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Friend being sued in Austria for collision-related injury

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
surely the piste patrol should have made a statement and make both parties involved sign it , lesson learned
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
kat.ryb, amongst my German and Austrian friends most of them do not have any special medical insurance when skiing and are surprised that I have annual insurance. I think it is a historical thing as they do not see their day trips as being on holiday as such. As for the rest of the mainlanders, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence but an accurate assessment, not sure. I know my Dutch and some of my French friends think they are covered by their private health insurance, but they have yet to test that theory.

Things are changing even here in Germany as to how much is paid and what exactly is paid for. When I first came out here we had an entitlement to 6 weeks paid "Kur" every year and also 10 physiotherapy appointments of 30 minutes per prescription. The number of weeks of "Kur" has been reduced to 3 weeks entitlement per year and the physiotherapy cut to 6 appointments of 15 minutes each per prescription. The Germans are real hypochondriacs to be honest, but they are in a sense encouraged to think that way because the State health services are based on preventative medical intervention as opposed to the reactive system in the UK.

Monium, I have been told that it is law and tend to err on the side of caution always. In Germany, ALL traffic accidents have to be reported to the police within 24 hours even if no visible damage is obvious. I learnt about this after I nudged another car during a parking manoeuvre and was told I had to report it to the police station as there were no witnesses. The police noted the details and that was that. It is listed under the traffic laws as "Fahrerflucht" if you do not and that is a criminal offence. It apparently includes accidents involving any means of transportation. We are also told never to admit liability before the insurance company has been involved. I apply this advice to any skiing accidents I may be witness to or involved in. So far it has always worked out in my favour as far as I know. Toofy Grin
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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?
kat.ryb wrote:
Quote:

Many mainland Europeans do not have travel insurance of any kind when on skiing holidays It is getting more and more difficult to get anything other than the most rudimentary emergency treatment in Austrian hospitals as they are being left sitting on the costs in a lot of cases.


That is a really interesting point.

Do you know why it is more common for 'mainlanders' not to have travel insurance? difference culture re risk, expectation there is a reciprocal agreements, something else?


Totally anecdotal, but a certain dutch snowhead known to many of us wink is under-insured for what he does. He claims he can't find reasonably priced insurance for off-piste without a guide, but happily goes ahead and does it anyway. I can't believe that such cover doesn't exist in NL, but I can't add him onto my UK policy (residency requirements). I suspect he hasn't searched hard enough and warn him before each trip that I'm not handing my credit card over as the helicopter approaches rolling eyes
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Monium,
Quote:

I don't carry a wallet around with any ID


In Germany and Austria it is law that you have your personalausweis(identity card) on you at all times, not sure how that holds up with tourists, if you have to have your passport on you at all times?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
wigan, why not buy a carte neige with lift pass? That covers off piste, for any nationality, and avoids quite a bit of the problem you describe. I have travel insurance, but also have carte neige to avoid the credit card/helicopter problem. If nothing else because I may not be conscious or with a group that knows what travel insurance arrangements I have made.
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kooky, I have mine with me all the time having had a warning from the Bullen when I was stopped and asked for it and did not have it. My photo ID driving license was not accepted as proof ID by the police on that occasion.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
kooky wrote:
Monium,
Quote:

I don't carry a wallet around with any ID


In Germany and Austria it is law that you have your personalausweis(identity card) on you at all times, not sure how that holds up with tourists, if you have to have your passport on you at all times?


Whoops. In all my time visiting Germany and Austria I've never complied with this. Ho hum. Don't see much reason to change when the potential consequences of carrying them seem to be massively worse than a bit of a telling off from a policeman if I didn't have my quite valuable passport in my pocket when I go skiing.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Samerberg Sue, I know, me too Embarassed


Monium, well do pardon me for trying to be helpful to you, and if you read my post properly you will see I said I am not sure if it applies to tourists
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Samerberg Sue wrote:
kooky, I have mine with me all the time having had a warning from the Bullen when I was stopped and asked for it and did not have it. My photo ID driving license was not accepted as proof ID by the police on that occasion.


I was once asked for ID while buying a TV in Saturn and handed over my driving licence, only to get this look rolling eyes and a “Das ist kein Ausweis – das ist ein Führerschein”* in the sort of loud, slow German appropriate to the moron the cashier clearly judged me to be – lesson learned…


*that's not ID - that's a driving licence.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
kooky wrote:
Monium,
Quote:

I don't carry a wallet around with any ID


In Germany and Austria it is law that you have your personalausweis(identity card) on you at all times, not sure how that holds up with tourists, if you have to have your passport on you at all times?
I think it's so for most EC countries. I nearly got arrested when I was living in Belgium, for going across the road from my flat to post a letter without my identity card (ie a passport in my case) on me.

I'm scared of losing my passport when I ski, but I do keep a photocopy of the meaningful page in my wallet. That's probably still breaking the law in some countries.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Monium wrote:
wigan, why not buy a carte neige with lift pass? That covers off piste, for any nationality, and avoids quite a bit of the problem you describe. I have travel insurance, but also have carte neige to avoid the credit card/helicopter problem. If nothing else because I may not be conscious or with a group that knows what travel insurance arrangements I have made.


Thanks Monium, he didn't think it covered off-piste without a guide (and I'd never checked as just use my full insurance) but I just looked and it is not mentioned as an exclusion. So I am presuming it is covered and he has no excuses now. However he takes the other view and just said "It's France, I don't trust them".
I'll work on him...

Interestingly (re the OP subject) when reading about Carre Neige I also found:

Defense-recourse coverageCarré Neige covers (with a maximum limit of 7650€) your defense in the event of a suit brought against you, and the recourse against a third party responsible for the damages you incurred (only for a covered accident) Totally useful ! When you are the victim of an accident, Carré Neige provides you with support to ensure that your rights are respected.
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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.
wigan,
Quote:

"It's France, I don't trust them".

Shocked And I always thought he was such a delightful young man!
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Pedantica, When I worked in Zurich we had the old 'proper' but rather bulky UK passport, so we never carried them. (But did make sure we had our hotel id cards with us.) Luckily we were never stopped. Very Happy
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Wikipedia tells me - to my surprise - that there is no requirement to carry an ID card in Germany, merely to be able to produce one when asked - i.e. presumably like a driving licence "producer" in the UK.

It also tells me that - as I expected - it is the law to carry ID in France.

I always keep my passport on me when abroad for this reason. I don't think they've ever recovered from the war.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
kooky wrote:
Monium,
Quote:

I don't carry a wallet around with any ID


In Germany and Austria it is law that you have your personalausweis(identity card) on you at all times, not sure how that holds up with tourists, if you have to have your passport on you at all times?


In Austria you have to have your passport available, within an hour IIRC
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
holidayloverxx, or you vill be shot?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Bode Swiller, you disappoint....I would have expected at least one cellar quip from you wink
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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?
kooky, perhaps that would be too deep for him wink
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kat.ryb wrote:
Quote:

Many mainland Europeans do not have travel insurance of any kind when on skiing holidays It is getting more and more difficult to get anything other than the most rudimentary emergency treatment in Austrian hospitals as they are being left sitting on the costs in a lot of cases.


That is a really interesting point.

Do you know why it is more common for 'mainlanders' not to have travel insurance? difference culture re risk, expectation there is a reciprocal agreements, something else?


Here's being devils advocate. Most "travel insurance" is a complete con to extract more money from you. In most cases it is a waste of money. UK and Ireland TOs are just far more sophisticated in their ability to extract this money and/or continentals less likely to use TOs
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
kooky, just keeping you in the dark that's all.
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patricksh, well, there's such a thing as Devil's advocate but there's also something called the Devil's halfwit sidekick.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
In Germany does your ID card still have to have a big J on the front if you're Jewish? Or Austria. Whatever.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Just to clarify things, the Germans (and maybe Austrians) will sue you if you bang into them in the street. Everyone in German has civil liability insurance, it is not just a ski thing.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Bode Swiller, I have some other financial products you should think about buying. And you'd be a real half-wit not to buy them!
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
patricksh, having seen just how much a Swiss hospital will charge if you need to be sent there not to mention fees for helicopter rescue off a mountain, and air ambulance home, if it's all the same to you I'll carry on being a halfwit and pay my travel insurance premiums Laughing
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
patricksh, quite apart from the enormous medical costs you can face without travel insurance, it does seem a little strange to talk about travel insurance being "a complete con" for UK residents on a thread discussing the fact that a UK resident has just been found responsible for a large amount of costs in Austria and is dependent on his insurance to either pay those costs or pay the legal fees to get him out of those costs... Puzzled
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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.
Sorry, I seem to have over estimated the amount of wit.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Bode Swiller wrote:
kooky, just keeping you in the dark that's all.


I hope your cellar is near a bakery. I hear that families kept in cellars get really inter bread Laughing
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Skiing is inherently dangerous. I hope to god she loses
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:

I seem to have over estimated the amount of wit.

Laughing
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
If this happens more frequently people are just going to straightline it away after accidents and disappear. I cannot see how there is ever enough evidence to convict in situations like these.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
miranda wrote:
patricksh, quite apart from the enormous medical costs you can face without travel insurance, it does seem a little strange to talk about travel insurance being "a complete con" for UK residents on a thread discussing the fact that a UK resident has just been found responsible for a large amount of costs in Austria and is dependent on his insurance to either pay those costs or pay the legal fees to get him out of those costs... Puzzled


Is your phone insured? Your skis?

Not saying anything wrong withinsurance going skiing. But not sure why thousands of people every week forking out on insurance heading off to the Canaries. Except that TO do get a fee for selling it to them.

EU citizens are legally entitled to medical care in other European Countries based on reciprical arrangements. That may not cover you for seeing a private doctor at private clinic in resort, but will cover you for any major treatment in public hospital. But I do hear they are (illegally) trying it on and looking for tourists' credit cards before treating them, not just in ski resorts. If you have insurance or will pay, they will treat you like private patient and take your money as this benefits them more. However, this statement of fact should not be taken as advocating all to be crusties about it.
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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?
patricksh, we spend the winter skiing and I would not be without our insurance. We have to do quite a trawl in order to get something suitable and at a not extortionate cost and we only insure for medical and personal liability - not for belongings as covered elsewhere and not things like cancellation as that doesn't really apply. We also take out the 'carte neige' type insurance with our season passes just so that there are no unseemly arguments on the piste before we board the helicopter.
Luckily no claims have been made.

Its always been known that its better to buy insurance other than through a tour operator surely.
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Quote:
Those of you advocating not giving your details could actually end up in more trouble if, in your absence, you are deemed to have caused the accident.

Why? The FIS is the governing body of competitive snowsports - not recreational snowsports. The FIS code is basically good manors on the slopes, nothing more.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
patricksh wrote:
However, this statement of fact...
Laughing You are wrong on many levels. Firstly, TOs sell very little travel insurance when compared to Money Supermarket, The Post Office, Insure & Go and the "free" travel insurance that comes with packaged bank accounts. Actually, a TO hasn't got the time to sell it if the commission level is low.

It isn't all about medical. For sure, you may get treated under EHIC but, if you need an air ambulance repatriation (you can see them all parked up at Malaga in the summer) you are looking at the thick end of £25k. In Spanish resorts, many of the medical facilities are private and your friendly ambulance driver will be on a bonus for delivering you. Some insurers are now charging extra for Spain.

Then there's cancellation cover. You book an expensive holiday, fall ill just before going and, using your system, you'd lose the cost of the holiday.

Go uninsured if you like.
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patricksh wrote:
If you have insurance or will pay, they will treat you like private patient and take your money as this benefits them more.
Just not true either. Most medical situations are not life-threatening and there is time to contact the insurer and allow them to manage the situation. If an operation, for example, is deemed to be not necessary, they will not authorise it. If you take matters into your own hands and agree to an expensive procedure before talking to your insurer, you'll find that they won't cough up. It's just the same when you prang your car. If you wander into a private clinic in the Med and suggest there might be something wrong with you, you'd better watch out because they will find reasons to justify all kinds of unnecessary stuff. The insurer will have medical professionals who might well save you from all that.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Winterhighland, it is not an FIS rule, it is the law of the land and applicable to all accidents not just skiing ones.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
not sure i'd want my friend claiming he was boarding (goofy) to be called as a character witness Toofy Grin


Last edited by After all it is free Go on u know u want to! on Fri 20-04-12 22:51; edited 1 time in total
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Here's being devils advocate. Most "travel insurance" is a complete con to extract more money from you. In most cases it is a waste of money. UK and Ireland TOs are just far more sophisticated in their ability to extract this money and/or continentals less likely to use TOs[/quote]

I found snow card great when i need it for medical reasons last year. distinctly unimpressed with dogtag on holiday financial protection Sad which based on my experience is an expensive policy not delivering what it says on the tin
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
I just find it amazing (judging on what people have said in the thread do far) that there are so many people without any insurance, even when I went skiing as a cheap asses student I got the best insurance possible. Everybody wants something for nothing nowadays. Man I sound old and im only 22! Haha.
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