UKC

So....

Let me get this right. I get travel insurance through my bank... they will cover holiday stuff and skiing, but not climbing. No option of 'topping up on the adventurous activities cover' as I wont have a qualified instructor with me. 

If I join AAC would this cover me...as normal stuff covered by bank, climbing accidents incidents covered by AAC?  

Nobody here can answer that without having your policy wording in front of them.  However, in general, there is likely to be a clause that excludes any claim arising "directly or indirectly" from your participation in a sport that isn't covered.

e.g. If you are involved in an accident whilst climbing, lose a lot of equipment, need to be rescued and have treatment for a minor injury that makes you late for your return flight.  It is very unlikely that your standard policy would cover any of that, so check whether or not the AAC would. I don't know, but again, you need to check the policy wording.

I thought there would be a grey void there. Will trawl the t+c's

Thanks

I'm often a bit befuddled by the 'does not cover anything insured under another policy' clauses. Pay for double insurance = get none?

Guess you just claim on one and hope they don't talk to each other

That is my read

Bank insurance = bog standard travel insurance

EHIC = medical cover under reciprocal rights

OAEV (AAC) insurance is for rescue and repatriation only.

Under no illusion this is anything other than the minimum level of cover

Having just had to recently call on their services I can confirm that their rescue and repatriation is very good.  They answered the phone every time I called very promptly, no matter what time it was. They sent out a paramedic to escort me and paid for business class travel with Lufthansa and associated taxis back to my home.  I had to pay for crutches and medication but this is redeemable via EHIC.  I do not think they will be paying for the additional weeks accommodation that I had to take but they did arrange everything.  BMC insurance probably covers everything but the premium for me at 70 years old is very expensive.  My travel insurance (part of my new Home Insurance) should have covered that but I discovered when I got back that it doesn't because I am over 65 so for the first time in my life I went on  a trip without travel insurance.

Moral: Read the small print.  You get what you pay for but I have nothing but praise for the AAC.

Al

It's a flip-flop if both have that clause.  I suspect a Court would conclude that they were each 50% liable.

I am in the middle of a 4 week trip to Arco sport climbing. I used my free standard bank insurance for the holiday covering stuff like cancellations, theft etc and a separate insurance to cover climbing with the BMC. The climbing bit of the trip was for only 20 days. I minimised the cost on the BMC by not paying any more than the minimum for the non climbing part of the insurance. Total cost £132 for the 2 0f us including a years BMC membership.

AAC cost for single adult £51.25 - BMC single trip (alpine) £110.

Did you have to ask specially for that?  The standard BMC single-trip insurance application form is quite clear the the dates you give on the application form must be the date you are planning leave your home and the date you are planning to return home.

No I didnt ask for that, I will clarify this with the BMC today, thanks for the info

We went on a 6 week trip a few years ago which was 4 weeks of work, 1 week of climbing/hiking holiday and 1 week of city break and had to get insured for the full 6 weeks by snowcard in order to be covered for just the 1 week of climbing.

We were specifically told by the BMC and snowcard that if we only put down the dates we were climbing for we wouldn't be insured for any of it as our trip already started by then.

No problem.  Didn't want to cause you concern on your holiday, but it is probably better to know, and I'm sure that the BMC will be able to sort it out. 

I think that the reason is that the policy document defines the period of cover as the time you leave your home to the time you return, which is why the form asks for these dates.  I don't know why you can't just ask for a set period, but that seems to be standard for travel insurance.

you should note that AAC is year long (to end January) and covers snow sports too to represents great value. 

I remember contacting the BMC last year and the price for one week of insurance was more. They didn't have an option that excluded travel and possessions, so you are forced to ask for the whole thing. 

Not forgetting the 50% discount off alpine hut accommodation.

Al

This is what my Alpenverein covers:

worldwide:
- rescue operations up to 25 000 €
- transport without limits
- stay in hospital after an accident or after a disease abroad up to € 10,000
In Europe:
- statutory liability up to € 3,000,000
- Legal protection up to € 35,000

Hopefully, you are on the mend Al!

Peter

Hi Pete.  Yes but it will be a slow process.  I had a plate and screws put in my ankle 5 weeks ago but it all needs doing again. One screw is apparently too long and the other too short and the bone has not set correctly.

Al

Join the AAC! I was incredibly lucky; the only time I needed a helicopter (Dolomites / broken ankle in the middle of a big face) was during the one year I happened to be a member of a Continental alpine club. Would have cost me a packet otherwise.

10,000 Euro for hospital stay won't get you very far.  About three years ago my Mum had a skiing accident in Italy.  A&E attendance, X-rays, a couple of routine blood tests, crutches (25 Euro) and 3 nights in hospital came to around £3000.  If surgery had been required, that would have added thousands to the bill.  If intensive care had been required, that would have added thousands to the bill.  If anything other than bog-standard painkillers were required, that would have added to the bill.  You get my drift...

Note that EHIC entitles you to whatever free healthcare the locals get.  That doesn't mean it's free of charge.

Also, you need to think about repatriation.  Mum's insurance sorted out accommodation for someone to stay in Italy with her, accommodation for the last night after leaving hospital before flying to the UK, transport to the airport, three seats on a flight back to the UK, and transport home at the UK end.  Her analgesic-addled brain couldn't have organised that, and getting the £££ together to pay for it would have been challenging.  Had she needed a MedEvac back to the UK, we wouldn't have known where to start.