 Poster: A snowHead
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Hells Bells, was the free medication just for while he was 'in patient' or after you left. Did you get medivac home to UK. Hope you do not mind me asking these things. A bit personal. Hope he is OK now. Thanks.
rob@rar that is why I have the CN as well. Exact same reason. No fuss when you need help off piste.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 1-12-10 22:58; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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But some of the charges (e.g. ambulance) were met by insurers? And a lot of other costs related to getting you all home? The only casualty I've dealt with was much less serious (ACL) but involved a private ambulance from resort to Lyons airport, a scheduled BA flight to Bristol (2 tickets) and a private ambulance from Bristol airport to home. Ambulance because the casualty was in full leg brace and had to be flat.
Somehow can't imagine either EHIC or CN stumping up for that kind of cost. Also - and this was a big relief even for such a minor injury - the insurance company arranged the whole thing.
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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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pam w, CN did pay for exactly the things you have just listed for my friend to be medivac home. They even pay to get your car back home for you, and your kids if needed. If the injured is the only driver then they cover all those expenses. That is one of the reasons I like it. Read the small print. It says this clearly.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| snowcrazy wrote: |
| Read the small print. |
But... does the small print say anything about a doctors note being required as as a prerequisite to any payout?
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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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snowcrazy, no medication when he left hospital, he said morphine didn't work anyway. He wasn't medivac'd but did get a business class flight back home, with our son accompanying him. But that was paid for by UK insurer, not EHIC or CN. UK insurance also refunded lift passes for all of us, hotel in Grenoble as it was too far to travel from resort, and re-arranged transport costs for me and son no2, as we had to return to the UK 5 days before we would have done. I don't think CN would have covered any of that. UK insurers did dispute some of this initially, but changed their minds when I sought the assistance of a SnowHead.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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allanm, you read my mind. That is just what I have been looking for and cannot seem to find it stated anywhere, will have to wait and see on Friday.
Hells Bells, thanks for the extra info. I do not think CN or EHIC would have paid for all the extra people either. But they would have got his lift pass refunded and his medivac or extra seats on a flight and all the transport costs at both ends for him. Not sure if they pay for someone to go with him. I do not think they pay for you to stay in hotel near hospital either but still not bad for only 55Euros for a season or 2.50 euros a day.
What insurance company did you use. Pleased they paid up in the end.
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Rob I fully understand what you are saying but it seems the only advantage is that you won't pay to be taken to hospital. If I were conscious enough to pay, I would be on the phone to my insurers whilst en-route.
Problem solved.
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Just to add - were I French so expecting to use my NHS, CN would make perfect sense.
If the UK had a private ambulance and mountain rescue service, CN would make sense for holidays here, too.
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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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Medevac. With an e. As in Medical evacuation.
Snowcrazy is entirely right - Carte Neige and its equivalents do pay for transport home if you need it. Private air ambulance in one case I know of. The only objection to it for a British skier is the hassle involved - when you could get UK travel insurance for a decent price, why would you bother? It's highly likely that you'll have to fork out quite a lot in advance, whatever Snowcrazy's experiences in Les Arcs have been (there's no practice in 2Alpes which will accept your EHIC, for example - they don't even take a Carte Vitale).
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| bar shaker wrote: |
| Problem solved. |
How, by making sure you don't have a serious accident and you are well enough and happy enough to start making calls back to the UK? I don't there there is a problem, just different attitudes to risks and consequences.
On this occasion I'm happy to be over-insured as the cost isn't too high (less than the price of a small beer per day).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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snowcrazy, our insurers were Direct Travel. In normal circumstances I wouldn't have needed the hotel near the hospital as there is one close by in Briancon, but because J neede his broken neck repaired, the op had to be done in Grenoble.
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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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But say you travel off the side of a piste for a play in the soft stuff and rupture a knee ligament... the standard winter sports cover won't cover this if I'm correct (unless you drag yourself back on to the piste before rescue - I've heard of this happening) so it's worth adding carre neige to lift pass.
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michaelf, depends on your policy. If you want off piste cover, look for a company which offers it.
