 Poster: A snowHead
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I have a few trips planned this season, anybody got any annual insurance policy suggestions? Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Hugh-Jorgen, have you tried the search function? There's loads of threads about it
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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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Yesterday I was doing research for my Daughter on this subject, including past threads from on here - just as @holidayloverxx suggested. Here were my findings:
List of potentials:
1. LV (Seemed to be the most recommended/Has decent Covid cover/Problem free claiming)
2. Holiday Safe
3. Staysure (Big question mark over whether they cover Level 3 and above Avalanche risk On Piste  )
4. Post Office (Good Covid Cover)
5. Snowcard (Well thought of)
6. Asda (Was very cheap a few years ago)
7. Insure and Go (Anecdotal evidence that they didn't pay for On Piste evacuation)
8. Ski Club GB
9. Columbus Direct
10. Coverwise
Nb.
- Covid Cover
- How many Days / Ski Days covered
- £10m Medical Cover
- £2m Personal Liability Cover
- Check excess levels for claims
- Check Off Piste cover - especially wording
https://manypets.com/uk/articles/top-10-travel-insurance/
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Thu 8-12-22 18:25; edited 2 times in total
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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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I was fairly happy with the Columbus Direct quotes I got recently. I ended up going for individual policies rather than annual, because working out the costs/savings for couples' policies/individual policies/annual policies for my booked trips next year slightly tipped the scales that way.
Their cover seemed reasonably comprehensive and I emailed them asking about off piste without a guide, which they confirmed is covered (their website/policy docs contradicted each other).
I did look at MPI as they're fairly well regarded as a specialist ski insurer, but they still don't seem to be offering cover.
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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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Both Columbus and LV loo good. Half the price of dogtag 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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we got a quote from staysure for an annual policy then decided to go just for our ski trip as we have cover with our nationwide account for the rest of the year but staysure wanted £50 more for the five weeks than the whole year ????
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I've also gone for LV as their cover looks very good.
However their annual policy only covers 17 days skiing which I'm likely to exceed, so not sure what happens then.
Hopefully you can just pay for an extension of the ski element - my dealing with them so far has been so smooth and easy, so hopefully they've got this covered
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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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Used snowcard for quite a few years, seems good but luckily not had to claim so not experience of that side. Does cover a lot of other activities winter and summer, offpiste and other none lift skiing is covered. Cover for cancellation, baggage and stuff is optional. If you do a lot of snow sports weeks you do need to select a higher level
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Thanks @bob - I've gone for essential, so maybe will upgrade to Premier
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As well as skiing it may be useful to check what other activities are covered, particularly summer ones like rock climbing, via ferrata, mountaineering etc. Also look at other limits such as length of trip. Existing medical conditions could also make a big difference; Snowcard refused to cover me once I had stents into my heart. The BMC charged an extra £25 this year (12 years after they were inserted). Some policies are also age limited.
There is a lot more to this than a simple which is best question.
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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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We currently use LV= annual premier travel insurance, but having submitted a claim last month are finding their claims process (now run by CEGA) to be poor (they quoted 50 days to respond to a claim submitted online). This is a shame since we previously found their motor insurance to be very efficient and fair (however this was prior to the LV= strategic partnership with Allianz Holdings in December 2019).
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Coverwise is another to look at, they have a limit of 17 days per trip for winter sports, but no limit to the total number of trips or days over the year. They also have proper definitions for off piste, just saying that off piste is covered, as well as things like heli-skiing and glacier skiing, only caveat is that in North America if you're outside of the resort boundaries you need to have a guide to be covered, but in Europe there is no such requirement. And reasonably cheap too, though I am in my mid 20s with no medical issues, so no idea how their pricing is if you're older and/or have medical issues. I've never had to claim with them so can't testify as to how they are with that though.
The issue that many insurers have is that they often say something like "covered for off piste within the resort boundaries" which is fine in N America, but in Europe the pistes are the boundaries, so if you have an accident while skiing in trees off to the side, or while cutting across between pistes, you aren't technically covered if your insurance says that. LV is one that defines off-piste like this, so imo they should be avoided unless you are willing to religiously stick to the pistes.
