UKC

Hi
I am looking for annual travel insurance to cover world wide. Need cover for skiing piste and off piste without guide up to five weeks.Rock climbing etc
BMC is working out at £280 per year
Some other annual insurance limit skiing to 2 weeks so this is no good for me.
Anyone recommend other insurance companies worth trying
Cheers
Nigel

In reply to Nigel Bond:

Check out SnowCard. Should cover you for everything you want at a more competitive price than the BMC. They are particularly good for snowsports as they don't include too many limitations.

In reply to CathS:

Thanks with have a look

In reply to Nigel Bond:

Austrian Alpine Club, £50 a year...

In reply to Jim 1003:


Don't they have very limited medical cover which is effectively useless once outside of Europe where you can't use your EHIC card?
Quote from their website
"Cover is primarily for mountain rescue, it is NOT comprehensive travel insurance. You should read the insurance document carefully to ascertain whether you need to take out additional insurance to meet all your requirements."
Bear in mind that AAC insurance might get you rescued but the additional travel insurance to cover medical costs probably won't pay up if the injury was cause by an activity they don't cover.
Cheap is cheap for a reason.

In reply to pec:
No, you've got it wrong Pec, do you work for the BMC?
Alpine Association Worldwide Service (AWS) provides insurance cover for all £sterreichischer Alpenverein (£AV) members who require rescue services as a result of accidents occurring in the course of leisure activities. Costs for repatriation, transfer and medical treatment are covered for accidents occurring in the course of leisure activities or business as well as for illness. AWS is valid worldwide, with the exceptions that the third-party insurance and legal protection insurance are restricted to Europe.

As you can see the cover is world wide, but in Europe your EH11 will be used where appropriate and that is the same with any insurance provider, they 're not going to pay where you are already covered.
The cover also included repatriation, including your body, if it comes to that.
I think it's a good deal, but if you need more then thats a choice everybody has to make.

Regarding your comment about cheap is cheap for a reason, generally, silly people pay too much for no reason...it's a bit like paying £300 for a jacket in Needle sports when you can buy one just as good in Decathlon for £70, plenty people waiting out there to fleece you...excuse the pun :0

In reply to Jim 1003:



I think the point is that, although there is cover, the level of cover might not be sufficient for some situations or places (eg USA).

In reply to Robert Durran:

I would agree with that, and that would apply to any insurance one might consider. It's certainly true similar insurance from some other providers is much more expensive and in reality doesn't give you a lot more, some give less.
Some others give much less in terms of off piste skiing or climbing cover as some terms stipulate you must have a guide, which the AAC doesn't. I spend most winters abroad and trying to get insurance for unguided off piste skiing is very expensive, which is important for me as I spend most of my time off piste or climbing.
It is great for me spending a lot of time in Europe, I tried to get seasonaire insurance one year and elsewhere it was £750 for 3 months.
It's difficult to drill down and see what each of these policies actually offers.

In reply to Jim 1003:
Is there not a limit on AAC cover which effectively renders it usless for n america and other places where rescue and medical care is ludicrously expensive?

In reply to ebdon:
There is a limit, but it's quite high for rescue, less so medical costs. I haven't looked into it regarding the USA because I have no plans to go there.

In reply to Jim 1003:


I certainly don't work for the BMC for various reasons I'm not even a member and I generally use Snowcard for insurance.
The quote about AAC not being comprehensive is from the AAC's own website. I'm simply warning the OP to read the small print carefully as on its own the AAC may not be enough. Similarly top up insurance, which you have to pay for additionally, may not cover you as well for your chosen activities.
The OP can look into the fine detail himself but its fair to warn him that he needs to do this and not jump in for what looks like a bargain.
I looked into AAC for my trip to the USA this summer and it was in no way adequate for the costs you could rack up there if you're unlucky.


I can assure you, I'm very much a Decathlon man, in fact I'm wearing a £15 (sale price of course) Decathlon fleece right now

In reply to Jim 1003:


I look on the BMC as the gold standard (albeit relatively expensive) for cover and then compare others' cover with BMC. I've usually used BMC but I used SportsCover Direct for a trip to the US last year and their cover was pretty comparable to BMC and they covered a 90 day trip which the BMC do not (only 45 days if I remember rightly). What is harder to know is the service and support if something does go wrong. I've only ever tested this for real once with the BMC and they were superb on that occasion.

In reply to Robert Durran:


I believe that the BMC and Snowcard are underwritten by the same company, they certainly were at one time.

In reply to pec:

Having the same underwriter doesn't imply having the same customer service as the supplying company usually still manages the claim, no?

As other have said, AAC used in the U.S. really only constitutes "rescue and repatriation" only - even a short stay in hospital will clean out the €10k in a day or two.

The French Alpine Club's insurance is one of the best value for money, but you need to be living there...

In reply to Alasdair Fulton:


Presumably having the same underwriter does not mean the same level of cover either. And don't insurers farm out the assistance to a third party. As far as I can see, the insurer (BMC, Snowcard etc) are little more than a shop front.

In reply to Robert Durran:

True, but it's the "shop front" who chose the third party assistance company. BMC generally seem to have a good reputation for assistance. Snowcard? Not sure. I have used them once but didn't claim.

In fact, the only insurance I've claimed on in the last 10 years was the Club Alpin Francaise...which was...well, typically French. My my mountainbike got stolen, it was a self build so I sent a big pile of receipts. They didn't understand the situation so just put the paperwork to the side. 3 weeks later I called and it turned out they were just sitting on it.

They payed in the end when they got the gist of it.

In reply to Alasdair Fulton:


Yes, through the "shopfront" you probably get the level of cover and quality of assistance you pay for. The only time I've had an accident and claimed with BMC, the assistance was examplary at a stressful time and this is largely why I've remained loyal since despite the cost (except for a US trip of more than 45 days.

In reply to Nigel Bond:

For several years I have had annual cover via "First World" an Exeter based company who do phone quotes. Never claimed but office staff always very helpful on phone or if I drop in.

They offer sensible activity insurance based on risk (eg climbing grade, altitude, kayaking white water). Their real forte is people with age or medical problems. You pay an increased premium but it is worth it for peace of mind.

David Hillebrandt

In reply to Jim 1003:

Hi Jim
I am a member of AAC so have there insurance I do worry at times as to if the hospital cover is enough in the event that you need a prolonged spell in hospital before you could be flown home.
Cheers
Nigel

In reply to Nigel Bond:

Hi Nigel,
Yes that's the problem, fine in Europe at the moment,elsewhere, as you say, could be problematical.

In reply to Jim 1003:

Hi Jim
When you are skiing in Europe do you just use your AAC membership?
Nigel

In reply to Nigel Bond:

Yes, that's all I use. There is a 7 or 8 week trip limit on medical cover, but none on rescue. I usually come back every 2 months though, so the cover restarts even if you come home for 5 minutes!
It is actually cheaper to fly home for a quick visit than use BMC insurance for an extended period.