 Poster: A snowHead
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This is perhaps a dumb question but it was something that occurred to me after reading many of the threads about the Carte Neige. I see how/why it is needed for accidents whilst skiing but what about other accidents in France. Does one have to produce proof in insurance before you can get transport and/or treatment if one is involved in a car accident, or an accident whilst walking on the Alps during the summer?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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peura, no.
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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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Lizzard, thanks, good to hear but why? I can't see why ski injuries are different. Say I'm walking/climbing in the Alps and I hurt myself, there would still have to be a search party etc and costs incurred by my rescuers. Why would they be happy to deal with my insurers if I was not skiing/boarding but not if I was?
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1. You don't 'need' a Carte Neige when skiing in France. It's not appropriate insurance for a British holidaymaker anyway.
2. This insistence that French rescue/medical staff will leave you to bleed to death if you can't produce insurance is rubbish (never seen it once in over 10 years). They would find themselves in court if they did any such thing.
3. If you are involved in a road accident or you fall off a mountain in the summer you will be rescued by the emergency services, which don't charge a fee. Piste rescue in resort is a private service run by the lift company.
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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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Thanks, I think it's part 3 that best answers my question. I was thinking mostly of the private ambulance/helicopter situation. I can't believe that anyone would allow someone to bleed to death but it does seem that having a Carte Neige (in addition to UK insurance) is a simple/lost-cost way of avoiding the problems that some posters claim to have experienced in the past. Whether those posters just misunderstood what was wanted or not I'm in no position to judge.
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| Lizzard wrote: |
| ....... This insistence that French rescue/medical staff will leave you to bleed to death if you can't produce insurance is rubbish (never seen it once in over 10 years). They would find themselves in court if they did any such thing......... |
I was in an off-piste party in Val D'Isere. A member of the party dislocated his shoulder in a fall. The paramedic who was first on the scene checked the insurance (which was SCGB, I think) was satisfied, and called in a helicopter. He advised us that had he not seen evidence of insurance, he would have called in a sled, but no the chopper. Some years ago. Since then, snowheads have reported incidence of the medics being very keen on payment; I don't think they were lying. My experience of medical costs both in France and in Switzerland is pay up front, claim back in the UK. Could be expensive in the event of a heli rescue. For the peanuts the Carte/Carre Neige costs, I cannot see the argument for not getting it - in addition to the insurance you would normally have.
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| Quote: |
had he not seen evidence of insurance, he would have called in a sled, but no the chopper
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Doing them a favour - sleds are a lot cheaper.
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Lizzard, do most French skiers buy extra insurance?
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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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abc, most French skiers use Carte Neige as an addition to their state health cover - that's what it's for.
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Do I presume most French skiers only ski within France then?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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abc, why would they not, given that there's so much of it? Carte Neige cover is international, but I wouldn't know what people do if they ski elsewhere.
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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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There was a list of prices in the lift office at L2A stating exactly how much you would be charged to be brought off the mountain from zone A,B & C . . . for what it costs, buy the insurance and stop thinking that the entire population of French mountain workers are clairvoyant or even interested in dealing with your UK insurer . . . who is probably the cheapest deal you can find with customer service to match.
Just stop winging and buy a simple and relatively inexpensive bit of peace of mind.
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We buy it (even less per day if you buy a season ticket) despite having very expensive UK annual travel insurance. There are so many weasel words about off piste in many policies, and some bad stories, which don't seem apocryphal, about people being rescued, or searched for, but then charged. And if your insurance wriggles out of it, that could be expensive. Sure, insurance is almost always a complete waste of money. But this wastes the equivalent of one small Kronenbourg a day. Unless you are quite sure that your insurance policy will get you off ANYWHERE on the mountain, by helicopter if necessary, buy it. And remember that some nasty off piste accidents happen within a few metres of the piste.
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You know it makes sense.
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We buy it (even less per day if you buy a season ticket) despite having very expensive UK annual travel insurance. There are so many weasel words about off piste in many policies, and some bad stories, which don't seem apocryphal, about people being rescued, or searched for, but then charged. And if your insurance wriggles out of it, that could be expensive. Sure, insurance is almost always a complete waste of money. But this wastes the equivalent of one small Kronenbourg a day. Unless you are quite sure that your insurance policy will get you off ANYWHERE on the mountain, by helicopter if necessary, buy it. And remember that some nasty off piste accidents happen within a few metres of the piste.
