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Off-piste - insurance providers

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Can anyone recommend a decent insurance provider who covers off-piste?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Sideshow_Bob, MPI.
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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?
@geepee, +1
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+2
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Ta all, name rings a bell, think we booked with them for our last trip
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I've used a broker JustTravel for annual cover with wintersports/off piste
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Depending how far off piste you want to go (and what the hell "within the ski area boundaries of a recognised ski resort and follow the ski patrol guidelines" actually means) LV's travel insurance might do the job.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Booked with MPI to save any issues with definitions of where resort boundaries are etc.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Sideshow_Bob, Me too.
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If you already have general travel insurance (e.g. from bank, credit card etc) and just need cover for rescue off-piste then join the Austrian Alpine Club. https://aacuk.org.uk/ Absolutely no question about boundaries or what is or is not off-piste, covers all recreation in the mountains, e.g. lift-served skiing, hiking, ski touring, climbing.
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MPI pretty expensive IMO if you are 50+

I just moved for that reason

I also have the (triple?) whammy of - Hip Resurfacing 6 years ago, 51 next week, dont wear a helmet...................
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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.
I always use snowcard just to insure me for the off piste stuff, all the rest (normal ski holiday stuff) is insured through my bank policy. Snowcard lets you choose what you actually want covered so by removing all the stuff that's covered by my bank policy I end up with a £50 odd premium for 1 week.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
GreenDay wrote:
MPI pretty expensive IMO if you are 50+

I just moved for that reason

I also have the (triple?) whammy of - Hip Resurfacing 6 years ago, 51 next week, dont wear a helmet...................


These are all irrelevant to AAC insurance Smile
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
gixxerniknik wrote:
I always use snowcard just to insure me for the off piste stuff, all the rest (normal ski holiday stuff) is insured through my bank policy. Snowcard lets you choose what you actually want covered so by removing all the stuff that's covered by my bank policy I end up with a £50 odd premium for 1 week.

You may have already considered/looked into this... but could their be a problem making a claim with two insurance companies involved?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Layne, but you would only claim against the policy that you actually have cover with. if 2 companies are involved they sort it out between themselves
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Layne, although I have never ( & hope not to) had a claim with snowcard, @holidayloverxx, is correct in that there is no crossover, only if I am off piste/cat-skiing or heli-skiing does the snowcard policy come into effect, which are all not covered by the bank.
I am also over 50 & have dodgey knees!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
How's the ski club GB insurance for this ? I'm looking around for Canadian cover and they seem good value.

MPI are tempting, but the single trip days limit doesn't work for me. Interestingly when I called, although some of the trip days are traveling it seems they count towards Wintersports days.
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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?
BMC
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MPI
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
SCGB insurance policy has all become too ambiguous for me. It's hard to know exactly what you are or are not covered for so I've dropped it (and my membership) and now use MPI.
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Quote:

Interestingly when I called, although some of the trip days are traveling it seems they count towards Wintersports days.

That has changed then, as I asked the same question a few years ago, and got a different answer.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The important clause in the MPI insurance is not whether it is "Off Piste" but that they cover "Off Piste without a guide".
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Hells Bells wrote:
Quote:

Interestingly when I called, although some of the trip days are traveling it seems they count towards Wintersports days.

That has changed then, as I asked the same question a few years ago, and got a different answer.


Some years back snowcard said the same but i got clarification from Russell...the owner...that travelling days did not count as skiing days
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Gave up with BMC, BASI and some other UK based "Club Style" Insurance, as many of the underwriters insist that the trip must start and finish in the UK. Bit of a problem when you don't live there. Always check the small print. +1 for AAC.
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Need to renew ours, so this thread was really helpful. Must say that MPI's policy looks good, but they're not particularly cheap! £450 for standard worldwide cover with wintersports is ~£350 more than I paid this year (but then my old insurer has decided that their definition of 'off piste' needs tightening this year so they're no longer an option).

AAC is a lot cheaper, but the limitation of €10k for medical expenses looks a bit light to me (a friend broke his leg in the US about 10 years back and it was about £5k, and I can't believe medical treatment's got any cheaper).

@jedster, out of interest do you know which insurer your broker went with (doubt I'd be able to book direct, I'm just curious)?
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I can't see myself going with anyone other than MPI after my experience with them after breaking myself last year... Add to that the experience of a friend a week later, same company, same great service (better even, as she needed a lot more doing), and that cements them in my mind as the go-to ski/board insurer.

Their definition of off piste is pretty much "whatever, whenever, wherever, with or without a guide" and it's covered in even the basic package.