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You know it makes sense.
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michaelf, Direct Travel have off-piste cover, and you do not need to be with a guide.
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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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I think of this as simply:
1. Buy Carte Neige for the season - I know whatever happens I (and/or the family) would be off the slope no questions asked by whatever means is deemed the best to the most appropriate medical centre be that the local bar to calm me down or the nearest serious A&E.
2. Good solid travel insurance (with explicit winter sports insurance) to get me back to the UK when I've been patched up
I'm sure I overpay a bit but don't want to be the guy who feels smug that he's saved £50 on insurance and then regrets it up a mountain the bone sticking out the side of his leg whilst they discuss whether a helicopter is the best way down.
The final, and most important insurance, is making sure you get to know the Piste Security guys and buy them a beer in the little bar where we and they drink. They have always said that me and my mates are too heavy to come down on a sledge and we'd be off on a helicopter for a sprained ankle !
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Poster: A snowHead
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Point is though, has anyone read the small print, T&C's etc etc .. are you really supposed to send a 'doctor's note', as it clearly states on the on-line application... or not??
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Had them for the past 3 years but never used in anger- never showed a Doctor's note but would be a bit careful on the T&Cs if I had a pre existing condition
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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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alti - dude, This is, I believe something which has been added this year
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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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The advanced party goes out in just over a week and will be buying so will post what I find.
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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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| alti - dude wrote: |
| The advanced party goes out in just over a week and will be buying so will post what I find. |
Yup, that's what we / I need. Cheers.... Won't be far behind though!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
| and if I was injured and in pain I also wouldn't want to be arguing with my rescuers (in French...) about whether the facility they are taking me to, or to which I'm being sent on, is going to be covered under CN...... |
Just pretend you are unconscious.... they can't not treat you, even in hospital
Do you need CN and winter sport insurance. I thought CN was like winter sport insurance lite, so having both was a bit of a waste of beer money?
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alti - dude, Carte Neige includes repatriation - if you're taking out extra insurance just for thet you're wasting your money.
Thornyhill, you need to read the rest of the thread, becuse I'm not about to post it all again. See link to Carte Neige policy conditions on page 1.
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Hells Bells, what I meant, really, was whether the whole thing would have cost you a lot more if you'd only had EHIC and not had the insurance picking up bills too. I suppose it depends a lot on what institution you're in. with a serious proper injury - proper serious state hospital - with a twisted knee or something, maybe more likely to end up on a private clinic. I've seen a few people being treated for (minor) injuries. The French do go to town - endless prescriptions, appliances, etc etc. Can't help thinking that the NHS might be reluctant to pick it all up.
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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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pam w, it was state hospital. We would have had to pay the same as a French citizen would, which were the amounts in my post above, but (According to our insurers), the portion that they dealt with for us was recovered from the UK healthcare system. We could have paid them, and claimed it back ourselves, but they asked us to complete a form so they could do it on hubby's behalf. All medical bills came to us and were passed on to the insurer, as we weren't really sure which ones we could get back from dept of work and pensions, and which ones were for the insurer to pay.
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It would be interesting to know if anyone has any experience of claiming things back from DWP directly.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Following this morning's fascinating training session conducted by none other than the underwriters for Carte Neige, I can tell you that your insurance will not be invalidated if you don't send them a medical certificate. Apparently this is for competitors and they were somwhat bemused as to why recreational skiers were being asked for it.
I should also mention something I'd forgotten, which is that if you decide to do an Arno and bog off into the wild blue backcountry yonder you don't actually need any insurance for helicopter rescue as it's done by the emergency services and is therefore free.
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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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| Lizzard wrote: |
| I can tell you that your insurance will not be invalidated if you don't send them a medical certificate. Apparently this is for competitors and they were somwhat bemused as to why recreational skiers were being asked for it. |
You can tell us... but the web site clearly indicates that some sort of certificate is required during the application process... perhaps something else is said elsewhere which I've missed..?
