 Poster: A snowHead
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I'd like to share my experiences with you regarding an accident I had back in November whilst in Zermatt. I broke my Tib and Fib and needed mountain rescue who then called in Air Zermatt as I needed emergency evacuation to Visp Hopsital for an immediate op. Even though I had my own insurance, I took out the lift pass insurance after having heard some horror stories in the past of folks having to give credit cards out on the piste. I thought if anything happened I wouldn't want that added hassle and expense. As I was attended by mountain rescue, one of the first things that happened was he asked for my lift pass and if I had insurance. He checked out the number and then treated me. Just before I left in the helicopter, I was given my lift pass back and told by him that if I received any invoices, I had to send them to the address in Switzerland on a card together with my lift pass. Now when I was in hospital, my insurance company had already asked me to provide any invoices for the helicopter but I had been given nothing so I couldn't deal with it. Fast Forward to the 5th of Jan, I received the invoice for over CHF 4K. Doing as instructed, I then sent the invoice to the insurance company as per the card given to me. I thought that this would be it getting sorted, how wrong was I.....
Last Saturday, I received 2 letters from Switzerland; one from KVG LAMal (these are the public body that deal with health reciprocal arrangements EHIC) and one from the Swiss lift pass insurance company called Solid AB with the product being Snocare or Skicare. The letter from KVG LAMal was requesting a payment for the personal contribution for my hospital treatment which they had covered (11K CHF) and this is the law in Swizerland; fair enough and only a couple of hundred pounds that could be claimed back. The letter from the insurance company contained all of my paperwork and told me that I had to send the helicopter invoice to LAMal as they were a 'subsidiary insurance' and would only cover what LAMal wouldn't. Therefore, all invoices and bills for medical expenses had to be paid up front by you and then claimed back dependent on what level was covered by LAMal and what wasn't! My conversation with the insurance company (rightly in my mind) was asking them why then bother with the insurance? Surely you take the cover (as I did) to avoid shelling out big bills and that I haven't got a spare £3.5K kicking around to pay for the helicopter, especially as I'm self employed and haven't been able to work since October plus I don't have a credit card! Back then to my travel insurance then explaining the full situation, quick email and it was paid straight away (as they had offered to do way back).
Morale of the story is that I wouldn't bother with that insurance again (unless I knew implicitly what the cover and procedure was) as my own insurance had it covered; for me, it certainly didn't do what I was expecting. Perhaps I was naive having never needed it before or knowing anyone who'd used it and this is common across Europe. Anyhow, I hope my story in some way might help warn folks what they might face in the same circumstances.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not sure I follow exactly, but are you saying you wouldn't bother with the insurance bought with the pass following this? I've always assumed I might have to shell out money up front and claim back. The carre neige, or equivalent, is to stop the hassle/delay whatever in getting off the mountain, for me at any rate. With older kids who could be anywhere on the mountain it's something of a comfort. Sorry if I've misunderstood.
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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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Suppose it depends on the particular country/region? In the Arlberg, Austria, you can take out this supplementary insurance with the lift pass. I was heli lifted off the mountain to hospital and ALL costs were covered by it. Nothing to pay up front or later
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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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Interesting and helpful!
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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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Yes, any information on how things have worked in different countries is interesting. Thank you.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| needles wrote: |
| Not sure I follow exactly, but are you saying you wouldn't bother with the insurance bought with the pass following this? I've always assumed I might have to shell out money up front and claim back. The carre neige, or equivalent, is to stop the hassle/delay whatever in getting off the mountain, for me at any rate. With older kids who could be anywhere on the mountain it's something of a comfort. Sorry if I've misunderstood. |
Yes you are spot with getting off the mountain and that's what it did deliver however, it is also supplementary insurance which I mistakedly thought would cover the costs of getting off the mountain without having to fork out huge sums up front before claiming it back. You're right also about the peace of mind element especially for kids! I wanted to highlight the procedure so people don't get caught out like I did; I was perhaps naive as I said but fortunate enough to have great travel insurance. Lesson learned.
