 Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry to go over old ground as I have been reading previous postings
I booked my 1st trip of the year yesterday, so getting all my ducks in order.
I am thinking of upgrading to a Lloyds Premier or Platinum account, both of which have winter sports insurance attached.
Now...
I like skiing off piste and am doing more and more, even if it is just at the site of the piste whilst my OH goes down the piste, also going further a field off with friends for an afternoon etc.
The policy states "you must be accompanied by a qualified guide or instuctor for all off-piste activities"
I fully understand this statement and know I will have to be dragged back on to the piste to be covered. However..... Do all policies say this or can I get a policy which will cover me off piste without an instructor. Alternatively, is another policy going to trip me up somewhere else, so I'm best off just staying with the Lloyds one.
I look forward to your comments.
thank you and please don't shout at me for asking a question again.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Direct travel insurance, OK off piste on your own in Europe only.
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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 need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes, direct-travel looks good, provided you only do short trips. Won't cover many days in the year.
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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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dont ever run the risk of being dragged back on piste as a way around it. Simply asking for trouble and not fair on your loved ones or who you are with if you are really injured.
Get covered.
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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: |
| Yes, direct-travel looks good, provided you only do short trips. Won't cover many days in the year. |
what do you mean? My reading was that you can ski any number of days you like up to 17 days at a time as long as each individual overall trip is not longer than 45 days... and I've just bought it!
k1orange, that's why I have gone to Direct Travel instead on continuing with my Lloyds package
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| Libertine wrote: |
| Direct travel insurance, OK off piste on your own in Europe only. |
if you take world wide you are covered in US & Canada for off-piste "in bounds"; that is inside the resort boudnaries, which are (as I recall) marked
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BMC have no guide or instructor clause, and are very good at paying out. Pricey 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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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
| Yes, direct-travel looks good, provided you only do short trips. Won't cover many days in the year. |
what do you mean? My reading was that you can ski any number of days you like up to 17 days at a time as long as each individual overall trip is not longer than 45 days... and I've just bought it!
k1orange, that's why I have gone to Direct Travel instead on continuing with my Lloyds package |
That is why I have it too.
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| Quote: |
My reading was that you can ski any number of days you like up to 17 days at a time
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Yes, exactly right. But I ski more than 17 days at a time, so no use for me.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, thanks, I knew it would be no good for you but when you said "provided you only do short trips. Won't cover many days in the year" I paniced - I take 5 trips a year and never ski more than 6 days each, I expect that most people would think that the cover is rather more than short trips and not many days 
Hells Bells, I was swayed by your positive experience with them TBH
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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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| Quote: |
But I ski more than 17 days at a time
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pam w, I'm SOOOOO jealous......
Another vote from me for Direct Travel..... a mate claimed too and it worked well....
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I've never managed to do more than 17 days at a time even though I do at least 5 weeks each winter.
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You know it makes sense.
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holidayloverxx, sorry to have created a panic! jennycook, Don't be jealous; I'm old. when you're old, you'll probably be able to choose how to spend your time too.
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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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pam w, if the government keeps moving the goalposts I'll still be working till I need a zimmer.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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k1orange, if in doubt it's well worth the price of a coffee each day to get the Carte Neige/Carre Neige insurance which will get you off the mountain, by helicopter if necessary.
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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, yes. Our generation is a lucky one - I do my best by sharing our apartment with lots of friends and family.
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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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k1orange, if you are just changing your account for the travel insurance, Direct Travel is less than £80 per year for a couple for a European policy and includes off-piste without a guide or instructor.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Check the policies of BMC (which I have taken out) Snowcard, SCGB, and, unless you are over 64, Dogtag.
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k1orange, none of these policies that have been mentioned will cover you if you ski alone off piste including direct travel. You must be with other people and carry the correct gear. Read the small print re. putting yourself at risk. If you are not experienced you need to take a guide anywhere further than very near to the piste.
