 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone tried Sportscover Direct? No guide or ski area boundary requirement.
"Off-piste activities will only be covered if the insured has followed local advice and information provided by the resort authorities, and is accompanied by another person who can raise the alarm in the event of an accident. (This does not need to be a guide)"
Also covers touring and various other stuff.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@snowdave, as ever the important point is who handles claims and how good they are.
On Trustpilot the company has very good reviews but if you look at the 1 stars there are appear to be some claim issues. One such reviewer says they use Gallagher Bassett for claims and sure enough they have a 1.6 rating on Trustpilot - so a bit concerning.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Fri 28-11-25 0:36; edited 1 time in total
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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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| Layne wrote: |
https://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/news/multitrip-travel-insurance-policies-see-yearly-price-falls/1456479.article
Doesn't really explain LV's big reductions though. |
The Covid era losses and downturn in customers have worked their way out of the system.
Surprised nobody has mentioned Austrian Alpine Club. For the little it costs, everyone should carry AAC https://www.alpenverein.at/britannia . I have other annual insurance too and GHIC of course. Can't be too careful!
For personal belongings like skis and boots, worth telling your home insurer and ask them to specify (they might say 'no need'). Travel insurers pay out on an indemnity basis, accounting for depreciation, and usually a poor single article limit, so you get the square root of F all back. Home insurers pay out on a new for old basis which is much better.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| richb67 wrote: |
| thehighlandcowboy wrote: |
| I picked up Monzo Max this year (£22/m) to get the travel insurance incl. winter sports cover, among the other benefits. Provided by Zurich and administered ("powered") by Qover. Excess £50. |
that's interesting as it looks like the ski trip length is up to 45 days and it's worldwide cover, thanks for posting |
I went through it before deciding it was right - the medical cover looked fine; a bit meaner than many on curtailment/delays, and kit replacement if it's lost/stolen - a five year sliding scale of value reimbursed, with receipts needed - but I was more concerned about the medical side than protecting my 9yo boots (which wouldn't be covered) and almost 5 yo skis...T&Cs here if you're interested:
https://monzo.com/legal/files/max-family/monzo-max-family-zurich-terms-and-conditions-1.1.pdf
Importantly it covers the whole family, as well as all the other (non-snow) perks that are included. Snowcard wanted almost £150m for a single trip that included snowboarding for my son - which pushes the cover level required up - they assume boarders are inherently riskier?
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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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@Phantom Phil, the AAC is mentioned on the many, many other threads about insurance. It's a perennial question with mostly the same responses
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Phantom Phil, it's £65, not small beer if I you already have good travel insurance.
Having multiple insurers can cause issues.
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For those looking for more thorough coverage I can recommend Snowcard. They cover offpiste without a guide, AND they pay out…and you can tweak the cover ( eg baggage, ski days)
Worth also asking who the claims assessor is… it makes a big difference.
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@hamilton, expensive though - or it was when I last did a comparison.
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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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I’ve just gone for SSE black membership which gives you 2 week (minimum) inc racing and training. Twas £119 (although I paid less as upgraded a lower membership)
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| P17hae wrote: |
| I’ve just gone for SSE black membership which gives you 2 week (minimum) inc racing and training. Twas £119 (although I paid less as upgraded a lower membership) |
Interesting but i cant see and policy wording link on their site,
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Overall, insurance doesn't seem to be becoming more expensive in real terms. Which suggests that that the folk who suggested that the pistes are more and more dangerously full of thoughtless lunatics are wrong. The actuaries would know if that were the case.
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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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| adithorp wrote: |
| P17hae wrote: |
| I’ve just gone for SSE black membership which gives you 2 week (minimum) inc racing and training. Twas £119 (although I paid less as upgraded a lower membership) |
Interesting but i cant see and policy wording link on their site, |
https://www.snowsportengland.org.uk/travel-insurance/
It’s underwritten by Marsh
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| P17hae wrote: |
| adithorp wrote: |
| P17hae wrote: |
| I’ve just gone for SSE black membership which gives you 2 week (minimum) inc racing and training. Twas £119 (although I paid less as upgraded a lower membership) |
Interesting but i cant see and policy wording link on their site, |
https://www.snowsportengland.org.uk/travel-insurance/
It’s underwritten by Marsh |
Marsh are a broker. The insurer can be seen if you search the covers - Lloyd’s, AIG etc.
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You know it makes sense.
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| P17hae wrote: |
| adithorp wrote: |
| P17hae wrote: |
| I’ve just gone for SSE black membership which gives you 2 week (minimum) inc racing and training. Twas £119 (although I paid less as upgraded a lower membership) |
Interesting but i cant see and policy wording link on their site, |
https://www.snowsportengland.org.uk/travel-insurance/
It’s underwritten by Marsh |
Seen that but it's not policy wording. Just bullet points.
