICIES ONLY)
Part one
If your health changes after you purchased your policy but before you travel, you must contact Snowcard immediately on 0844 826 2698 to tell us about these changes if because of these you:

Have seen a doctor or seen or been referred to a consultant or specialist
Have been admitted to hospital for, or are waiting to receive treatment (including surgery, tests or investigations)
Part two
If we cannot cover your medical conditions, or you do not want to pay the additional premium quoted, we will give you the choice of either:

Cancelling your policy and receiving a proportionate/partial refund* (provided that you have not made a claim or are about to); or
Making a cancellation claim for any pre-booked trips; or
Continuing the policy but without cover for your medical conditions
CHANGES TO YOUR HEALTH (APPLIES TO ANNUAL MULTI-TRIP POLICIES ONLY)
Part one
If your health changes after you purchased your policy but before you travel, you must contact Snowcard immediately on 0844 826 2698 to tell us about these changes if because of these you:

Have seen a doctor or seen or been referred to a consultant or specialist
Have been admitted to hospital for, or are waiting to receive treatment (including surgery, tests or investigations)
Part two
If we cannot cover your medical conditions, or you do not want to pay the additional premium quoted, we will give you the choice of either:

Cancelling your policy and receiving a proportionate/partial refund* (provided that you have not made a claim or are about to); or
Making a cancellation claim for any pre-booked trips; or
Continuing the policy but without cover for your medical conditions.

You know it makes sense.

I have had good experiences of claims with both Snowcard and MPI - which doesn't help, really!

One useful difference for long-stayers is that MPI do not assume that every single day you are in the French Alps, you are participating in winter sports. I spend a lot of time out there, but by no means skiing every day - I do other things, I do airport runs, I don't bother when the weather is foul, and after a hard couple of days I usually have a rest. The Snowcard cover for the length of stay I needed was very expensive because it was their highest category of cover, including all kinds of life-threatening activities I have no intention of trying.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

With MPI@nickH,

A snowHead

Thanks @skilegs,
I now have to bite the bullet & make a decision . Both sound good, both suitable, so it's really just down to what I'll pay for what cover and on that basis MPI edge in above Snowcard so that's where my money will go.
Thanks everyone for the input, have a great ( safe and claim free !) winter snowHead

A snowHead

@holidayloverxx, I let the Policy run out, and then went elsewhere. I carried on my life as normal. I didn't have a medical condition that required fixing. It's called getting old. My official diagnosis from the Consultant (who tells it like it is) was "you're getting old". Snowcard chose to remove all cover "from the knee" upon being informed that my Consultant booked a scan to confirm his diagnosis. Snowcard did eventually reinstate cover, but even that was hard work. I briefly considered driving the all clear to their offices and nailing it to their bosses desk. We all have different experiences with Insurance companies, this was mine.

My post from 2010

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@snowbunny, fair enough.

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Great thread guy's!... been wondering who to get insured with this time and after reading all things "Snowcard", "MPI" and "Carra Neige" went with MPI Brokers in the end. Was trying to work out the Carra Neige thing but since MPI offer repatriation/helicopter rescue on their policy I don't, or should I say hopefully wont need it!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Just tried to renew my family annual multi-trip policy Max Adventure with Snowcard for which I paid £250 last year. Quite steep but the older two of my three children are quite adventurous skiers, so I thought better safe than sorry as it's a good policy.

Unfortunately their medical underwriting process needs looking at. For an annual policy, as part of the health declaration, if you or any of the insured "have seen a doctor".. "after you purchased your policy but before you travel" you have to ring their health screening line. I notified them of various stuff and have exclusions which are fair enough. Nothing too serious, a pending impacted wisdom tooth op, daughter had glandular fever so any reoccurrence is excluded but could be included for a fee, which I declined. Then came my oldest son. As the schools are tightening up on absence and he has been off a fair bit this autumn for illness, the school now request a doctor's note for absence greater than a couple of days. He's had a rough few months, with flu type viral infections which included s&d so we got him checked out and got the all clear - he's fine now - just the usual school bugs which seemed to hit him hard.

The health screener, who stated she wasn't medically trained (which baffles me), said he wouldn't be covered. I said, "not covered for what?". "Not covered for a similar thing". I tried to clarify "So if he gets a virus he won't be covered". "Not if it's the same virus" came the reply. "but they did no path so they have no idea what virus or even if it was really a virus" I reply. "Well that's up to the doctor" came the response. "Which doctor?" I replied (I was fuming a tad by now). "the doctor who treats him". "This is ludicrous" I said (or something similar). Eventually, we went to screening to we could get more specific, which is basically a check box exercise. We can pay an extra £45 to cover him for gastro-enteritis or alternatively have any reoccurrence of a "virus" not covered... He didn't even have gastro-enteritis - I guess because I mentioned s&d it fitted the box.

Apparently with an annual policy, any condition or illness which you have suffered in the previous 12 months and for which you had to temerity to visit your GP will not be covered unless you go to screening, which likely means higher risk, so higher cost for cover. If you don't declare and claim, well, I guess you aren't covered at all, for anything.

So Snowcard have lost another loyal customer - not because of the cost or the policy but because I have no confidence in a company who is using non-medically trained (or even aware) staff to make underwriting decisions on their policies. I had no confidence that I would have adequate cover in the event of a challenged claim as gastro-enteritis won't appear on his GP medical notes. It states "viral infection".

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@needles, I thought "gastro enteritis" was just a fancy name for s & d which can be caused by either a virus or bacteria. I can't imagine any health screeners are "medically changed" they are just following checklists. On the other hand, I would be perfectly happy to "self insure" against stuff like that. Screening doesn't necessarily mean higher premiums and a lot of things are included without problem (e.g. hypertension treated with one medication, in my case).

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@pam w, I guess it is just a fancy name for s&d but he didn't have gastro-enteritis, or at least wasn't diagnosed as having it - was more likely to be flu. I'd be happy to self-insure for stuff like that too, except I wasn't given the choice. I was given the choice to not be covered for any viral infection or to take cover at £45 for gastro-enteritis. Given his medical notes don't state the latter, it could be challenged on claim. Given a viral infection could be anything from a cold to flu to meningitis and beyond, I don't particularly feel comfortable self-insuring for hospitalisation for all known viral infections... I know it's a long shot but then that's what I insure for.

Basically the health screening process was a mess from start to finish. Why do I have to disclose all GP visits, even for minor stuff? Do all companies do this as it's a first for me. OK, I could have ignored it, but then what if one of my family has a serious injury and they refuse to pay out? - one of our friends broke her back a couple of years ago skiing so I'm perhaps more sensitive these days. If a company id going to be so specific on screening out risk, they should have people who understand the risk that they are underwriting for and to apply some modicum of common sense IMHO.

After all it is free

So hats off/chapeau to Snowcard, specifically Linda, who has sorted this for me.

Partly misunderstanding on my part, partly down to a daft screening process in my opinion but which I now understand a bit better. The company that does this is not part of Snowcard but aligned to the underwriters.

Basically the disclosure of GP visits and other medical issues does need to be done for an existing annual policy but not for a renewal which was my scenario.

This level of disclosure still concerns me, however I was advised that it is worth calling Snowcard in the first instance to get clarification as to what needs to be disclosed as the screeners on the health line assume that this has been done and therefore screen everything on this basis.

So, back with Snowcard and great customer service from them in the end.

Certainly MPI do this even for single trip cover.

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@Layne, so MPI request detail on GP visits for stuff like flu, for example? It's the first time I've personally encountered this. Obviously for more serious stuff, injuries, even minor, I can understand.

Help!!

skiing insurance -Snowcard vs MPI

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