 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, apologies this may be slightly illiterate due to having fractured right wrist now in plaster following accident skiing in Serre Chevalier. I now cant drive, have a hire car here and have a car at the airport in uk. Surely this happens all the time? Admiral are claiming that beyond the uk airport it's not their problem and i have to sort out getting home with bags i can't carry and arranging to have my car collected. I have premium annual muti trip insurance with skiing included. Seems repatriation means just that - back to uk. They are organising transport to turin and airport assistance in italy but at the moment that's the end of their help! Im quite surprised by how everyone finds this to be some sort of exceptional situation. The hire company, hertz, acted like its the first time anyone has injured themselves and been unable to return the car. Surely it must happen relatively often. Getting that sorted has been really difficult and is still unresolved!
Has anyone else had experience with this kind of situation?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Would your UK recovering insurance cover you fir a second driver? Years ago I injured my knee badly while away with 2 small children. They provided a driver to get me home.
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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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You would think so!
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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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It will all be in the small print
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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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It will all be in the small print
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I cannot recall the name of the insurance company, but when a friend broke his collar bone the insurance company flew him to a UK airport and taxied him home.
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Difficult to find many specifics - but repatriation seems to mean 'home country' which is useless. Hertz roadside assistance, which was the solution offered by hertz to return the vehicle have taken eight hours to show up & still no sign. I'm supposed to be leaving at 4am.
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@johnE, and that is a usual situation, but I guess having a hire car to get to an Italian airport and then another one to collect from a UK one is not quite so simple, but it surely is not too unusual.
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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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That sounds pretty stressful. I’m guessing you organised the trip yourself and there on your own which makes it doubly challenging.
I fractured my spine in Utah once and thankfully had a group with me who did all the heavy lifting (literally) and to be fair the insurance company were very good and got me home with an upgrade to business class when I was fit to fly. I’d keep making as much noise as possible with all the insurance companies you need to deal with and hope they’ll see sense.
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@pavlf, in view of the weather here at the moment, is that surprising? That is obviously their solution to your problem, if they don't show up before bedtime, can they arrange to collect the car keys from your hotel ?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Last year my sister was given a taxy from Manchester airport as with a knee injury she was deemed unfit to travel by train.
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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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When my husband went home because a mini-typhoon blew the roof of our UK house our insurance (probably Snowcard) sent him to Lyon by taxi and arranged another taxi from Heathrow home. (I stayed on in La Plagne and went home by train the following weekend, as originally planned). Injured daughter in law, with knee brace, had private ambulance both ends. When I fractured my pelvis I didn't want to go home immediately, as I had my own place, but insurers (Nationwide insurance) paid for 2 drivers to come out and drive me, and my car, home. They initially said only 1 driver but I argued successfully that that would mean extra cost of overnight stop. My sister and brother in law flew out easyJet and had a taxi laid on to Les Saisies. I think your insurance is being unreasonable only getting you to a UK airport but yes - it'll be in the small print.
Hope it works out and heals well - wrists can be difficult.
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Hubby was offered transport back from the UK airport when he was injured and had to return home by plane instead of a car.
@pavlf, have you given Hertz Roadside assist another call? Maybe do so before it is too late this evening and ask what you should do with the keys after you leave at 4am? They might just tell you to leave them in the glove box.
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You know it makes sense.
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Admiral was absolutely bloody useless when my mum had a stroke. Luckily she had recovered enough to fly home with flight assistance but they literally did sod all.
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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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They've actually sorted it now! Phew. Taxi from hotel and a driver from the airport. Big relief. Thanks for all the helpful comments. The main worry is hertz. Who knows how much they'll charge! they don't look to be arriving tonight anyway.
Wrist is a big worry, half my job is playing violin 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Nadenoodlee, that is so sad, and fortunately for you Mum, she had you around. People with injuries and illness are often feeling vulnerable.
@pavlf, are you being rushed out of here? Would another day to gather your thoughts and get your problems resolved be of benefit?
Also if I can help in any way at all, drop me a PM.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
half my job is playing violin
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Oh dear.....That really is a bugger. You do need two wrists. If Hertz charge extra I would think that would be a fair claim on the insurance as you've done your best to minimise the cost.
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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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@Hells Bells, was due to leave tomorrow, so am getting the flight I was booked on. Admiral got me airport assistance at both ends and an extra seat, so can't fault them. They took it to the wire a bit though. Thanks for the offer of help, much appreciated. A very generous French man drove me from Chantemerle to the medical centre in Montier last night. Marvellous how kind some people can be. A taxi driver offset this by charging me 44 euros to return!
