Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Snowcard Insurance - the irony

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi guys,

We are on honeymoon in Bareges in the French Pyrenees and unfortunately the village has been evacuated due to avalanche risk. Thankfully MountainBug & In Garbure we Trust have been great and everyone is okay, settling into a hotel in Luz.

<rant>
Have just had a wonderful 20 minute call to snowcard/ageas which included some fantastic time wasting questions such as "what caused the Avalanche risk?" ie lots of snow! and "what are your contact details and postal address?" ie the same as when I took out the policy. Also, it was great being put on hold for much of it.

After all that it rather ionically appears that I am not covered for the cost of alternative accommodation with snow card. Especially given that flowa is covered with her natwest current account (and many other guests are covered on their non winter sports marketed cover!) Lol.

Shame on me for taking out insurance with inadequate cover but seriously, regardless of the level of cover, based on my limited experience they were absolutely bloody hopeless. For example, flowa's insurers called her back because they wanted to check her policy whereas I was put on hold for bloody ages. Bit of feedback for snowheads as snowcard gets a few recommendations on here.
</rant>

Sorry I don't really know what the point of this thread is other than me having a bit of a moan about snowcard and feeling like an absolute tit! Apologies!!

At the end of the day all is well and we hope to see a few of you on the EoSB! Very Happy


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 10-02-13 18:00; edited 1 time in total
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Elston, Wow, that sounds pretty scary (both the avi risk and the insurance palaver). Do you have any other insurance that might cover you? I use snowcard but only for the medical/public liability. I also have regular holiday insurance with Lloyds, but their winter sports upgrade is rubbish so I don't take it.
ski holidays
 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?
I had a somewhat similar experience last year with Snowcard/Ageas....which actually turned out very positively and reflected well on Snowcard. We got stuck going to Ischgl in January 2012 as the road into the village was shut for 5 days because of avalanche risk. We ended up having to pay for a hotel elsewhere, and first contact with the Ageas call centre was pretty negative...basically being told we weren't insured in what I felt was a fairly dismissive attitude. Fortunately on return to the UK and straightforward communication with snowcard (and their manager) led to a rapid agreement to settle the claim. I ended up being satisfied with the service I received and renewed my cover with them this year...(and I don't have anything to do with the company!).

My advice is get in contact with snowcard themselves rather than the Ageas call centre.
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Elston, What a bummer, esp. on your honeymoon Sad . However, I suppose it is better that you are both safe Very Happy . Fingers crossed that you get some resolution on the insurance issue.
snow conditions
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Elston, Just had an email from Tim,

Bareges village evacuated this afternoon after returned from usual climb (up to top of drags with Jamie: Lucy stopped at Loisette) as resort closed last 2 days.

S slope avalanche and tree debris crossed valley and river and landed and nuked cars in car park opposite thermal spa this morning. Photos to follow sometime.

Apartment owner kindly offered us his home down valley but chose Gavs favorite 'Parisian' bar/ hotel in Cauteret for next 2 days or so piste skiing.

Apart from being onesy capital of world see link as snowiest resort in the world at moment.

http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/1076-snowiest-spot-in-the-world/

And quiet as all weekenders already left.

Also even managed to watch the England game..ha!

Normal quiet vacation... in the non snowy Pyrenees!!
ski holidays
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Megamum, you are right we are safe and sound. BTW thanks for the lovely and thoughtful message at our wedding. It was lovely. I hope to meet you in person soon. Maybe on the EoSB!?

humble, thanks that is encouraging. I will contact them when I return to the UK.

In more positive news, we are quite merry after several glasses of wine! Very Happy
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Double post.


Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 10-02-13 19:01; edited 1 time in total
ski holidays
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Weathercam, thanks mate. We are in touch with Tim and will hopefully go for a few turns next week. BTW many thanks for showing us the great tree skiing!
snow report
 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.
holidayloverxx, yes it turns out that we are both covered on Flowa's insurance from natwest. It really was just a massive headache trying to communicate with snowcard's underwriter.
latest report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Elston,
Quote:

both covered on Flowa's insurance from natwest


Excellent news!

Still I'm sure you can think of lots of things to do on honeymoon even if the resort is avalanche closed, getting merry being one of many wink Yes, I am hoping to be at the EoSB it will be great to meet you. Unfortunately I don't see her very often, but Flowa has been a good friend when we have met up, has always had time for us, (despite my somewhat limited skiing ability) and my kids think she is great. They had a fine time skiing with her one afternoon in VT, and will be most envious of me in April.
snow conditions
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I was insured with SNowcard when I done my knee...all very well handled.