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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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@Origen,
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Overall, insurance doesn't seem to be becoming more expensive in real terms. Which suggests that that the folk who suggested that the pistes are more and more dangerously full of thoughtless lunatics are wrong.
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Or maybe UK based skiers are good at avoiding the 'dangerously thoughtless lunatics' who are, of course, all foreigners? 
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Poster: A snowHead
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People may have suggestions, but impression I get is once I start adding cover for ski touring, potentially skiing glaciers with ropes (rare, but have done it...) etc, then cover goes from just over £100 to £200-300+ for annual europe cover...
Options appearing to be BMC, SCGB, Dogtag or Snowcard for something actually guaranteed to cover what I do...
N.b. I suspect I could use something cheaper and take the risk; But on the grand scheme of what I am spending across entire years skiing it probably isn't that bad...
In theory work travel insurance benefit option would cover me for most of it; but I only need a day ski touring where guide says carry crampons (and would need to check what the rules are on ski crampons which should always be carried for touring days) or to be on a glacier with harnesses and oh; not officially covered...
Cheapest would probably be mix of AAC and normal winter holiday cover; But the trade off with that is if anything happens you have 2 insurers arguing about who is liable for what (and months/years delays on getting compensation...). Also I will note for anyone looking at AAC, you plausibly want the trip extension cover as well as annual membership - the insurance medical limits aren't that high without the extension (€10k vs most travel insurance being a few million), so if abroad I suspect the kinds of injuries you really want insurance for could rapidly exceed default cover. Its basically intended for people in home nation whose social system will cover most treatment (which has become a lot dodgier in the UK since brexit)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The AAC cover is IMHO only for emergencies before you get to an EHIC hospital. I don't think it covers such things as dental or, let us say, flu.
But another question - does the insurance cover with Nationwide include piste rescue. My wife thinks it doesn't. So it looks as if we will be forking out another 50€ for either Carré Neige or AAC. AAC is at the moment coming out as favourites as it will cover us for the Dolomites in the summer when I'm certain the Nationwide package doesn't 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?
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| Quote: |
does the insurance cover with Nationwide include piste rescue. My wife thinks it doesn't.
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well, it covers "injury" whilst taking part in the conventional sort of winter sports - there's a list of exclusions including bobsleigh and off piste without a guide. So I don't see how it would exclude the cost of rescue from an accident on piste. Presumably you get up to hairy things in the Dolomites in the summer, which are specifically excluded. Via ferrata for example.
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I think it doesn't specifically say that it will cover rescue. Nationwide says it will cover walking on footpaths then later says it will not cover via ferrata which are marked and numbered footpaths! Sadly as we have got older travel insurance has shot up.
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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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@johnE, The rescue element is one reason I have the standard AAC Cover to backstop other policies. At one point I had the Nationwide bank policy till they put the price up.
It's also worth looking at the enhanced AAC trip cover which is excellent value for illness and medical, although I don't think it includes the usual luggage\delay elements of travel cover.
All that said I'll likely renew with BMC for this year.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@AndAnotherThing.., Once you get to mid 70s BMC cover becomes a tad expensive and I'm not sure they'll even cover me. It looks as if I'm going to join the army of EHIC/AAC insurance users. When I read the exclusions for luggage/missed departures etc I don't think they are worth anything. In many cases the cost of a few pairs of pants is less than the excess they charge. Valuable stuff is on household insurance, if I had any that is.
My son has just renewed with the BMC. At his age they are on a par with other insurers offering the same cover.
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| Quote: |
I think it doesn't specifically say that it will cover rescue
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no, it doesn't, but then it doesn't say it will cover medical costs or transporting you home if you are unable to travel as planned. What do YOU think it covers?
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| Layne wrote: |
@boarder2020, Back in 2021 LV gave me the following answers:
Question 1a: How does this work in Europe where they don't have in bounds off piste as they do in North America. What is a " a recognised ski resort" in this instance?
Answer: You can go off piste where this is allowed, there will most likely be areas where you are told don’t go to so we wouldn’t want you to go in those areas and you must stay within the boundaries of the recognised resort. You will need to check with the resort what their boundaries are.
Question 1b: If I go to France am I covered for any off piste without a guide?
Answer: Yes but still need to follow ski patrol guidelines.
But yes, it's a potential minefield.
When I made a relatively small claim from LV last year it was smooth and I don't recall them asking any awkward questions about boundaries. |
^^^Ridiculous policy wording and obviously written by someone who has never been near a ski resort  .
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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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This has come up lots of times. Some years ago I got nowhere with Dogtag when I told them that there were no clear "resort boundaries" in Europe as there are in the US. They were also adamant that if there were any avalanche warning in force (even level 1) off piste skiing would not be covered. I gave up.
