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Recommendation for family mulit trip ski/activity insurance that also covers SUP!!!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi, I think I might be after the 'moon on a stick' here, but does anyone have any recommendations for multi trip family travel insurance that doesn't a. cost the earth, b. includes piste/off piste skiing c. stand up paddle boarding! I have just been on the phone to both InsureandGo and Snowcard. Even though InsureandGo lists Ostrich racing ( Shocked ) in its list of sports additionally covered, SUP is not covered anywhere! It's gone to the underwriters. Same with Snowcard, even though they have a special area for covering watersports. I usually go with BMC insurance, but for family multitrip, this was vvv expensive quotation. SUP is new and has not been tried yet! Looking for lots of advice here folks! Many thanks in advance.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Just checked my Direct Line policy and surprised to see it's not specifically covered. They said to call if you weren't sure about any activities so I did a quick Live Chat (procrastinating at work...) They said it was covered as standard with the usual caveats of inshore, right equipment, no liability etc. We have an annual policy with wintersports and it's decent cover for the price.
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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?
Thanks @Rhoobarb. The SUP board wasn't cheap, but not +++£ (from McConks - very GQ), and will be taken out to Girona, Spain for family hols in the summer, so with the jackets we are getting the kids, will be quite an expensive thing. We live near the Cotswold water park, so are going out there once weather better. Snowcard's quote in the end was more expensive that the BMC family insurance, and BMC covers pretty much every sport except throwing yourself off a cliff lemming style. Do you have a separate Direct line annual travel policy then? Bit worried as hubby's bank travel policy only covers off piste with a guide. They can get a bit funny if you happen to be in between runs, or skiing to a mountain hut on a 'track' or something like that when you have an accident, or gear taken from outside in a rack if it's not locked!
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It's an annual one - I wouldn't go with just an add on policy - but it also only covers off-piste with a guide. I agree it can be a grey area in those situations, but would hope common sense would prevail. We split our skis but don't lock them, which I guess leaves us at risk of not being covered.

Having worked for an insurer years ago I'm surprised anyone are adding a premium on for SUP. Or are you looking to insure the paddleboard itself? It won't ever be covered while if use, but should just be part of your possessions.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@rhoobabrb - having done a trawl though several online recommended sites for insurance, NO-ONE has listed SUP in the activities! Lots of mentions of the 'ostrich racing' and other weird things people like to do in gap years. They all say, phone us up, and we'll discuss it with the underwriters. The Insureandgo underwriter has had zero claims for SUP (apparently), but as it is a 'new thing' they don't know how serious the claims could be, so it's a 'risky' sport. TBH, I am more worried about our car getting broken into and the kit stolen, than one of us having an accident on Lake Banyoles in Spain. My most serious injury to date happened on a green run during an off piste course when somehow I face planted my ski pole (went under the rim of my goggles) when someone took me out from behind, and sustained an orbital floor fracture. Now have titanium in my eye. I didn't use any of the insurance services until I got home, then ran into a bit of difficulty as everything had been paid for separately, but the course included accommodation. I obviously couldn't complete the course or use the rest of the lift pass, so had some difficult to try to claim for the holiday as they had a set limit of certain things. I complained to the BMC and they said that I had been given wrong advice when making my claim, and paid out some more money.
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We have LV travel insurance which includes "Paddle boarding" in the standard activities covered. Their winter sports cover includes off piste "provided you're within the ski area boundaries of a recognised ski resort and are following ski patrol guidelines."