but that was about 5 years ago...still use them though.
ski holidays
 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.
yes, I was quite happy with my contacts with aegeas - they did ask me about my details, but they were all questions which were easy to answer. They were helpful and flexible in thinking about how to get me home. Have made my claim - now awaiting payout. But my case was very straightforward and I had no cancellation cover so the more complex questions didn't arise.
ski holidays
 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
there are some interesting photos ("diaporama") of a 1907 avalanche in Bareges here

http://www.tarbes-infos.com/spip.php?article9028&lang=fr
snow conditions
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
pam w, glad to know that it worked for you when you really needed it. I was just amazed at how well Flowa's insurers handled her query and that everyone else I have spoken was covered but snowcard apparently don't.
latest report
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Elston, you had cancellation cover, presumably? What was the "small print" (or lack of it) which differed from Flowa's policy?
latest report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Elston wrote:
After all that it rather ionically appears that I am not covered for the cost of alternative accommodation with snow card.


Surely the time to find out what your insurance covers you for is *before* all that, rather than *after*. You cannot blame the insurance company because you purchased a cut-down policy that didn't cover a risk you ended up suffering.
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
James the Last, did you miss this bit in the original post?
Quote:

Shame on me for taking out insurance with inadequate cover but seriously, regardless of the level of cover
Twisted Evil
snow conditions
 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?
I guess normally if you are evacuated from an area due to avalanche risk that would put an end to your holiday and the cancellation part would kick in, in this case they can move accommodation and still have the remainder of the holiday, since I'd have thought that the original accommodation supplier can't charge them for the time they won't be staying there, they should only need to make up the difference which most insurers would normally be happy to do rather than have to go to the hassle of arranging new flights etc to bring people back early. The only exception would be if the new place was significantly better than the old accommodation.

I guess that will be one to ask when sorting Insurance next time Shocked
latest report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
covered or not covered there is no excuse for bad customer service , the one thing that annoys a lot of people is to be put on hold and wait with the most annoying
background music.
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
This isn't the sort of situation you would think about, really, when shopping for insurance. That was why I was interested in the difference in the "small print" between a policy which would pay up, and one which wouldn't.
ski holidays
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
D G Orf, Well that is a question/point "cant charge them" that I have been looking at quite intensively... I am the person charging them.

I have bought their food, employed the chef and 6 others at the hotel etc. etc... I would give them their holiday if I could but I am not allowed, I am not making money out of the situation... the money is spent on the thing they have bought but they are not allowed to use it by no fault of mine. It is tricky. I am waiting for our insurance to get back to me to see if we can re-imburse through a loss of earnings clause, but in the mean time as they are covered on thier insurance we are going in that direction. The situation for the people in the village is dire. Firslty there is the real risk that our homes will be destroyed, secondly we are very likely to go bust because of this. Feb is when the bills are paid. We have a 100% mortgage and if we miss just two weeks of income (no exagaration unfortunately), over Febuary that is it. Will will not make payments, we will go into liquidation and our home (which is the caution on the loan), and the home of my parents (the other caution), will be taken. I dearly hope if in the event we remain closed that our guests opt to pay us and claim on their insurance. They have no obligation to do so at the hotel but I hope they do the right thing for the sake of our children. Sorry to be dramatic but I feel I should share the view from the other side of the coin.
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
On another note note and back on topic. Natwest well done, Booo to Snowcard and on a personal note boo to Axa too, so far they haven't even managed to respond when everyone else is getting down to fine detail. Oh and also a well done to the comission de securite de Bareges for making the hard choice to evacuate and put safety first.
snow conditions
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
in garbure we trust, scary on many levels. Shocked Good luck!
latest report
 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.
Pedantica, Thanks, it does look like better weather later in the week so hopefully all can go back to normal.
snow conditions
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
in garbure we trust, Sincere good wishes that it all turns out OK. I'm totally with you on the charging point.
latest report
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Pedantica wrote:
James the Last, did you miss this bit in the original post?
Quote:

Shame on me for taking out insurance with inadequate cover but seriously, regardless of the level of cover
Twisted Evil


Nooo.... the point is that if you insure your kangaroo with a specialist kangaroo insurer and ring them up to say your wallaby has a problem, then you're going to get put on hold whilst they try to work out whether or not wallaby comes under kangaroo. If you'd taken out a more general policy with a marsupial insurer, then you wouldn't have to be put on hold whilst they work it out as they would already know.


in garbure we trust wrote:
Will will not make payments, we will go into liquidation and our home (which is the caution on the loan), and the home of my parents (the other caution), will be taken. I dearly hope if in the event we remain closed that our guests opt to pay us and claim on their insurance. They have no obligation to do so at the hotel but I hope they do the right thing for the sake of our children.