As pam says, carte neige/carrie neige is a good option to get you off the mountain and then use your other insurance as many of my friends now do.
If you want to read what many of the Insurance companies have stated go to my facebook group and have a read of the Insurance discussion.
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=134900026541300&topic=150
All the top Insurance companies and underwriters are covered and it makes for very interesting reading.
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snowcrazy, Have you noticed that this Years Paradiski lift map states in French and English that once the lifts are closed the Ski area is out of bounds.
That certainly helps with the underwriters that put the term Out of Bounds in their T&C's.
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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 wrote: |
| k1orange, none of these policies that have been mentioned will cover you if you ski alone off piste including direct travel. You must be with other people and carry the correct gear. Read the small print re. putting yourself at risk. ...... |
I disagree. I don't normally ski off-piste alone - but I have, and clearly did not think I was taking a deliberate risk beyond that of skiing generally.
PS - I do not see the point in going to your facebooke site, especially as I rarely visit facebook at all. If you are going to have a discussin on snowheads then let's keep the discussion here.
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| Quote: |
snowcrazy, Have you noticed that this Years Paradiski lift map states in French and English that once the lifts are closed the Ski area is out of bounds.
That certainly helps with the underwriters that put the term Out of Bounds in their T&C's.
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The lift company do not own the mountain ! all of the apartments are "within the ski area" so if you slip over whilst walking home from the bar after 5.30pm, you are out of bounds as par as the piste map is concerned and therefore not covered if excluded. Not convinced that would stack up and the ombudsman would not see it that way.
| Quote: |
k1orange, none of these policies that have been mentioned will cover you if you ski alone off piste including direct travel. You must be with other people and carry the correct gear. Read the small print re. putting yourself at risk. If you are not experienced you need to take a guide anywhere further than very near to the piste.
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This is too ambigious, to put yourself at risk is to open your eyes in the morning. You would need to "recklessly" put yourself at risk and understand the consequenses of your actions to be reckless so in most circumstances, this would be difficult for the insurers to reject a claim.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
| k1orange, if in doubt it's well worth the price of a coffee each day to get the Carte Neige/Carre Neige insurance which will get you off the mountain, by helicopter if necessary. |
It is worth noting that when I asked my insurance company (SAGA) whether they would cover costs consequent to an off-piste accident if the costs of recovery to hospital had been met say by Carte Neige, the answer was unsurprisingly no. I think it would be unwise for anyone to think other companies would be different - or wise to ask. It makes complete sense to me: if the accident is in the first instance outwith what your policy covers you can't expect a claim for any costs related to that accident to be covered.
That is not saying anything about what Carte Neige does or doesn't cover, but rather a warning not to assume another policy would pick up where Carte Neige may leave off.
At last looking, JS Insurance covers off-piste provided you are with another person who is also insured for off-piste.
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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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Another vote for BMC insurance.
Pricey, but very good, and the only one that is truely universaly recognised.
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You know it makes sense.
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Well the off piste FAQ seems pretty clear to me for Europe.
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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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| Quote: |
if in doubt it's well worth the price of a coffee each day
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To cover a family of 5 would cost me €84 for the week. That's a lot of coffee 
Carte Neige may be only a couple of euros for a solo skier, but for families that's a lot of money and not a lot less than what I pay for an annual travel policy, which covers off-piste skiing.
Ok it may not be via helicopter, but bear in mind the off-piste I am refering to are the little bumps and jumps between runs the kids go on and not full blown off-piste.
As with anything you need to be satisfied that you have insurance appropriate for your requirements.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've just bought BMC Annual Alpine insurance for me and the Mrs.
It was the only one that covered me for solo stuff (ski touring & off piste)* and for our 5 - 6 weeks away - plus it covers us, should we go windsurfing abroad in the Summer etc / cycling in the Alps etc etc - you name it, it's covered!!!!!!!
But it is expensive - though it is for a couple and it's annual and the only policy that offers the cover we need, and after last year's little incident I'll feel a lot better with it, rather than other so called Alpine Policies with all their spurious small print!