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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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@pavlf, My taxi fares to and fro the hospital in Germany were reimbursed by my insurers.
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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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@pavlf, stick anything you have spent onto your claim form for your insurers. Hopefully all of your issues are now sorted and you are on your way home.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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£37 for 5 miles. Greed.
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agree with the principle of claim for anything and everything and they can only say no, couple of years back I fractured my knee in the usa, after surgery in the US, the doc deemed I was fit to fly BUT only if my leg was fully flat and elevated, my insurance (RBS) upgraded me to a fully lie flat bed in business class, very nice. But the amazing bit was that they actually suggested that as I was basically not able to get up and down without assistance that my wife "needed" to also be on the same flight and also "needed" to be in business class in the seat next to mine! amazing service!
Also worth noting that the BA air crew were fantastic and were super helpful, so much so my wife didn't move from her bed the entire flight.
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@enduroaid, that sounds like exceptional service for an insurance company. Can you tell us which one it was?
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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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@PeakyB, it was royal bank of Scotland - my wife and I have platinum account with them, they provide world wide insurance for both of us as part of the account.
Their service during the whole thing was fantastic, pretty much wrote a blank cheque to the hospital before they operated on me!, the nurse checking on me before my Op was asking if I was a sportsman or celebrity in my own county as she had never seen a surgical team like it!!, the also even covered the extra fuel for our hire car for my wife visiting me in hospital and her phone bill while there for all the extra calls to me / the hospital / them, genuine 10/10 service!
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I recently got involved in the early stages of a claim after a ski friend I was with broke his leg. For parts of a couple of days he was unable to easily communicate directly with them so it was agreed I’d act on his behalf.
Have to say they were good on agreeing medical cost funding, which included surgery in France. Also the cost of an ambulance from the mountains to Albertville. However, everything else was a challenge.
For example, me recovering his ski gear by skiing to the medical centre then getting a taxi back. Also a taxi home from the UK airport.
Their initial response to these was a ‘no, not specifically covered’. Then when challenged a ‘we’ll look into it’. Eventually they agreed, though we’ll see whether they pay up once the claim is settled.
The strangest part was that less than 24 hours before departure home, they suddenly said they weren’t prepared to let him fly that day. This was despite him meeting the airline’s criteria and having the OK from the surgeon to fly. They said they’d find both of us a flight on a later day and pay for those. Also for hotel and food expenses!
As it was just 3 days before Christmas we wondered if we’d be stuck in a motel in France. We successfully argued this would be a ‘lose/lose’ outcome, which would cost them more. Anyway, we got home on the scheduled day and the claim is now in.
I think the learning point is you have to be prepared to make a case, challenge, argue, negotiate, collect every bit of proof, receipts, etc. At a time when you have an injury, it’s not what you need.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@enduroaid, thanks, well done to RBS and whoever operates their travel policy.
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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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| Snow&skifan wrote: |
| £37 for 5 miles. Greed. |
Expensive, but there is no resident taxi service in Monetier, so most will charge for coming up the valley from Briancon to collect you. There may have been a bad weather premium involve too, as roads were dire the past couple of days. If you are able to get on a bus , there is a frequent bus service available for a couple of euros.
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Home! Two taxis - on France to Turin and one airport to home. My car is still marooned at the airport - but at least I'm back. Admiral were really helpful in the end - airport assistance and an extra seat. Taxi in SC, yeah, he drove up from Briancon to Montier so 44 euros is probably about right. Sort of. The lesson that never gets old here is that you should never scrimp on insurance. I've been skiing all my life. I wasn't doing anything crazy when I injured myself. I was unlucky.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Snow&skifan wrote: |
| £37 for 5 miles. Greed. |
Just to let you know that the fares in Serre Che are regulated, so not just due to a greedy driver.
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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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Given your profession, don't scimp on the treatment of your wrist. At least get a second opinion from a private orthopaedic surgeon, rather than just trust the NHS. My brother was tackled badly while playing football, and the NHS put it into plaster and told him to come back in 6 weeks. When he returned they removed the plaster and discovered that all the cartilege in his knee had had it because of the plaster/immobility.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@joffy69, thanks, yes good advice - immobility can be a disaster for some conditions, particularly where circulation of the blood is restricted. I was advised to insist upon a CT scan by the Dr in Montier. That's for Monday. Thanks all, very helpful comments (struggling to type so won't say more)
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