 Poster: A snowHead
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I'll be doing quite a bit of park and off-piste skiing this season and was wondering who will be the best insurance company to go with. Most of the representatives i talked to didnt seem to know if park skiing would be included in the policy and told me to assume that it wouldn't be covered. I did get one quote that included "freestyle skiing" for an extra 160 but found it odd that the other "ski" insurance companies didnt seem to offer a freestyle option.
Are there any other park skiers/boarders out there who have found a good policy?
I was told there was a thread on seasonnaires insurance on here somewhere but the forum search doesn't want to work for me so if someone could link me to it that would be much appreciated 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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blas, There were 2 more of them this year I'll see if I can dig them out.
I am going with the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) insurance. It was reccomended by others here in previous threads.
It is by far the most transparent and will allow you to do much more than other policies. Much of what came out of the other threads were that off-piste is a gray area for many companies. People contacted the companies and could not get a straight answer as to what they mean by off-piste. There is the issue of can I come home and go back without voiding my policy? not on most single trip policies you cant even some seasonaires ones only allow you back in exceptional circumstances (i.e. brevement). Most multitrip policies have limits on the trip duration not much good when you are away for half the year.
BMC have a multitrip annual policy which allows for long trips. (they have others too). You can select the region you want covered and can taylor it to your activities. They state what you can and cant do clearly. It's not cheap compared to normal travel insurance but is cheaper than quotes I got from other specialist insurers who did not cater for long trips or returns home (at least not as part of the standard package).
http://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/insurance/Landing.aspx
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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£160 premium for freestyle seems fair enough for me given a hard park user is virtually guaranteed to be hurt at some point in the season. Metal rails and big kickers = injuries.
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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've got ski holiday cover from my RBS royalties gold account.
Cover seems good for a holiday.
ATB
Bob
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Royalties Gold cover is OK if you make use of other benefits or choose to pay for the account for other reasons. I gave up paying RBS £12 a month purely for holiday insurance. Policy with Top Dog that includes winter sports cover now costs me £31 for multiple ski trips, with good limits and reasonable excess.
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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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Thanks for the pointers chaps, definately some better deals than the 360 quid policy i came up with. Looks like its still going to cost at least 250
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blas, send a PM to Skimark who will be able to help you. If you saw the thread recommended by Boredsurfing, above then you may know he found us a great deal for the family for the season for £280
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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blas, Please feel free to call - 0800 520 0699 (press option 3), or come through our website - www.moneymaxim.co.uk (it might be easier to speak to save you time). We don't give advise or recommend particular policies, but can shortlist from our panel dependent on your needs.
I have confirmed with one of the more flexible insurers that as long as the park is within the ski area it would be covered under their normal winter sports policy - Annual european cover for a 18-49 year old from £73.53 (with an extention for bobsleigh; heliskiing; ice hockey; luge; paraskiing; skeleton; ski jumping; ski racing and ski stunting -£147.01) - Worldwide cover £190.95 without the extention, £264.43 with. Max trip length 31 days, but can be extended to 62.
Only limitation seems to be on first time skiers over 70 can't be covered!
Mouth, many thanks for the recommendation
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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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can be extended to 62
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I.e. 2 months, but the ski season is about 5 months 
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I just called Snow Card insurance to ask about their season cover and got the distinct impression they didn't want to insure me at all as I said I would be working during the season but not in the resort and as I wold be doing race training which the lady said they didn't cover for, although it says on their website it does. I think she gave me a rough figure of £500 for the season to put me off ever phoning again!
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You know it makes sense.
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CSki, Couldnt make Snowcard work for me for a season either.
When you say you are working but not in the resort will you only be there intermittently?
If so BMC Alpine and Ski annual multi trip just for Europe trips up to 93 days should work for you at £136.66. You will have to become a BMC member too at £30.
It covers all types of skiing I'm sure race training would come under piste skiing on this policy (I know its excluded on other policies) (although best to confirm for yourself).