Insurance cost: £205.78
Membership cost: £25.50
Total cost: £231.28
*I even rang them up asking about cover for being Solo and the guy was quite vehement in that that's what the majority of people would do taking this policy out!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dogtag cover off piste without a guide, as long as you're not going against local advice (or something similar in the wording). We're paying about £130 for the pair of us for a year's European 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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Monium, that's what I mean, it's all in the small print - as long as you're not going against local advice, could mean anything - plus as I said DogTag do not cover ski touring or off piste on your own
Below is from their (DogTag) website - so it's all very "grey" especially in that last main paragraph....................would not trust it (them) at all!
Q. Do you cover Off Piste Skiing and what is the definition of Off Piste?
A. The generally accepted understanding of off-piste (or backcountry) skiing or boarding means 'going out of bounds', i.e. outside the resort boundary (if there is a boundary) or simply off the marked pistes if within the resort area.
If you are going out of bounds or outside marked areas of the resort, we recommend you do so with a fully qualified local guide because, in our view, you will then be taken to the best areas and you'll have a higher degree of comfort concerning your safety. However, we do not insist that you take a guide, you are insured for off-piste without a guide provided that you are not going alone or going against advice. And remember, even some areas within a resort may be considered out of bounds because they are hazardous. In most parts of North America, going out of bounds contravenes local law and you may, at best have your lift pass confiscated or worse, face arrest and have an overnight stay courtesy of the Sherriff's office. Normally there is a physical fence with warning signs so you shouldn't be in any doubt.
It is your responsibility to ensure that on any particular day you are aware of and obey local advice, information and instructions given by the resort authorities and that you obey any signs and information you encounter on the mountain - the source of this information will vary resort to resort and country to country and it is your responsibility to find out. If a section is marked 'closed' there will be a very good reason for it (e.g. high avalanche danger) and ignoring such signs or advice may invalidate your cover. You should be aware that under the terms of cover, needless self-exposure to peril except in an endeavour to save human life may invalidate your cover.
Obviously, you must never ski off-piste alone.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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As has been pointed out in various posts in other threads about this topic earlier, skiing alone off piste is not covered by most companies. To my knowledge this includes Direct Travel.
The BMC, AAC and CN are the only ones I know that do not exclude skiing alone. If anyone knows of others and are sure they are correct (you have read the small print), please post there details for us all to read. It would be really helpful.
'as long as you're not going against local advice' is the get out of jail card that many of the companies use so in all cases, read the small print before taking out a policy with anyone to be sure it covers what you want to do.
I am not going to repost everything that has been said on this subject again in other threads. So whether achilles likes it or not, if anyone reading this wants to read the details of past statements on this subject from both Insurance companies and Underwriters recently, you are welcome to visit my facebook group which has public access to read the thread in the discussions section on this topic. Link below. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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snowcrazy, has anyone confirmed this with Direct Travel, as neither their FAQ's or their policy wording says this? There is no mention of a requirement to be skiing with anyone.
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Another vote for direct travel - paid up for other half's torn knee meniscus treatment in the USA last year with no problems, paid for upgrade to business class flights back (unfortunately just for him - I was still stuck at the back) - and agreed to cover the same knee on a second trip 4 weeks later with no extra fee providing we got a doctors note saying he could travel (no bumps skied on that hoiday...).
This year we have renewed as still will cover the knee as well as other half's multiple new medical conditions - including a recent DVT and surgery to other knee, both hands etc in the last few months...we have had to pay an extra £20 pounds to include cover for pre-existing conditions but most other firms would not cover (in writing) all the bits of him that were already falling to bits...
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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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Thank you everyone for your comments. I have paid for single trip insurance £13 with direct travel.
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FAQ
I don't know why you are trying to pimp your facebook discussion - but this snowheads' thread seems very adequate. However, I am pleased you have approved my insurance choice. 