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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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If you ski in France I'd always pay for Carre Neige unless I had a very good UK equivalent.
I'll have a Annual for all the boring stuff and I'll top it up with CN for getting dealt with on the hill.
Until other countries have a universally accepted version of their own and you know which resorts offer this, then I tend to take Snowcard from the UK for them.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone able to offer a quick bit of advice for a specific situation? Purchased my Mont Blanc Unlimited season pass last week from the website, but there was no option there about Carre/Carte Neige. I'm only actually going to be in Cham for four weeks, so if I do want this extra peace-of-mind, what do I need to get, when do I need to get it and where do I get it from?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PhilG, you should check your UK policy first of all and find out what it covers. If you then still wish to waste an extra £30, you can get Carte Neige in resort, usually from the ESF office or the Club des Sports depending on where you are.
But REMEMBER that if your UK insurance decides not to stump up for injury suffered off piste, your Carte Neige will not pay your medical costs. If you want off-piste cover you need to make sure that it's included in your main insurance policy.
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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 agree with Pam above - even though we have great cover on our annual policy, we always take out Carte Neige when booking out ski passes. From experience, without carte neige they shove papers in you face to sign to guarantee that you will pay as soon as you can. Another one is produced at the clinic/hospital. Then we had to fill in more forms at the town hall and make the payments and pay the chemist for the necessary drugs etc. It all adds to delays and has to be claimed back from your insurer at a later date. I got the feeling that if I showed my carte neige insurance, things would have been quick and streamlined, no forms to fill in and far more relaxing.
Needless to say, I now take it out without thinking as the cost is minimal for the benefits if needed.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Another one is produced at the clinic/hospital. Then we had to fill in more forms at the town hall and make the payments and pay the chemist for the necessary drugs etc.
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Your Carte Neige would have made no difference to any of that because it doesn't cover you for medical treatment, chemists bills, ambulance etc. In the first instance it ONLY pays for taking you off the mountain.
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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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I have also witnessed the "do you want a helicopter or a sled" conversation but in Switzerland.
Seemed fair to me.
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how much is carre neige for a week's skiing?
Which is the best single trip ski insurance policy that covers you on and off piste?
Answers gratefully received
May have part answered questionon carre neige . http://www.carreneige.com/uk/index.html E2.5- 2.7 per day
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Lizzard, The insurance offered with lift passes here seems to cover immediate medical expenses and repatriation if necessary as well. It's not Carte Neige though.
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Lizzard, I'm aware of what CN covers versus insurance, and already have reasonable off-piste cover for medical expenses via SnowCard. Just considering the hassle-avoidance with CN...
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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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Do the CN and locally applied insurance charges go to support the rescue services? If they do then we should not be having a debate over the value and cost. Those services alone are worth the few Euros it cost us.
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I buy the Carte Neige annual policy; have done for the past three or four years. It's a relatively small amount of money which like most insurance policies is a complete waste until the point when you need it. If I'm going to need evacuation off the hill I'm unlikely to want to have any kind of discussion about how I'm going to pay for those services. There have been very unpleasant experiences reported on snowHeads about demanding immediate payment (including at least one where only cash was acceptable) for evacuation, and the Carte Neige policy means that none of that will happen.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rob@rar, how much does the annual cost?
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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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| PhilG wrote: |
| rob@rar, how much does the annual cost? |
I think I paid 58 euros for it when I got mine in Tignes a couple of weeks ago. I can't say for sure because I don't have it with me in the UK. The French website for Carte Neige is http://www.ffs.fr/site/carteneige/ that might show the price.
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| Quote: |
There have been very unpleasant experiences reported on snowHeads about demanding immediate payment (including at least one where only cash was acceptable) for evacuation, and the Carte Neige policy means that none of that will happen.
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rob@rar, this seems to controdict what Lizzard posted above:
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2. This insistence that French rescue/medical staff will leave you to bleed to death if you can't produce insurance is rubbish (never seen it once in over 10 years). They would find themselves in court if they did any such thing. |
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You know it makes sense.
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Apologies for getting in a question of my own, but I can't see the point in starting a separate thread.
I shall be going to Switzerland and to France next year. For the Swiss trip I normally have a Silver Skiing Holiday winter insurance from insure and go for the whole family. I had intended to get the same for the French trip next April for just me and can easily do so. Do I need both the policy I would normally get and the Carte Neige, or will either do. If I need the Carte Neige can I get it just for the two weeks or is it a year only thing, if so it might be worth me getting it before the Swiss trip in February? How does the Carte Neige differ from winter sports holiday insurance (or is it winter sports holiday insurance?) I hope this makes sense.
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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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Megamum, CN will get you off a French mountain and into the medical system with the best possible haste and with the least number of questions. It will also get you repatriated to France from anywhere in the World. There are a number of smaller benefits but these are the biggies.
It's real benefit is that if the worst happens. you are safe, stable and compos mentis before you need to talk to the weasles running the UK insurance industry.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Megamum, you don't want Carte Neige at all for a week's holiday. If you want extra insurance you should get Carre Neige with your lift pass - same thing, valid for the duration of the pass. You should NOT dump your Insure and Go policy in favour of Carte/Carre Neige under any circumstances - it's a top-up insurance aimed at French skiers and only covers piste rescue and and any excesses you have to pay.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Masque wrote: |
| It will also get you repatriated to France from anywhere in the World. |
As I understand it, Carte Neige (and I presume Carre Neige) will repatriate you to your registered home address. When I bought this year's Carte Neige policy I asked whether I should use my home or Les Arcs address and was told that it was much better to use my home address as this would allow me to be repatriated to the UK by claiming on the CN policy.
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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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Megamum, as Lizzard said, the Carte Neige is an annual policy and therefore there's no point in you getting one. You can buy the same policy as an addition to the cost of your lift pass (about 2.50€ per day iirc) and Admin provided this as an option for last year's lift pass requirements at the EOSB. I guess he will be doing the same for this season's EOSB. As Lizzard said, don't dump your regular holiday insurance.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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rob@rar, it doesn't repatriate you to the UK, whatever they might say - I've had to deal with at least three staff who were under this impression and had to get home under their own steam because they weren't covered. This was particularly entertaining for the one who had a broken femur.
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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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| Lizzard wrote: |
| rob@rar, it doesn't repatriate you to the UK, whatever they might say - I've had to deal with at least three staff who were under this impression and had to get home under their own steam because they weren't covered. This was particularly entertaining for the one who had a broken femur. |
OK, I'll double check the T&Cs that came with it but that was what I was told by the Club des Sports in Tignes. In any case, repatriation to the UK should be covered by any travel insurance policy so I only rely on Carte Neige to get me off the mountain and perhaps to help cover any excess payments on my travel policy.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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rob@rar, I have an idea that the non-repatriation thing was only applied after a certain period of time (six weeks? - can't remember), but I couldn't find any mention of that condition in their policy document at all. Obviously completely useless to my lot though, since they're here for five months. We no longer accept Carte Neige from staff as sole insurance, and won't give out passes unless they've taken our insurance or shown us proof that they have their own.
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Lizzard, I agree that Carte Neige by itself is woefully inadequate.
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| Masque wrote: |
| Do the CN and locally applied insurance charges go to support the rescue services? |
Only the pisteurs, my tax pays for the mountain rescue services, which is why mountain rescue is free outside the ski area.
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Lizzard wrote: |
| rob@rar, it doesn't repatriate you to the UK, whatever they might say - I've had to deal with at least three staff who were under this impression and had to get home under their own steam because they weren't covered. This was particularly entertaining for the one who had a broken femur. |
OK, I'll double check the T&Cs that came with it but that was what I was told by the Club des Sports in Tignes. In any case, repatriation to the UK should be covered by any travel insurance policy so I only rely on Carte Neige to get me off the mountain and perhaps to help cover any excess payments on my travel policy. |
The carte neige covers repatriation of non-residents to EU countries ONLY if you can produce an outward and return (return unused) transport ticket.
Rob I paid €44.50 for the annual card - I get a reduction as an owner 
I've been buying this for more years than I care to remember, and I wouldn't go skiing without it.
It also covers ski breakage, and third party collision insurance
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Added to the comments above it's worth applying for and getting an EHIC card (replaces the E111) before you go on holiday in Europe as you can use that to claim back prescriptions for ills and ailments that might not be covered by insurance (or sit below the excess level). Not going to help you much if you axe yourself on the mountain though...
http://www.ehicard.org
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FAQ