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You know it makes sense.
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| johnE wrote: |
Existing medical conditions could also make a big difference; Snowcard refused to cover me once I had stents into my heart. The BMC charged an extra £25 this year (12 years after they were inserted). Some policies are also age limited.
There is a lot more to this than a simple which is best question. |
Agreed - on the existing conditions question, oddly Snowcard was one that works well for mine whereas a lot excluded me.
I had a hip resurfacing some 11 years ago. The very specific wording on their question meant that in effect I didnt have to cough to having this as a pre-existing condition.
I called them to confirm this, and they said that I was definitely good to go and covered.
Have used them for years.
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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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| geoffers wrote: |
Thanks @bob - I've gone for essential, so maybe will upgrade to Premier |
I'd strongly suggest upgrading from the Essential to Premier cover.
I was due to fly to Geneva today, but my flight was cancelled. I have an LV Essential Policy. It appears as though I'm covered for absolutely nothing when the cancellation of my trip is caused by the cancellation of my flight by the airline. So, at the moment, if I don't travel, it looks like I'll be out of pocket for 4 nights' accommodation and train tickets (I did at least pay for cancellation insurance on my ski pass I believe). So that's about £500 sunk costs.
I've been quoted about £55 to upgrade now for the last month of my policy (although this obviously won't be any use to me today) but will need to do something if I am going to rebook the flights.
If the difference is anything reasonable, take the Premier cover would be my humble suggestion.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
I was due to fly to Geneva today, but my flight was cancelled.
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Isn't it the airlines responsibilty to get you there? I had a friend who had his easyjet flight cancelled. They paid for him to get a British Airways flight instead, though I am usure if they paid for him to get to Heathrow. (the train is staggeringly expensive).
On the other hand I am still trying to get compensation from Lufthansa for a delayed flight during the summer. EU law says 250€ Lufthansa offers 125€ and says it is a pragmatic solution. The concept of breaking the law and calling it a "pragmatic solution" amazes me.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It is, but by the time I started looking, there weren't any viable alternatives from Brum, I'd missed the best alternative from Manchester and the evening flights from Liverpool and Manchester will get me into Geneva too late to get to Zermatt (I could get to Visp, about an hour away, at 2 in the morning). But that's by the by and not really the purpose of me posting in this thread.
This is just a gentle reminder for others what can happen when you don't check your insurance policy as carefully as you should and why the cheap option is usually cheap for a reason.
And as LV is often recommended on here, I just wanted to get this in front of as many eyes as possible, in case others have made the same mistake I have. Especially as the chances of flights being cancelled this week would seem reasonable, if they can't get planes in the air later today and crews & craft where they should be.
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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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I used Snowcard in the past and they were good when we did need to claim. Some years ago now, though. I now have insurance through the bank (nationwide) which is basically "free" but I have to pay quite handsomely for age and decrepitude. The off-piste definitions are a bit of a nightmare. Dogtag once told me that skiing off piste with ANY level of avalanche warning (even 1) would definitely not be covered.
Don't relying on being "told" something unless it's in your policy document. Half the people you get on the phone seem to have no clue.
The sensible back up, if skiing in France, is the get local insurance with your lift pass. For the price of a cup of coffee (or half a cup of coffee in Courchevel).
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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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If you bank with Barclays, you can sign up for their 'Travel Pack' which includes 'winter sports' but (unfortunately) excludes:
- Bobsleigh, cresta, luge, skeleton
- Freestyle skiing or snowboarding
- Off-piste skiing (unless accompanied by a qualified guide at all times in areas the resort management consider to be safe)
- Heli-skiing
- Glacier skiing
- Ski flying, jumping, stunting, or surfing
- Ski racing or training
- Ski mountaineering
More info: https://www.barclays.co.uk/insurance/travel-insurance/travel-pack/terms/
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