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Strange turn of events, sorry to hear about that...and in my case I say so with genuine empathy.
I too broke my Tib & Fib, spiral fracture, skiing in Verbier.
However in my case the Piste Rescue people asked to see my lift pass (which clearly said Insured).
They never asked for anything again.
The Helicopter took me to hospital in Sion, the Heli people just glanced at my lift pass.
In the hospital my wife showed them the EHIC card and a few days later when I left I was presented with an invoice for a whole 64chf! I never heard another thing from them or EHIC.
I didn't bother trying to claim that!
Get well soon.
Important advice:
If you have a pin down the middle of your Tibia do NOT leave it too long to get it taken out. I did as I didn't want to miss ski time the next season...I left it too long and it is totally fused in place and the surgeon could not shift it. No long term consequences for me, I am lucky, but for some people there could be.
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@scottief, thanks. Appreciate the info and hope your recovery is swift.
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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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Not that I'm sure I'll ever ski in Switzerland but way confused with the two experiences from @rungsp and @scottief which seem polar opposites.
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Were you both taken off the mountain by heli, or just taken from base to hospital by heli?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| rungsp wrote: |
Strange turn of events, sorry to hear about that...and in my case I say so with genuine empathy.
I too broke my Tib & Fib, spiral fracture, skiing in Verbier.
However in my case the Piste Rescue people asked to see my lift pass (which clearly said Insured).
They never asked for anything again.
The Helicopter took me to hospital in Sion, the Heli people just glanced at my lift pass.
In the hospital my wife showed them the EHIC card and a few days later when I left I was presented with an invoice for a whole 64chf! I never heard another thing from them or EHIC.
I didn't bother trying to claim that!
Get well soon.
Important advice:
If you have a pin down the middle of your Tibia do NOT leave it too long to get it taken out. I did as I didn't want to miss ski time the next season...I left it too long and it is totally fused in place and the surgeon could not shift it. No long term consequences for me, I am lucky, but for some people there could be. |
Thanks for all the well wishes!
@rungsp Cheers, appreciate it and good to hear you have recovered. I have the metal plate and screws. Interesting the 2 examples of differences! I wasn't given anything in hospital and before I had even been operated on I'd given my EHIC card. Maybe this is local to Zermatt but I certainly know the company I referred to above (KVG LAMal) are the body that deals with all of the health reciprocal agreements as the Swiss public body. They sent me my hospital bill as I said so you'd have thought it would be the same? Had word last night that my travel insurance had paid the helicopter so I'm relieved! @pam w In answer to your question, I was up on the glacier so was airlifted from there straight to Visp hospital.
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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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@scottief, Good luck with the recovery. But I don't understand your story. I must say, when I started to read it, I thought it was going to be a story about double insurance. If one insurance company finds out that another has insured the same risk they can ask that other company to share the cost of compensation, and you might get a lot of hassle and potentially lose two excesses. You seem to have been in a double insured position with respect to the lift-pass insurance and your travel insurance. But you actually seem to be saying that the lift-pass insurance told you to send the helicopter bill to the people who deal with EHIC claims to see if they would pay some of it ?! Surely there is no question of EHIC covering any kind of rescue, whether by ambulance, sled or helicopter? It covers purely hospital treatment. (And works very well in Switzerland.) I wonder if some clerk at Solid didn't just misunderstand and cock up.
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| planeurge wrote: |
| @scottief, Good luck with the recovery. But I don't understand your story. I must say, when I started to read it, I thought it was going to be a story about double insurance. If one insurance company finds out that another has insured the same risk they can ask that other company to share the cost of compensation, and you might get a lot of hassle and potentially lose two excesses. But you actually seem to be saying that the lift-pass insurance told you to send the helicopter bill to the people who deal with EHIC claims to see if they would pay some of it ?! Surely there is no question of EHIC covering any kind of rescue, whether by ambulance, sled or helicopter? It covers purely hospital treatment. (And works very well in Switzerland.) I wonder if some clerk at Solid didn't just misunderstand and cock up. |
Cheers @planeurge. What you say is spot on that's exactly what they said. I never thought that the EHIC coverage would do anything to pay for private helicopter and even checking online to clarify this says the same. Solid were adamant even when I checked that they were a 'subsidiary insurance' and that the coverage of KVG had to be checked first. KVG website says this:
'Persons, who are insured with an official health insurer of one of the EU states or Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein (EFTA), have a claim to unanticipated medical treatment in case of illness, recreational accident or maternity during a temporary stay in Switzerland. The Gemeinsame Einrichtung KVG in Solothurn is responsible for the whole of Switzerland for the examination of a claim and then coordinates the billing of the treatment costs as well as the subsequent invoicing to the relevant health insurance abroad.'
You're right, It indeed covered my hospital bill which was invoiced, paid and then of which I had to pay the compulsory excess. Solid said as they were 'subsidiary cover' that I had to pay the helicopter bill up front and then send it to KVG to 'check their coverage.' Not at all what I expected and completely different to @rungsp's experience. Perhaps my experience is very individual....
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You know it makes sense.
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Whilst the Gemeinsame Einrichtung do not pay for helicopter rescue or transport to hospital, they do have an obligation to pay 50% of inter-hospital heli transfers if medically required. If there is no insurance covering this the patient would be responsible for paying and then claiming it back.
Current rate for Air Zermatt EC135 helicopter with full medical crew including doctor is just very slightly under Chf 1.50 per second!!
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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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Hi - just wanted to wish you good luck with the recovery. I too broke my tib-fib snowboarding back in March 2013 (2 plates and lots of screws).
I just had Snowcard insurance, accident was in France and had to pay everything up front on credit cards and then claim it all back (took 6 weeks), about £7K total.
Anyway, all the best - it takes a while to get the strength back and you will prob need your boots modifying a bit to deal with the plates/screws. Was back boarding in January the following year. FYI - my plates/screws are all still in and don't affect me.
All the best...
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Tris wrote: |
Hi - just wanted to wish you good luck with the recovery. I too broke my tib-fib snowboarding back in March 2013 (2 plates and lots of screws).
I just had Snowcard insurance, accident was in France and had to pay everything up front on credit cards and then claim it all back (took 6 weeks), about £7K total.
Anyway, all the best - it takes a while to get the strength back and you will prob need your boots modifying a bit to deal with the plates/screws. Was back boarding in January the following year. FYI - my plates/screws are all still in and don't affect me.
All the best... |
Much appreciated @Tris that's great to hear! Mainly it's the mobility back in my foot and ankle as its amazing how much trauma they take even though the break is higher up. Leg muscle has suffered slightly too but physio is ramping up my treatment now onto the bike, stepper and rowing machine and so far the prognosis is good and she seems happy that I'm on schedule. Hopefully because I did it in November I'll be fine for next season but I'm not getting ahead of myself till they tell me all is good. I've got custom fit boots that go in the oven so I was thinking the same that perhaps that might need re-moulding and the inner adjusted.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@scottief, if the screws are still there next ski season I would STRONGLY suggest taking a stanley knife to the liners and cutting out a small hole over each screw head.
I didn't do that the first time....the AGONY after 50m was terrible and I had a long ski down to the next down-load point.
30 minutes of liner-surgery later and everything was good-to-go.
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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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| rungsp wrote: |
@scottief, if the screws are still there next ski season I would STRONGLY suggest taking a stanley knife to the liners and cutting out a small hole over each screw head.
I didn't do that the first time....the AGONY after 50m was terrible and I had a long ski down to the next down-load point.
30 minutes of liner-surgery later and everything was good-to-go. |
Great advice cheers! As soon as I get the all clear, I'll be skiing at my dry slope to get everything right so hopefully will be good to go before a trip abroad.
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