UKC

Hi, can anyone recommend a decent insurance provider for alpine skiing (incl. offpiste, but within resort)? The comparison sites seem to offer policies from about £30 for a couple, annual multi trip, which looks great on paper but I'm sceptical and i want the insurance to actually work if we need it.. can policies this cheap be trusted?

In reply to minimike:

Carte neige if your in France

In reply to rogersavery:


Yep, just buy it on your lift pass - far easier as there's no need to muck about paying and reclaiming.

In reply to andy:

Thanks, It is France for once actually.. How does this carte niege thing work? I guess it's in addition to normal travel insurance for flights etc?

In reply to minimike: When you buy your lift pass you get the option of adding "assurance" - if you have a problem they'll just look at your lift pass and sort you out without you having to settle up and then reclaim it.

For more "pan-European" cover I have Dog-Tag, which isn't expensive and covers you for anything depending on what level you buy.

In reply to andy:

Magic, will look into these.. Thanks

In reply to minimike:

I think the Austrian Alpine Club Insurance will cover you for this as well. If so is pretty good value if you have any European climbing trips as well

In reply to andy:


I normally pay the extra few £1 insurance in Chamonix when I buy my lift pass at the lift station.

What exactly does that buy you? is it simply the blood wagon off the piste? DO they dump you on the kerb?
Anyone?

In reply to jazzyjackson:

I don't think it will get you home or pay your medical bills, I think its as you say, gets you off the hill to the hospital.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

it covers rescue, medical bills and repatriation

details here:
http://www.carreneige.com

In reply to minimike:

I use insure and go , they cover off piste for about £25 for a week

In reply to minimike:

The BMC Alpine & Ski? Covers you for all aspects of off-piste activities, plus climbing etc etc.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:


Don't think so - I think it covers the lot.

In reply to andy:

Thats a bargain!

In reply to jazzyjackson: This shows what it covers - as well as rescue etc it covers medical up to €3000 on top of your E111 cover (which doesn't seem like a lot) and repatriation. Not sure how the medical cover compares with "normal" cover - but a mate knackered her knee and was taken off the hill and treated with no need for her to pay for anything.

http://www.carreneige.com/languesdoc/fly_alpin/flyer-alpin-uk.pdf

In reply to andy:

Perfect as I just can't be arsed insurance shopping!

In reply to minimike:

I use BMC which covers rescue, treatment, repatriation and kit.

Carte neige is fine for getting you off the slopes and off the hill but doesn't do anything to get you home or for medical care beyond the end of your trip. A broken pelvis in France will get very expensive after the first week's over and you now need to try and fly home or stay in France: same as Austrian Alpine Club.

In reply to andy:

>€3000 on top of your E111 cover (which doesn't seem like a lot)

E111 or whatever the current version of this is covers something like 75% of the total medical bill

2 weeks in Chamonix hospital for a punctured lung, broken collar bone (including op to stent a blood vessel), and other cuts and bruises - no insurance, only e111 - total bill was around £90

In reply to minimike:

I have used Snow Card before - although not claimed on it.

Usually, I have an annual travel policy that includes off-piste skiing - company is Voyager, via my broker.

In reply to london_huddy:



Have a read of the pdf - it does cover getting you home, but the med cover's pretty limited (although don't actually know what €3K plus E111 actually gets you).

In reply to london_huddy:

Austrian Alpine Club.............
Rescue costs are deemed the demonstrable costs incurred in
searching for and transporting the injured person to the nearest
road open to traffic or to the hospital nearest the site of the
accident.
2. Costs for Transfer, Repatriation and Medical Treatment
Costs of moving persons who have been injured or have
fallen ill, and costs of transferring corpses within the country
of permanent residence without any limitation on cost when
preceded by a rescue operation.
Repatriation from abroad without limitation on cost.
For medically necessary treatment (including medically necessary
transportation to a hospital) abroad, up to EUR 10,000,–.