https://www.lv.com/travel-insurance/activities-covered
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
That definition of off piste makes no sense in a European context
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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!
@natalieG - this sounds like the holy grail of travel policies!!! Thanks soooo much!!! I'm going to have a look!
Very Happy
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@pam w, maybe not but it's better than eg Aviva ("Accompanied by a qualified guide at all times and only in areas that the resort management consider to be safe"). To be honest, we're not going to be undertaking any serious off piste expeditions; I just don't want to be stuck if something happens if we are in between pistes, which I think would be hard for LV to exclude based on that wording.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
When I asked for clarification from Dogtag about what "following ski patrol guidelines" meant, and mentioned avalanche warning levels, they said if there were any level of avalanche warning I wouldn't be covered off-piste. But I think LV are a good company (my motor insurance is with them) and I'd expect them to be reasonable.
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The Austrian Alpine Club insurance covers all leisure activities worldwide (and no nonsense about limitations for off piste skiing) see https://aacuk.org.uk/p-mountain-rescue-search-insurance . I believe family membership is around 90 quid. It is not comprehensive travel insurance (lost baggage, US medical costs etc) but will cover the costs of flying you off a mountain or fishing you out of the sea should that be required. The medical costs element is fairly limited (€10,000) and is designed to be in addition to other medical insurance you have eg an EHIC, you can get a top up for the medical costs bit for single journeys if that is a concern see https://www.knox.co.at/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Alpenverein-Premium-Single-Trip-Cover.pdf
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Thanks for the tip @munich_irish. I will have a look at this as well.
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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
@gaschick, were with LV also, having switched from SCGB two years ago, not had the need to claim thankfully. We've got an inflatable kayak which we use here and on summer hols overseas.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@gaschick, Ouch!!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@gaschick, I have an annual LV policy too and took my SUP abroad. I checked with them before going and it was covered as part of my belongings against damage or theft. I didn't think to see if I was insured for an accident whilst using it though! I have claimed on their winter sports and found them very fair
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Dubmuffin - thanks for the tip. I have been looking at Columbus Direct as well (can even get extra Quidco bonus with this), seem to cover everything with the Winter sports cover (great as it includes ski touring AS STANDARD!!), and lots of activities included as standard (including the near industry standard ostrich riding), but again no SUP cover. A very good price though, and options to waive excess for a very small amount, so might be worth a punt. The excess per person can really add up in some policies with the 5 of us. I will give both LV and Columbus direct a ring at lunchtime.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
MPI Brokers cover all water sports inland and up to 12 miles from shore as part of their annual (multi trip) travel policy which can have winter sports added - wording here https://www.mpibrokers.com/documents/7548-9%20Retail%20ST_AMT%20wording.pdf - my only connection is that I have used them for years for their annual family skiing cover.
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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?
Thanks all!! Finally, Columbus Direct family (of 5) multi trip policy bought, via Quidco, with 26% Quidco pounds back AND an extra £2.50 quidco bonus as it was bought today. As two family members have asthma, policy premium was bumped up. SUP now added onto policy at no extra cost. £500/item ski coverage which would cover hubby's new Black Crows, and mine. £5000 cancellation, etc and bought the excess waiver for not very much. £244 in total, BUT will get £67 back from Quidco at some point in the next millennium. The policy covers ALL types of offpistey things that we do. This was the best VFM policy that I could find with decent personal liability, cancellation insurance, excess (zero), medical expenses (£15million). No limit to the number of trips in a year as well! Contacted MPI, Snowcard, Dogtag, LV, BMC (not members of SkiCGB), Staysure, InsureandGo (still waiting for them to get back in touch with me), ERV insurance, and Direct Travel!
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@gaschick, That's some thorough R&D you have done there, glad you got a good deal and the effort paid off!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
munich_irish wrote:
The Austrian Alpine Club insurance covers all leisure activities worldwide (and no nonsense about limitations for off piste skiing) see https://aacuk.org.uk/p-mountain-rescue-search-insurance . I believe family membership is around 90 quid. It is not comprehensive travel insurance (lost baggage, US medical costs etc) but will cover the costs of flying you off a mountain or fishing you out of the sea should that be required. The medical costs element is fairly limited (€10,000) and is designed to be in addition to other medical insurance you have eg an EHIC, you can get a top up for the medical costs bit for single journeys if that is a concern see https://www.knox.co.at/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Alpenverein-Premium-Single-Trip-Cover.pdf


Yep well worth having, you don't need to worry about the add on lift pass rescue cover. As a single parent it costs me just over £50 a year and kids are free whatever as long as at least one adult is a paying member. As well as the insurance they also run a a load of courses each year both on the hills (winter and summer) and in particular assorted free ones as bribes to get you to the AGM! I must sign up for another 2 day outdoor first aid this year as the current one is expiring, a bargain in exchange for a meeting that is done in an hour!
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Quick update on the Columbus Travel insurance. I fell over and knocked myself out at the bottom of a blue run on the last day of the holiday. No recollection of events before or after. The insurance company were fantastic in liaison with the local hospital (Agordo - not great experience as it only has 4 beds!). When the flight back was delayed for 2 hours on the Sunday, we had free access to the Venice airport lounge with free food and drink.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@gaschick, good to hear - Mr HL spent a night in Agordo after bashing himself on the bonce - one doctor to see to everyone and so busy. 6 months of having to declare a head injury on the insurance even though he had not lost consciousness or had any after effects
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