Ski/Travel Insurance

A snowHead

Up until now Nationwide have provided the insurance I need, however they are discontinuing it and the follow on company only provides a reduced policy.

What I need is:
- a travel insurance policy that accepts I am 77 (with only minor health issues, BP and Cholesterol)
- an annual multi trip insurance
- each ski trip up to 60 days (90in a season is enough)
- Europe only

Anyone know of a policy that would/might provide that?

A snowHead

@Retro4, welcome to snowheads.

Try Snowcard, but they generally don't cover pre-existing conditions.

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

Thanks for the suggestion. Pre existing conditions are understandable but there is one they don't accept and that's being 77 years old! Sad

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@Retro4, Nationwide have led us to believe there are no age-restrictions on the new Flexplus policy, which is with Aviva, but others have said that the costs of medical conditions more than make up for it. I'm not 70 yet by a long way, so can't comment on our own policy which isn't due to renew for a while yet.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Snowcard directs you to BIBA (British Insurance Brokers' Association) if their policy isn't suitable (which in your case it isn't!). Might be worth giving them a call?

https://www.biba.org.uk/find-insurance/

You'll need to Register first of course.

@Retro4, I was with Nationwide for years, now with Aviva, their new provider. I am 77 with heart failure, and therefore lots of prescription meds. The cost is similar to what it was with Nationwide - give it a go. They certainly do NOT rule you out at 77, regardless but of course you can expect to pay a significant premium. It's worth it!!

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

@Origen, I'm wondering if it is more to do with trip lengths here than age?

After all it is free

@Hells Bells, yes, maybe it is. As my trips are now all short I didn't look into that.

Nationwide is 30 (31?) days max per trip, no possibility to upgrade

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@Origen, what's your premium, if you don't mind me asking? And will I need to upgrade my ordinary Nationwide Flex Account? I think I may give them a whirl this year, what I read makes me reluctant to renew with MPI. I certainly don't need anywhere near 30 days per trip.

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@Retro4, I am another 70+ year old insured through a Nationwide account. On the switch to the new underlying insurance I had to declare my medical situation again, but was told that I would no longer have to pay an age premium but would still be covered. There is nothing in the policy to suggest cover would cease when I reach the age of 77.

Like you (and I assume pretty much every other 70+ year old who has actually had the offered GP screening) I am now taking medication for cholesterol and blood pressure; in my case I also declared my previous cancer treatment with no issues in the last 12 months. The medical loading was more than with the previous insurer but more or less the same as it had been including the age premium.

You are talking about ski trips up to 60 days, which are indeed not covered. However the maximum single trip of 31 days has not changed with the new insurer, that is exactly what it was previously. There doesn't seem to be anything preventing multiple ski trips totalling 90 days or more as long as each trip (starting and finishing from your home) is no more than 31 days.

So at the moment I am perplexed as to what your question is, I can't see what cover you have lost from the old policy.

snow reports

The 30 day limit simply means you have to fly home for a night every 30 days taking great care to get stamps in your passport and of course not exceeding the 90 day limit. TBH I have wondered how they’ll check just how long someone’s been skiing for once passport stamps are discontinued. Even so do you have to send in your passport if you are making a claim.

I just looked up the bmc insurance for a couple in their late 70s. They offer annual cover for trips of upto 45 60 and 90 days. They do not do over 80s. The quote for Europe for the couple was over £2000 but it did cover climbing upto 6500m (Elbrus anyone) .it had some snowboarding restrictions and didn’t allow racing, big air or skiercross Sad

You know it makes sense.

@johnE, When I claimed a couple of years back, I was required to send in travel evidence with the claim - boarding passes/eurotunnel tickets etc.

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

@Hurtle, no problem divulging my premium but I'm not done with Aviva yet..... just dug out the papers, to check cost, and realise that in the papers which go along with it, I am down as having answered "No" to the question "have you been advised to take medication for high blood pressure." I did nothing of the sort. The girl, who seemed a bit half-soaked, asked me whether any of my current meds were to lower blood pressure. I said that some have that effect, but as my blood pressure is 90/60, which is the lowest "normal" level I am taking them despite the fact that they reduce BP and the main one (Entresto) had to be titrated over several months over to the optimum dose, because they were so concerned about my blood pressure and afraid I'd fall down the stairs before dying of heart failure.

