Winterports Travel Insurance
At Ski Basics we are well aware of the potential risks to which skiers and snowboarders may be exposed to when planning their trip and whilst on the slopes. Whether you fall ill or are involved in an accident, it is essential to obtain good Travel Insurance cover.
Specialist wintersports insurance providers, MPI Brokers, have been providing travel insurance for many years and we have asked their managing director, Michael Pettifer, to write a few words.
Please note
It is a condition of booking with us that you take out adequate travel insurance for wintersports. Ski Basics is an introducer of MPI Brokers and under government regulations we are not allowed to recommend a policy but may introduce you to MPI.
From Michael Pettifer
I have broken this down into a few key areas for consideration and I must emphasise the importance of always reading the policy wording.
There is a misconception that travel and wintersports insurance, like motor insurance, has been commoditised. It has not, and there is a world of difference between providers.
Get your motor insurance wrong and you could lose your car, get your travel insurance wrong and you could lose your house, especially with the high costs associated with a ski injury and rising with a falling pound. So don't always go for the cheapest.
Below are a few points to watch out for.
Medical expenses following illness or injury
If this is sudden and unexpected travel insurance will cover the ancillary costs of local emergency medical expenses and return home costs if necessary.
Providers have varying degrees of exclusions relating to medical conditions, which exist prior to buying insurance.
Some insurers make pre-existing medical conditions an exclusion, which means you can still buy the policy and travel with the condition excluded, or you can declare the condition for consideration.
Others make it a requirement that you advise insurers of any pre-existing medical conditions usually within certain parameters.
There are specialist policies available if you can't satisfy the above. However skiers are by and large relatively fit but surprisingly we still get 2 and half in every 100 making a claim for injury which represents the largest proportion of all claims under a Wintersports policy.
So watch out for some annual policies especially the ‘free' ones with banks as they may not cover skiing.
Mountain rescue also comes under this section and many policies are silent on this subject nevertheless they seem to pay out. Make sure it covers the threat of exposure.
Cancellation
With a holiday there are conditions that should you cancel there are penalties to pay. These rise the closer you get to the departure date. Travel Insurance will usually include a clause to cover this should you fall sick or are injured before travelling.
The pre-existing medical conditions explained above also applies to this section.
Check that the sum insured (the maximum pay out) is sufficient.
Off-piste
This is one of my pet subjects as so many policies exclude this, either outright, or you must be with a guide. There is no legal definition of on/off-piste so I don't see how this can be excluded and what about a nice patch of soft snow between 2 pistes? Ring up a guide? Dream on! Do check this out before buying.
Personal liability
All travel insurance covers this. However, there are some exclusions to watch out for:
Damage to holiday accommodation (most cover this but some don't). It's the law in France that you have this cover when renting an apartment.
Being sued by a travelling companion (a lot of policies exclude this). We suggest you chose one that doesn't.
There is no cover for driving, motorcycling, skidooing, etc.
GHIC (UK Global Health Insurance Card) and EHIC (European Health Insurance Card)
This was formerly the E111 and pays a proportion of the costs of emergency medical treatment in National Hospitals in the EU. In France for instance it pays 80%. Without it insurance premiums would be double so it is doing its job in aiding travel and tourism.
It's biggest failing is the word ‘Insurance' in the name, it is not, it compliments Wintersports and Travel Insurance which covers the whole risk including repatriation, other medical costs, liability etc.
Carte Neige
So you have your EHIC/GHIC and Carte Neige. What more do you need?
Carte Neige is not travel Insurance it is a sports injuries cover as part of a local discount card. The cover is limited; ski injuries only, no cover for ‘travelling' risks, cancellation etc and you are dealing with an overseas insurance company, so no protection under UK FSA rules.
So buy it for the discounts but always obtain a suitable UK Wintersports Insurance too.
These are the main areas to consider when choosing Wintersports Travel Insurance and there are other parts to a typical policy which would include baggage, delays, legal expenses, Wintersports equipment and so on.
Additional insurance tips
Taking your car abroad
If driving your own car, advise your motor insurance company; some charge extra, some just wish to be notified. If you don't, you may only get Third Party cover (the legal minimum). Check it covers towing a trailer if you are.
Take out a holiday breakdown cover. A normal UK breakdown policy may not cover travelling abroad.
If you are hiring a car consider taking out collision damage waiver in the UK - it's usually cheaper than the car hire company.
For more information please call MPI on the number below.
Travel provider failure - booking direct
If you book any part of your trip direct, e.g. a flight, you have no come back if the provider goes bust.
Research shows that 60% of the public are under the impression that travel insurance provides this cover under the cancellation section. As described above, cancellation is if you cancel. If your trip is cancelled due to the failure of a provider that is a different matter and it is advisable to seek a policy that covers this eventuality.
MPI Brokers have been arranging Travel Insurance policies to suit the needs of the traveller for over 30 years, providing a range of products covering Travel, Ski, (annual and single trips) and longer stays.
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