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FYI:
Nationwide FlexPlus standard annual travel insurance cover ends at 70, unless you purchase an age upgrade.
Carre Neige does not provide third party liability cover.
AAC travel insurance medical cover is only up to €10,000 for necessary treatment and hospital stays abroad and only during the first 8 weeks of a trip.
HSBC Premier annual travel insurance covers trips up to 31 days, with a maximum of 31 days wintersports cover per calendar year. However, it is possible to buy a trip extension for 75 days, which allows up to 62 days wintersports cover from the beginning of December, without having to do a return trip to the UK at the end of the year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Nationwide FlexPlus standard annual travel insurance cover ends at 70, unless you purchase an age upgrade.
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That is a big shock. I cannot see it in their documentation. Can you point me to it?
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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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| johnE wrote: |
| Quote: |
Nationwide FlexPlus standard annual travel insurance cover ends at 70, unless you purchase an age upgrade.
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That is a big shock. I cannot see it in their documentation. Can you point me to it? |
I was going to ask the same 
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@johnE, @KSH, its in the policy document
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Nationwide FlexPlus standard annual travel insurance cover ends at 70, unless you purchase an age upgrade.
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I thought that changed when they switched provider to Aviva a couple of years ago. I can't see an age limit in my own policy document.
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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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and this quote from Money Saving Expert
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The account offers travel, breakdown and mobile phone insurance worth up to £500. Notably, there's no maximum age limit for the travel insurance, so a real boon for older travellers. |
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Poster: A snowHead
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Apologies, I hadn't noticed it had changed as its not...yet...relevant to me.
Reading the aviva policy I spotted 2 things I hadn't picked up. You are only covered if your return ticket is booked while you are still in the UK, and doesn't cover glacier skiing...grand motte? Fornet?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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One catch is that when we get to be old many of us are suffering from the sort of "pre-existing conditions" which need to be declared (and taking prescription medications) so the cost goes up.
@holidayloverxx, I must have another look at the implications of that "must have a return ticket booked" condition which I'd not noticed either.
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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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| Mike S wrote: |
AAC travel insurance medical cover is only up to €10,000 for necessary treatment and hospital stays abroad and only during the first 8 weeks of a trip. |
If you are a member you can add extra cover per trip cover to give 500k cover (50k cover for pre existing conditions)
www.europaeische.at/pip/en/oeavrs
36 euro for a month in Europe. Difference durations \ geography available.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@holidayloverxx, I have now looked up the section you quoted about needing to have booked a return, which is under "trip limits and restrictions" and which, like you, I'd never noticed! I have often (indeed mostly!) travelled without a "booked return", particularly when driving to the Alps. Reading through the whole of that section it seems although trips which don't fit neatly into the guidelines are not automatically covered, without having to inform Aviva, other arrangements might be OK but you'd need to phone and check in advance.
I suspect that if you said "I'm going to France for 3 weeks or so but my date of return will depend on weather (or whatever)" that would be OK.
The same might apply to any other area of doubt. For example"I'm going to Tignes where there is regular skiing, with ski lifts, ski patrols etc for all standards of skiing up on the glacier, will that be OK?" the answer would be "Yes".
"If in doubt, communicate" is probably a good maxim with insurance.
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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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We’ve used Insure & Go for years. It’s definitely gone up over that time but we paid £241.90 in July for an European Gold annual policy as a couple with winter sports & cruise cover. Even got about £50 cashback with TopCashback.
I can testify that, although a little bit of a painful process (to be expected), they do pay out for claims. I’ve had 3 ski claims over the years, one being a full medivac back to the UK in 2022. They also refunded a few days lost sailing in June in Greece when I was struck down with campylobacter during our trip.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Seems odd to exclude glacier skiing. In my experience of pisted glaciers, I can’t recall anything too challenging or particularly risky. Unless perhaps it’s to get summer/autumn glacier skiers to need extra insurance?
A good example of why it’s always worth reading the full insurance document.
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There was a thread about insurance and glacier skiing, but it was inconclusive of course, because each company had interpreted that differently.
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Though you can extend the Nationwide cover.
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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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@Origen, not for winter sports
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@johnE, @KSH My apologies for the incorrect information about the Nationwide FlexPlus Travel Insurance upper age limit. I had checked with a Google AI overview and it still says that the standard age limit is Under 70. I should have known better than to rely on AI!
@Origen I spoke to Nationwide FlexPlus Travel Insurance (Aviva) recently about a trip extension upgrade and they were adamant that I had to have booked a return ticket before they would issue cover.
@AndAnotherThing Thank you for information on how to increase the AAC medical cover.
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FAQ