In the (long distant) past I took some meds for blood pressure, specifically, but that's all been overtaken. I shall have to go back to them. rolling eyes

Meanwhile, the premium was £284. I have a flexplus Nationwide account.

A snowHead

The trip limit is 31 days as standard but you can purchase a longer trip length

A snowHead

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

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@johnE, you have to put passenger names on the booking...APIS..before travelling. They wouldn't show on the booking confirmation

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

We have annual multitrip with LV, their Premium policy for 2 in mid 60s covering Europe and including winter sports is £250. This covers up to 180 days pa with a trip length of up to 90 days and covers 31 days skiing.
I'm pretty sure 77 is no problem and nor will everyday pre existing conditions.

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It causes a bit of extra admin at immigration if you do not fill in the API and according to Eurotunnel they MAY stop you travelling. Checkin is automatic based on the number plate and no one looks into the car until you get to immigration. I beleive you can still pitch up at the tunnel and buy a ticket there and then.

TBH I have no idea what would happen if you filled in an API then didn't travel. I suspect nothing.

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

After all it is free

Fair enough, I have a fairly serious endocrine disorder which they covered without any increase of premium so I reckon the sorts of conditions a lot of seventy year olds have wont be too much of an issue.

I've insured with LV at reasonable cost, and I'm old and with a pre-existing condition. Can't now remember whether they cover off-piste without a guide, as I'd already stopped skiing off-piste when I insured with them.

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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@Hells Bells, thanks, they told me it doesn't apply to winter sports but I would be inclined to check again

snow reports

@kitenski, I cannot recall Eurotunnel ever scanning my passport or even asking to see it. Immigration do, but they are not Eurotunnel.

You know it makes sense.

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

A snowHead

it's all a bit of a minefield, isn't it?

A snowHead

@Hells Bells, my January trip will be 31, which takes away flexibility of arriving a bit early or leaving a bit later

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

One quote so far and that is Ski Club Great Britain....£850!!!!! ish fr the two of us subject to some med checks.

LV arn't interested. (Hurtle, when do you renew?)
BIBA put you in a queue for ever
Slight elevated BP and tablets plus Cholesterol are never an issue.
The issue is age 77 together with a lot of skiing. (In my case multiple 30 day ski trips would be acceptable though I would prefer 60 days at a time. I have done 104 days on my skis in a winter.)
Lots of leads take me to MPI but they dont answer phones or call back.
I havnt totally given up with Aviva but my wife (she is the Nationwide customer) is handling that and between her and the Aviva person they got very muddled. Trying to get a quote.

The industry strikes me as appaling. Onlty Virgin could say age 77 and skiing was not possible at the outset of contact.

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@Retro4, my last policy, which was with MPI, has expired. By the looks of things, MPI is on the point of expiry itself!

I insured with LV a couple of years ago, by which time I was 75. No problem covering skiing, though as many trips as you require probably would have been problematic.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

@Retro4, There is a current thread about MPI (doesn't read too well...)

Have a look -- https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=169679

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

MPI....Ouch! Thanks for the heads up.

I think the industry wants 77 year old skiers to stop and get fat.

After all it is free

@Retro4, Try looking at Allianz, think its the one that comes with Lloyds believe it is up to 80. They cover off piste but the wording is somewhat unclear (previous discussion around here).

If you are struggling with the skiing bit then perhaps look at the Alpenverein (Austrian Alpine Club in UK) insurance comes with being a member and no age limit on that as far as I know. The cover is predominantly for rescue & recovery and third party liability with a small level of medical cover. I think the trip length is restricted to 8 weeks but you can extend if you pay extra. The down side from a UK perspective is that is is designed around the assumption that your normal medical insurance will cover you for most things except possibly a private clinic in a resort (as would be the case here in Germany & in Austria) which is what the small amount (€10,000??) of top up medical cover is for. In theory that should be fine with a GHIC card but I know folk around here worry about that and want better cover. Cant see any reason why you cant have the AAC for specific ski stuff and other insurance for the rest?

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Am appendix is better gone!! One less risk.

Help!!

Ski/Travel Insurance

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