I went for this policy but extended to long trips and worldwide cover. Just incase the season is not long enough 
Edit: these addons brought my policy up to £293.77 + membership
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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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RPF, Re 62 days - true, but I hadn't seen that blas had said they were away for whole season in one trip and I was assuming that visits home during the season may happen
Full details of this policy are: You will be covered, for the defined activities within the geographical limits, for any number of Winter Sports trips up to 31 consecutive days per trip (62 consecutive days if you have paid the appropriate additional premium) in respect of European Cover, or 120 consecutive days per trip in respect of Worldwide Cover or Worldwide Cover excluding North America and The Caribbean area, up to an overall maximum of 240 days in any one period of insurance.
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Poster: A snowHead
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RPF, BMC is my next stop. You're right I'll be popping back and forth so fingers crossed. I should think if they cover heli-skiing they would cover a smidgen of giant slaloming!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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skimark, i'll give your guys a call. So long as i can ski park and go off-piste without a guide im happy but wasn't planning on giving the skeleton a go
so many boring little details to organise - insurance, travel, money... actually, bit OT but whats the best way to access your money in france without getting stung a load every time you get it out?french bank account? credit card? Take a large wad of notes, hide them in your ski sock and hope for the best? I looked into the abbey 0% card but got my application refused meaning my mum would have to get one in her name and i would be a second card holder, which might be a bit more complicated than i'd like.
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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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blas, Well - we do cover that area (money) as well - suggest a prepaid credit card in Euros - more details here - shouldn't be worried by a significant credit check - you can go online and transfer money from your bank account to your Euro card and then pop down to the local cashpoint to withdraw - rate is set when you do the transfer so you know what you are getting into. See this link for more details https://www.moneymaxim.co.uk/articles/prepaid-currency-cards.htm (when you ring we can make a few more suggestions on money saving tips based on your personal circumstances)
Post Office credit card is the best credit card for international spend - Nationwide is fine for Europe, but just in case you spread your wings the PO card doesn't levy a foreign currency levy elsewhere. Look forward to speaking!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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skimark, currency cards look interesting might give you a call.
I'll be spending Chf most of my money is in Euro at the moment.
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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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RPF, Really happy to have a chat - only issue is that pre paid currency cards only come in US$ and Euros currently. I will have a word with one of the companies though who we have a good relationship with to see if there is any appetite to change that ( I have a vested interest as I am off to Zermatt at Christmas!)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Don't get ripped off open a nationwide flexi current account and get better rates than you'll get anywhere and no charge at the cash machines. Search on here or natives as its been well covered. A prepaid credit card sounds ridiculous. I've never heard of a seasonaire or traveller using one of these. The exchange rate is likely to gradually get better anyway.
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scottishskier, Agreed that Nationwide are good in Europe - but outside VISA Europe they now charge a 1% fee VISA levy on them - full details are on their website [url] http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/foreigntransactions.htm [/url]. In personal experience not found a difference in rates (recently on the same day Nationwide was 1.6402 US $ to the pound, Caxton Prepaid 1.63999 - or £0.25 in a £1000 transaction.)
When rates look like they are falling I tend to use prepaid as I get the rate and then can spend - if they are rising vice versa.
I carry both as it gives me an option if the bank decide to block my card as expenditure looks suspicious - as has happened to a few people I know.
Each to their own though!
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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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Bloody hell its like another language. I'm going for the nationwide flexi account, perfect for europe and i aint going elsewhere this season. Thanks for advice all
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So is BMC still the best out there??? is any one else found any good policys for freestyle, off-piste, helli-ski??? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Not sure if this is of use to anyone but I just did a post on the subject for my blog:
http://seasonjunkie.com/seasonaire-insuranc/
It is indeed a complete headache and I gleened a lot of info from this forum, so thanks!
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FAQ
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) but the spread on the exchange rate is 2.5% 
. But versatile for many currencies. Their Euro and Dollar specific cards are better if thats all you require.