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I ordered my families season passes with Carte Neige this week and not a word was mentioned about medical certificates. I wonder when my 18 and 17 year olds will start buying their own passes? I could then afford an extra week!
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You know it makes sense.
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Fogliettaz, no you didn't. You ordered passes with (probably) Carré Neige. Pay attention.
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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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allanm, So I'm told (though the page you've linked to doesn't say anything about it either way). However, the people who actually deal with the claims say it's b0llocks.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
I wonder when my 18 and 17 year olds will start buying their own passes?
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Judging from my experience, I'd advise not holding your breath. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've just read all the previous posts about CN and have bought it myself when skiing in France (also have full insurance and EHIC). This year we are skiing in Italy and I was wondering if anything like the CN exists there? Does anyone know? Cheers.
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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 wrote: |
| allanm, So I'm told (though the page you've linked to doesn't say anything about it either way). However, the people who actually deal with the claims say it's b0llocks. |
If you go through the application process on the site (you don't have to complete the application) you will be asked to agree to send a certificate, it's not ambiguous nor hidden, you cannot complete the application without ticking the box.
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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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allanm, thinking about what Lizzard, said, I think it is correct that the medical cert is for racers. i remember the kids needing that for there season race insurance which is also carte neige. Might check with sis if I have time, but thinking about it now. I do remember something like that last year. Maybe when you book on-line they just presume you are a racer. I have never done mine on-line.
Lizzard, Did you learn anything else of use from the CN presentation?
In Les Arcs anyone needing season carte neige must go to the 1600 lift office on saturday morning to get it at the desk in person if you did not get it with your lift pass. This is the only office in Les ARcs that does the season CN.
Hells Bells, If you go to my facebook group and read the report about my friends experience with carte neige, you will see how they claimed everything using DWP as they did not have any other insurance, and you are right they did get everything back in the end but it was a pain. Then again they are out for the season and have time to do it the French way.
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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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| snowcrazy wrote: |
| allanm, thinking about what Lizzard, said, I think it is correct that the medical cert is for racers. |
snowcrazy, Why do you think that when the website says quite clearly, otherwise? I'm surprised at you having been so 'precise' about insurance lately??
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lizzard,
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I fail to see why people are so keen to have foreign insurance. If I was skiing in Italy or Austria I'd get my insurance at home before I went because I speak not a word of either language and consequently would find it bloody difficult to make a claim and totally impossible to engage in any correspondence regarding that claim. I also like my reimbursement in a currency which I habitually use and which can be paid into my bank account without any delays or extra charges.
I think you're all quite mad, frankly
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At last, common sense,
but Chris will be along soon to say that UK insurance companys will do everything to avoid paying out, but of course the moral is to read the small print BEFORE you buy. I do and have had two claims with DogTag and not had a problem, in fact one claim was paid in full within a fortnight. 
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Lizzard, Do the lift office cashiers get any commision/bonus payment for selling 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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snowcrazy, I handed it over to the insurers to sort out, as it was one less thing to worry about. If we had used CN, I would have had to put in the claim before my hubby had even left hospital in France (difficult if you don't speak fluent French, and you're without internet access).
Listen folks, annual winter sports insurance with Direct Travel costs around the same for a couple or family as the Carte Neige does for the season (around £60 without any medical conditions etc). It has off-piste cover without a guide, has (or had) an excellent emergency assistance team on the end of the phone, and a reasonably fast claim. If you're being refused treatment because you don't have cash, ring your emergency helpline (keep your card handy), and get them to speak to the pisteurs/helirescue/ambulance/private clinic. If you're unconscious you have to be dealt with anyway, they won't leave you lying there. Ambulance company asked us if we had insurance, but never once asked for payment, they dealt with the insurer once I showed them my card, and spoke to them by phone. They even let me use their phone to report the accident, as my battery was dying.
Have your EHIC card with you too, use it and your insurers may waive your excess, and it will mean any hospital charges are the same as a French national would pay. Claim the remainder back from DWP on your return to the UK where possible and use your UK insurer to do it for you if you are unsure what you can claim, as they will probably pay the rest.
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FAQ
