Annual Travel Insurance inc winter sports cover

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Beanie
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Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:01 pm

Annual Travel Insurance inc winter sports cover

Post by Beanie »

We've been insured with Columbus for many years with an annual policy that seems fairly belts-and-braces and includes winter sports cover and repatriation by "whatever transportation method is required", which, when I checked with them, included Heli-evac - which is a must-have.

We're at renewal time and the quote for the two of us has come in at £148.50, as it sneaks up a good 10% each year, despite lack of claims.

Their benefits include:

- Cover for emergency medical and repatriation costs
- High levels of baggage and cancellation cover available
- Cover available for many pre-existing medical conditions subject to telephone screening
- Terrorism cover for emergency medical treatment and repatriation back to the UK (exclusions apply)
- Over 80 sports and activities are covered for free

One thing I noticed that wasn't included was when our UK flights were cancelled in Jan this year due to fog at the airport - we were booked by the airline onto flights from another airport but had to pay our own costs to get to it, plus lost a day's car hire as we arrived a day later. That was annoying but I don't know if any travel insurance would've covered those costs.

Wondered if anyone else had another company they could recommend that I could try for a comparison.

Beanie
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

Hi, we have had a policy with Direct Travel for a long time. Claimed on it for J's accident last year, excellent service from the medical helpline in France. Claiming for expenses for hotels, rebooked ferries, and refund of ski passes was not quite so straightforward, but they eventually settled in full within 2 months.No excess to pay either, as we used his EHIC card at the hospital . They reinsured him for another year at an increased premium, but this has now reduced to normal levels, as his injury is repaired and does not require further treatment.
They took J home by business class flight,with our son accompanying him, but would have paid for helicopter to hospital, or air ambulance back to UK had he required it, and nurses/docs to accompany him if necessary.
They do have delay/cancellation cover, but not sure what it includes.
They eventually decided to cover claims relating to the recent volcano too.
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Beanie
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Post by Beanie »

Thanks Helen, they sound very good and given what you had to go through with your Hubby, that's when you really test a company's worth.

I used to have my car insured with Diamond (part of Prudential) who had the cheapest premiums, but when it came to claming when someone went into the back of me (simple case - I was stationery at traffic lights), it was a complete nightmare, they refused to pay up and then decided that my car was a write-off (it had a slightly dented bumper) and just terminated the insurance cover immediately, leaving me high and dry and having to pay for a new MOT to prove it's road-worthiness. Sharp lesson to me in that it's not just down to the premium costs, but how efficient they are when it actually comes to claimig. Am on a mission to have friends and family avoid Diamond at all costs!

Is Hubby fully fit now? Albeit with some impressive additional metalwork :wink:

ATB
Beanie
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Mountain Goat
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Location: Leysin, Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland
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Post by Mountain Goat »

I like the over-80 cover for sports and activities, Beanie, as my Mum is threatening to paraglide again this summer (dual seating). In fact, her policy with Saga isn't impressive so this could be useful.

Ours with Insure and Go is around £110/year - 2 Goats, worldwide and skiing - and will check the smallprint.

Wasn't there a thread on Snowheads with some good tips?

MG
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Beanie
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Post by Beanie »

Update on Direct Travel - their top package (of the three they offer) appears to cost £74.50 for Europe + Winter Sports and £77.50 for Worlwide + WS for two people. I had to call to check on that as it seemed so reasonable. Plus they have some kind of cover for "Scheduled Airline Failure", which I'll look into more, sounds interesting. If this really is for two people, it's a very serious saving on the Columbus quote.

MG - well thanks, but having met me, I hope you would know I don't quite yet qualify for the 80+ cover! Sounds like you need to beef up your mother's cover if she's a bit hard-core :lol:

'Insure and go' are quoting (for their top package) £56p/p inc WS for Europe and £75p/p for Worldwide inc WS. Makes me wonder again if the Direct Travel quote was p/p rather than for the two of us, but will check it all out in more detail and also sniff out that Snowheads thread.

Thanks guys.
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

Beanie, that quote sounds about right for two people. I think that is what I paid this year. I used to have my kids on there too for the same price.
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Beanie
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Post by Beanie »

Thanks Helen - that sounds like a great deal in that case. I'm also really keen to go with a company that's been 'tested' on the claims front, as mentioned before.
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