I'm youngish and their basic package only cost £85 for the 17/18 season 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.
I've just had a look to renew our annual MPI policy, and it is indeed expensive, and I can no longer remove personal possessions and cancellation cover, which are covered under another policy. I can upgrade our bank policy to include skiing for £40. There are trip limits, but it will be enough for this trip. I'm waiting for a reply from MPI about the option to remove stuff.We don't need cancellation cover, our possessions are covered by our house insurance in France, and on our UK policy away from home too, not to mention on the Nationwide bank cover. As we tend to travel to our own place using our own car and Eurotunnel, if we don't go, we just move the crossing dates, and have lost nothing. If we decide we need to come home early, the same applies, and there is unlikley to be any real cost to doing so.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
sah wrote:
If you already have general travel insurance (e.g. from bank, credit card etc) and just need cover for rescue off-piste then join the Austrian Alpine Club. https://aacuk.org.uk/ Absolutely no question about boundaries or what is or is not off-piste, covers all recreation in the mountains, e.g. lift-served skiing, hiking, ski touring, climbing.


this has been on my mind for a while now. Surely that does not work. While the AAC may pay to rescue you. When you show up in the hospital and you are looking at your general travel insurance to provide cover surely they will ask how did the accident happen - you reply and then they go but sir we do not cover for injuries while partaking in those activities. Yes you can say I had the accident while skiing in X resort and maybe that would work (that would be fraud - or maybe not giving all the details) but surely the whole reason insurance companies don't cover certain activities or have increased premiums to cover you is that on a risk profile incidents/injuries on average cost more for those activity classes. It is also while the AAC medical coverage is so low.

What i am getting at is if you do go down that route of AAC and then general insurance while it may work - i dont think it is solid coverage especially if they start to ask how/where did the accident happen.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@extremerob, they will also get a report from the hospital, which will probably state the circumstances of the accident.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@jjams82, they're quoting me £300+ for a couple aged 54 and 55. Hubby may also have to contact re medical screening after this week's out, so I'm hanging on until then.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@extremerob, What AAC may give you over some others is coverage for search and rescue in the event that you become 'lost'. I notice in a couple of policies the search element is excluded, although for most people it's not going to be an issue. More of a back country ski touring \ ski mountaineering issue.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
esaw1 wrote:
SCGB insurance policy has all become too ambiguous for me. It's hard to know exactly what you are or are not covered for so I've dropped it (and my membership) and now use MPI.


Can I ask in what way ? I'm looking for ski touring cover and it's listed as an activity.
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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?
ChrisWo wrote:
Need to renew ours, so this thread was really helpful. Must say that MPI's policy looks good, but they're not particularly cheap! £450 for standard worldwide cover with wintersports is ~£350 more than I paid this year (but then my old insurer has decided that their definition of 'off piste' needs tightening this year so they're no longer an option).

AAC is a lot cheaper, but the limitation of €10k for medical expenses looks a bit light to me (a friend broke his leg in the US about 10 years back and it was about £5k, and I can't believe medical treatment's got any cheaper).

@jedster, out of interest do you know which insurer your broker went with (doubt I'd be able to book direct, I'm just curious)?


Chris, that is the basic search and rescue policy you get as a membership benefit, think the medical cover is just there for anything you need to get you to a hospital! They also offer trip policy with more usual levels of cover but no silly hangups around what you were doing to break yourself!


Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sat 23-02-19 23:14; edited 1 time in total
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@davkt, ah, thanks - clearly didn't read the website carefully enough. Will have another look...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@ChrisWo, https://www.knox.co.at/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Alpenverein-Premium-Single-Trip-Cover.pdf is the full cover. As long as you aren't scuba diving deeper than 40m or more than 6000m up a mountain you get half a million of medical cover pretty much whatever you were up to.
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@ChrisWo, cover noted here (I think) - https://www.knox.co.at/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Alpenverein-Premium-Single-Trip-Cover.pdf

https://aacuk.org.uk/p-mountain-rescue-search-insurance
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@AndAnotherThing.., Along with the ridiculously cheap premiums! 17 days cover in Europe €25
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@davkt, Sorry, didn't realise I'd posted the same pdf. And 54 euro for worldwide, 31 day trip cover.

It's tempting to take the SCGB and and top up with AAC as belt and braces.

Choices, choices.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@AndAnotherThing.., I'd forgotten to look at SCGB, seems like very good value.
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@AndAnotherThing../@davkt, just to check I've understood - the AAC's insurance policy (not search & rescue) is single-trip, so that means if I wanted cover for 3 week-long trips a year then I'd need to be 3x 17-day policies. Is that how it works in your experience?

If so, then I think that means the cost for a couple is something like £220 (£92 membership, ~£130 for single trip policies). That's very good compared to MPI, but I guess it does only deal with ski cover. I'd have to take out a separate multi-trip policy for random other holidays. I guess that would be about £90, so AAC probably still beats MPI for me (YMMV of course). Might keep looking to see if there's anything comparable that doesn't require me to remember to book insurance for each trip though Smile
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