UKC

Off to the Swiss Alps this summer. I've joined AAC but understand additional medical insurance is advised. What are people doing? Is winter sports insurance suitable, it covers trekking to 5000m. We're aiming for the normal route on Finsteraarhorn and a couple of others to AD. Am I missing something? Any advice appreciated.
Cheers

In reply to Mafuta:

I always just used AAC, but I did have general annual travel insurance too. Perhaps I was under-insured!

In reply to Mafuta:

I you intend to 'top up' your AAC insurance with a regular travel policy you need to check if it will pay up for conditions incurred during a non insured activity, i.e. your if regular travel policy doesn't cover mountaineering then is it really going to pay up for costs arising from a mountaineering accident?
You may find similar exclusions for repatriation, baggage, sports equipment etc.
AAC insurance is cheap, consider why and check all small print very carefully.

In reply to Mafuta:
Alpine ADs or any mountaineering routes for that matter won't be trekking so pretty sure trekking insurance won't cover it. Swiss hospital fees are £££££ so if the AAC medical cover is less than £100k I wouldn't bother with it personally. Go for the BMC or other providers such as Snowcard. I think AAC is mostly for search and rescue, which is already something (also £££££ in Switzerland) but medical is limited.

In reply to jonesieboy:


Almost certainly. Very much doubt general insurance would cover a broken leg sustained in a climbing accident.

In reply to Misha:

Wouldn't an E111 cover the medical side though? Genuine question.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Not much good if you need repatriation though...

In reply to Mafuta:
There's insurance available in France which we have every year for all EU citizens which covers any sport worldwide (not soloing or cave diving) with medical expenses and repatriation back to U.K. Approx 50€ I'll try to remember the details as my card and policy is in Cham. and I'm currently in U.K.

In reply to David Barlow:

Unlimited repatriation is covered by AAC.

EHIC covers stays in public hospitals in Switzerland. There may be some costs e.g. ambulance, dentistry but I imagine that will all be below the AAC limit. I don't know however how many of the hospitals are public ones.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:


A common misconception. It only covers care in state hospitals and even then not necessarily everything. You still need it though as back up and because BMC etc might not cover things which should be covered by an E111.

If you're in a helicopter with serious injuries, possibly unconscious, are you going to insist to be taken to a state as opposed to private hospital and will they even take you anywhere other than the closest hospital with apppropriate facilities...