SCGB Insurance -enough :-(

A snowHead

Probably should be more patient, but just binned SCGB membership because I can’t deal with their insurance partner.

Having an arthroscopy next week. Wanted to figure impact on next year’s insurance. Can’t answer, just need to do a whole new proposal. Couldn’t use any info they have. Really needed to know i wasn’t planning on going on a cruise! 15 minutes later,,timeout, back to MPI, one member lost!

I am sure I should be more patient, but lost confidence. Shouldn’t SCGB aim for better?

A snowHead

From my own experience when awaiting medical investigation, no travel insurance company will touch you until they know the results. I will be happy if proved wrong, though.

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

Did not get that far.

Happy there be exclusions. MPI spoke about that.

For 15 minutes I was listening to what thenSCGB product won’t do, collecting my name and not too much else. I am already covered by these guys!!!

MPI was discussion . Complete the web proposal, complete screening next week. But I know where I stand.

Loser is ski club though.

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@PeterGee, I have just renewed with SCGB and was asked a whole new set of completely irrelevant medical questions for something that happened more than 30 years ago, only to be told that I could exclude it from the policy without any issue. The agent I was dealing with unofficially expressed that the new questions had been causing allsorts of issues. They seemed to be asking more life rather than travel insurance questions.

I guess they have to protect themselves from people who have been abusing the system. For example a question I have never been asked before was along the lines of "Are any non-travelling members of your family or close relatives, seriously ill". I guess this is to prevent claims for cancellation or early return, that have a known potential risk at the time of booking.

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Recognize that question Happy

along with many more of little relevance.

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I have recently been informed via email by SCGB that my platinum membership, with associated insurance, will be renewed soon in accordance with my pre-existing direct debit payment. Ie "opt out now or you will be renewed." Fair enough. I have nothing new to declare and renewing the existing deal suits me. I get a slight discount for paying via direct debit and I don't really want to look around and then fill in all sorts of new paperwork. The key wording at the very top of the SCGB email is: "Your membership will renew automatically with Direct Debit." Great.

However, the SCGB email then goes on to say "As part of your membership renewal you will need to declare any new, pre-existing medical conditions, or significant medical history, onto your new annual travel policy. Screenings must be undertaken even if your medical condition has not changed from last year. An additional premium, increased excess, restriction or exclusion to cover may apply depending on the nature and severity of your medical condition. Our Customer Service Advisers will explain your options at the point of screening on 0300 303 2610. If you are unsure as to whether you need to screen please call."

So it seems that, in direct contradiction of the clear statement at the top of the email, I am NOT being automatically renewed. Instead, I have to undergo medical screening all over again, even though nowt has changed.

Or maybe, I might be renewed automatically, but unless I re-screen I might possibly not be insured. Or perhaps I would be a member, but if I made a claim subsequently it would be ruled ineligible if I don't pre-screen? Or, unless I re-screen, they will not process my existing direct debit? Frankly, it's all a bit confusing for a simple chap like me.

Nothing about my health has changed since my previous renewal and I would be happy to sign a simple declaration to that effect as part of the renewal process. But this all seems a bit of a hassle. Is it really necessary?

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

Yup. I *think* your membership renews, but to have the included insurance, you need to screen. Enjoy Happy

After all it is free

Yet the second sentence of the SCGB missive states, without qualification: "Your membership and annual multi-trip travel insurance policy will both renew automatically with the Direct Debit you already have in place."

Here is the SCGB email in question (some personal details deleted):

Your membership will renew automatically with Direct Debit

If you cannot read this email. please click here

Home | Snow & weather | News & features | Discounts

Ski Club of Great Britain Ski Club of Great Britain

Hi [deleted]

We're emailing to let you know that your Ski Club Platinum family membership is due for renewal by Direct Debit on [deleted].

Your membership and annual multi-trip travel insurance policy will both renew automatically with the Direct Debit you already have in place.

Your membership renewal fee will be [deleted]

MEDICAL SCREENING

As part of your membership renewal you will need to declare any new, pre-existing medical conditions, or significant medical history, onto your new annual travel policy. Screenings must be undertaken even if your medical condition has not changed from last year. An additional premium, increased excess, restriction or exclusion to cover may apply depending on the nature and severity of your medical condition. Our Customer Service Advisers will explain your options at the point of screening on 0300 303 2610. If you are unsure as to whether you need to screen please call.

You will also need to inform us if you wish to renew any upgrades to your policy such as Cruise Cover, Business Cover, Golf Extension Cover etc. This would also be done by calling our Customer Service Advisers on 0300 303 2610.

Please also note that your insurance cover is for Europe only – you can upgrade to worldwide cover by calling the number above.

If you have any other questions about your membership, please call the Ski Club's Member Services team on 020 8410 2015 or email members@skiclub.co.uk

Here's to another great season of Ski Club Platinum membership.

The Ski Club Team

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Final post: I have just bought equivalent cover via MPI. Took about 4 mins on their website. Simple.
Goodbye SCGB.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

SCGB is not an insurance company. They are merely a middle man taking a margin, and therefore you are bound to be able to find similar or better cover for the same or less money.

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@telford_mike, In my case the SCGB insurance was less than £200, which is £150-£300 less than equivalent cover from other companies I checked (single person with world wide cover including US & Canada, with heli-skiing). MPI for example are £210 more for slighty lower cover.

@telford_mike, I suspect that all insurance companies will start asking more questions as insurance fraud is on the increase. MPI ask the coverall question at the start of the quotation process, which legally is pretty much the same as the medical / family questions asked by SCGB:

"I, and others listed under this policy am/are a resident(s) of the UK or Ireland and am not aware of any incidents that may give rise to a claim".

Not convinced about cover differences. Young man from the SCGB insurance company spent a lot of time telling me what is not covered. I am sure I paid more with MPI, but I really don’t want to think about insurance!
Net of the message is linking membership with insurance is cool if it is a good product. However, when it stops being a good product, you lose members.

You know it makes sense.

I actually paid slightly more for my insurance via MPI, but was happy to do so because it was such an easy application process.

I would have been happy to renew with SCGB, but they sent me a confusing, badly written and seemingly contradictory email which made it sound like renewal was going to be a hassle because of the insurance element. A pity, because I appreciate their other services.

Something is badly wrong when it is easier and simpler to make an application insurance to a new provider (MPI) than it is to carry on with an existing direct debit mandate in favour of SCGB.

SCGB marketing folk, take note.

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

A snowHead

I've just rung them up to ask re extending my policy to wordlwide instead of just europe with my scgb membership, and also adding on mrs endo. No bother at all, yep some health questions, but a quote given and all I need to do is add wife onto SCGB membership. Sadly SCGB themselves are shut today so I can't do that, but it's likely the route we will take. It's comparable with any other policy I can find and will obviously cover us for Europe should she actually like skiing!

A snowHead

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

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I am seventy one and had to ask a few questions when I renewed with the SCGB this year. I am now on a small dose of medication for high blood pressure plus a small dose of statins which I declared. There was no increase in the premium because of that. The rest of my medical history is straightforward and I did not find the renewal process too onerous.

I had a bad skiing crash last December which ended up with me cancelling two fairly expensive off piste trips at short notice, meaning that I was liable for the full cost of the holidays. Both claims were around £1,400 and were paid, minus £50 excess charges, within two weeks each without any question. I thought that was excellent service particularly when they must have had so many claims last season given the poor snow conditions and also might have looked for excuses not to pay out. The fact that I made those claims did not affect my premium this year.

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Nope, I can see no way on the website to add a family member for the remainder of my membership year. I shall ring if I get time when at work.

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

After all it is free

If I could have renewed on the SCGB website I would have, but their email seemed to suggest that I needed to speak to somebody to initiate a brand new medical screening, even when nothing has changed... and SCGB aren't open on weekend. By contrast, MPI application took just a few mins on the internet, outside working hours, and I got my cover documents by return.

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The club member services team number isn't manned. Don't know about the other one. Not inclined to ring call centre numbers for unknown partner organisations and provide details of my health and financial matters.

Anyway, the crux of the issue seems to be the link between membership and insurance. In the email sent to me, SCGB seemed to be selling me an automatic renewal of membership incorporating insurance (a financial services product) via a pre-existing direct debit. They quote the amount of payment.

But they then muddied the water, further down the email, by saying I had to undergo a brand new medical screening even if nothing about my health has changed.
So, it seems they were going to take the payment, but not necessarily provide me with a key part of the offer, let alone at the price they stated. Hmm.

I wonder what the FCA would make of this?

I do hope SCGB get their marketing comms sorted, because they are a good organisation that I am inclined to support, for a variety of reasons beyond insurance.

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You know it makes sense.

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

Gerry, do you work for, or represent, SCGB or their insurers?

A snowHead

A snowHead

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

I do hope SCGB isn't the sort of outfit where the customer is always wrong. Some of us might be a bit thick, but it might be wise to at least listen to what we have to say.

If the SCGB renewal system had been as simple as MPI's application process, my SCGB platinum family membership, paid for by direct debit, would have been renewed.

Incidentally, I note from the 2017 SCGB accounts: "Insurance gave a further increased contribution and we are working to push this even more". I appreciate that even non-profit organisation needs to make surplus, but I do hope this complexity for renewals isn't the consequence.

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I am 70 and just had a quote for 25 days ins including the USA from the SCGB insurer of 647 quid.

I guess I will go with Atlas again at half that.

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well mine is now all sorted, added mrs endo to platinum and also upgraded us both to worldwide for just over £200 total. Cost a bit more cos I get a bit of asthma with hayfever.

Thanks to those who pointed to the members bit of the scgb website, haven't actually looked at it since I joined so didn't know it was there, I hd forgotten I had filled in some stuff last season! Noted for future.

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

My SCGB platinum membership renewed a couple of weeks ago via direct debit and my interpretation was that, as my medical condition is unchanged from last year, I did not need to re screen.

I'm not sure now though so I posted a querie on their forum asking for someone from administration to clarify things.

If and when I get a reply I'll relay the news

After all it is free

Yup, this is precisely the conundrum I found myself heading for, as explained in an earlier post. The SCGB email contradicts itself.

It seems SCGB has teamed up with a new insurance provider (not sure when) called TIF. This TIF outfit seems to have had a hand in designing policies and the new SCGB website and marketing stuff. TIF is boasting on its website that the results for SCGB, so far, include a "500 % increase in brokerage".

@mitcva, If that really is the case it explains a lot and does NOT reflect well on the SCGB.

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SCGB Insurance -enough :-(

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