Garbure, I hope this all works out OK for you, I really do. BUT:

1. You have gone into business in order to make money, and have taken a chance with your own money. Either you make money, or you lose it; that's your gamble - you could have stayed in safe employment somewhere.
2. Shares in insurance companies are owned by our pension funds. Why should we - from our retirement funds - have to subsidise you - who have made a business decision - 'for the sake of your children'.
3. Small businesses that fail generally do so on account of a lack of building in for contingencies. Clearly this is a contingency you had not thought about. It sounds as though you are absolutely living on the edge here. For the sake of your children and your own sanity you should get some decent advice from somebody who understands the business.

I really hope it works out OK, and I hope you don't think I'm being unsympathetic; I'm not. But you cannot rely on people 'doing the right thing' and 'claiming on their insurance' as a part of your business model. Do you know what rights their insurance company has to make a claim against you for the cost of reimbursing their client? I am not a lawyer, and I'm certainly not a French lawyer (what law are your contracts written under - English or French law?) but have a read of this: http://tutor2u.net/law/notes/contract-frustration.html


On another point, I think you're not very wise advertising your parlous financial situation on the internet. I wouldn't book to stay with a company that I know to be teetering on the verge of 'liquidation'.
ski holidays
 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.
James the Last, that has got to take the prize for the most patronising post I've ever read on snowHeads.
ski holidays
 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
in garbure we trust, You have my sympathy, I know a number of hoteliers and chalet owners and know just how important it is to make your money at peak season, however my point still stands in that (through no fault of your own) you are unable to provide the accommodation that was bought and paid for, if I were your client I'd want a refund for that, As a small business myself if a client had paid me in advance for some work and I had only done part because my premises were flooded I would expect to have to give a refund to my client, after all it's not the clients fault
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
in garbure we trust, sound like you should be talking to your own insurers about loss of earnings.
snow conditions
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Pedantica wrote:
James the Last, that has got to take the prize for the most patronising post I've ever read on snowHeads.


Sorry, I wasn't trying to patronise you by using wallabies and kangaroos. Apologies in that you think I succeeded!
ski holidays
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Wow... sorry to hear about this, glad everyone is ok and safe on both sides. But, as Elston originally complained about, wouldn't it only be the new emergency hotel that has to be claimed for? Maybe along with unused skipass days and ski hire.
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
D G Orf, But I can provide it, it is there waiting, paid for... As far as I can see we are both up the creek due to an avalanche - why should one party be and the other not?
snow report
 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?
in garbure we trust, Like I said it's not your fault, but nor is it the fault of your customers, you should not be penalising them because you are being forced to turn them away by the authorities, legally I'm not sure where you stand on not refunding your customers, I hope your insurance will cover you.
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
James the Last, apart from whether it was patronising or not I have no idea what you were on about with your wallabies and kangaroos.
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
James the Last wrote:
Pedantica wrote:
James the Last, that has got to take the prize for the most patronising post I've ever read on snowHeads.


Sorry, I wasn't trying to patronise you by using wallabies and kangaroos. Apologies in that you think I succeeded!


that wasn't the particularly patronising bit.

The post as a whole was indeed one of the most patronising I can recall.

in garbure we trust will know an awful lot more about his business situation, and why he made the decisions he has than you possibly can.
snow report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I think a lot of insurance policies exclude "acts of God", don't they?
snow report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
James the Last, given the situation of all the parties, I think your attitude is pretty unsympathetic, to say the least. It's not as if any of the people involved had anything to do with creating the situation. You had the option to say nothing and for all you know everyone involved could have behaved conservatively and sensibly. You don't have the information to make the statements you did. The stance you are taking is the same as blaming a farmer in Africa for four years of drought after twenty years of rains.

As I understand it, in garbure we trust's attitude is the correct procedure in such cases. The clients have booked the accomodation and the sitaution is analogous to one of them having broken a leg in the UK prior to flying out - they booked the room, the risk is theirs and insurance exists to cover that eventuality. If for some reason they don't pay then, depending on the terms, the proprietor's 'loss of earnings' clause in their insurance policy may kick in to compensate them for the loss. That's how the process is geared legally and contractually.

The interesting question - as pam w point's out is whether the amount of snow is an Act of God - uninsured - or whether the offical closure action is sufficient to make it a 'state' action which would be an insured event in 99% of policies.
snow report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
some people's additional expense because of the ash cloud wasn't covered, was it? Even though the proximate reason for their financial distress was the decision of states, or airlines, not to fly.
snow report
 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.
pam w, I think that some insurers have introduced catastrophe cover since then.
ski holidays
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
ok off wiki so take with a pinch of salt to taste, but an act of god must fulfil the following requirements under UK law.

(i) which involve no human agency
(ii) which is not realistically possible to guard against
(iii) which is due directly and exclusively to natural causes and
(iv) which could not have been prevented by any amount of foresight, plans, and care.

So in the OPs scenario, the snowfall isn't the risk but the risk of avalanche, which had the surrounding mountains been avalanche controlled sucessfully, wouldn't have been an issue. So OP should be alright in making his claim
snow conditions



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy