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Insurance for an American citizen

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
My son inlaw and his girlfriend are coming to Austria with us next Saturday and whilst we normally set him up with a Direct Line policy, as an American citizen they do not cover her (she is staying with him on a 6 month visa).
Has anyone any experince of this or ideas as we really want to ensure that she is covered.
Thanks
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Steve.S, usually it suffices to be UK resident - shop around a bit. Or try Columbus Direct - I used them as a French resident travelling to Canada. (Ski travel insurance impossible to get in France, clearly the French never go anywhere.)
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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?
What form of medical insurance has he now? Surely that would also do, if not he could probably buy holiday insurance himself off a US company?
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
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patricksh, The US travel insurance market is almost non-existant in UK terms and I usually get it whille buying the flight process. If she's a temporary resident then surely she has an EU address. If she has existing US medical that should cover her medical bills but not repatriation unless it's in the policy and US policies come in an infinite range can and can't do's Evil or Very Mad
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Patricksh seems to have the best approach. Dog tag won't cover unless your main home is in Europe.
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Bob, If she's there with a residential visa that's her residence, may be worth them doing some more checking.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
6 month visa could be a simple holiday visa or fiancee/proposed civil partner visa. The former would probably not confer residence, the latter might?
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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!
Seems unlikely that it would work with Dogtag, not user who thay are behind the badge, but i'm guessing all UK based co will have asimilar view. Hence US based travel worldwide insurance with Skiing adeed seems the most sensible approach.

"Residence of the UK or Channel Islands.

We can only cover you if you have your main home in the UK or the Channel Islands and have not spent more than six months abroad during the year before the policy was issued"
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Bob, It all used to be soooo much easier Crying or Very sad
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
oh yes, now everyone gets twitchy about cover. But its one of those thing that we do need to make sure that is 100%, just in case..
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Steve.S, been trawling through US travel insurers . . . Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad If you find one that does international and ski together PLEASE let me know . . .
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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.
Is there an Austrian version of Carre-Neige? Or would Carre-Neige cover Austria perhaps? Nobody has ever asked us for any info when adding this to lift passes in France, assume it covers most of the major cost bits that can happen on a ski trip.
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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
Thanks everyone
I asked Direct Travel if they could help but just got a knock back, am still awaiting a reply from Columbus.
As Americans obviously ski in Europe there must be an answer, I will ask Rebecca to phone home and get them working on it for her.
I guess with health costs so high in the States and no prospect of free NHS care as back up any UK based insurer will probably assess the risk as one they dont want to carry.
Having said that there has to be an answer, I will let you know how I get on.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I've a call out to my local ski club that's running a trip to Livigno this season to see what they're doing.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Steve.S, I'm pretty sure these people will cover her. I used to have an annual policy with them when I lived in the Middle East. https://global.ihi.com/Travel+Insurance.aspx

The only issue I can see is whether you say she is resident in the US or the UK which will presumably affect repatriation and possibly the theoretical trip length - if you say US, I think it becomes a 6 month trip but you could buy single trip insurance for just the period of the skiing as long as it's 3 days prior to the skiing. If you say UK, you might have to clarify with them if they will accept that as her PERMANENT residence (it's kind of a temporary permanent residence... Puzzled )

I've never had to make a claim but as they're part of BUPA I would expect it all to be dealt with professionally. It's not in the policy but I seem to recall asking them on the chat button about off-piste skiing which was no issue. In fact, I think they barely even consider skiing as hazardous; their exclusions are Motor Racing, Base Jumping, Paragliding, Specialized Mountaineering and Trekking to the North Pole. Oh, and they like to be told if you're going to a war zone Very Happy Never occured to me to ask about search and rescue costs if it avalanched which might be worth doing but I guess you could buy that with the liftpass if it's a problem.

See what you think. If you do talk to them, please give feedback. I might be moving abroad again and would be interested in the responses. Cheers.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Another place to trawl with . . . http://www.insuremytrip.com/index.html

and http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/travel-insurance.htm
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Masque wrote:
Steve.S, been trawling through US travel insurers . . . Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad If you find one that does international and ski together PLEASE let me know . . .

Have just seen your earlier post. They're not US but IHI would definitely work for you. The Annual policy is dirt cheap too as long as you never go away for more than a month.
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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?
Steve.S, but what is her cover now? Is it still her US insurance or has she taken out a PHI policy in UK? My Irish PHI covers me for medical emergencies abroad (I think with poss exception of US funnily enough) so only thing I ever need to worry about is Carre Neige
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Steve.S, does she not have insurance for her 6 month trip anyway? Can this not be upgraded for winter sports cover? Maybe I'm being over simplistic but sometimes the obvious is easy to overlook. Just asking.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Raceplate, Thank you, very much appreciated. I'm pretty sure I've been well under-insured for my last few trips. I'm multi-national and travel with a European passport as well so I could probably blag it but better to be safe than caught out. I can (technically) claim a UK address, just. wink
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patricksh, Great minds eh?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I suggest that you get some online cover from the USA - I had to do that 10 years ago when I was working in the USA and was going to Breckenridge - the USA companies wouldn't insure me because I didn't have residency status so I got mine online from the UK.

Paid off for me - I had to cancel the trip (brain tumour - so nothing trivial rolling eyes) and I claimed nearly £2000 back from the insurance policy.

Then bizarrely some months later, Mastercard refunded almost the exact same amount - which was nice snowHead
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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!
lilywhite, no-one is heeding us tho
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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.
patricksh, oh well *shrugs*
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
As Lizard says, try Columbus, they seem to be a little more flexible in what or who they will cover. If not may be a trip to an old fashioned high street broker may get you access to a more flexible approach but it may also cost more.

Out of interest a quick Google came up with this, MPI Brokers, as the first hit. I have no knowledge of them and I am sure there are a few more brokers out there as well.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Thanks everyone.
She managed to set this up with an American insurer
Just need it to get a bit colder in Schladming to turn the current rain to snow, although it looks cold and sunny for next weekend but with not much snow
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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.
Steve.S, Could you post here or PM me the basic details like provider, cost and if it's complete medical or just a top-up to her current, Cheers
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