Travel Insurance... but why?
The winter sports season has arrived and many of you will have booked a ski or board trip in the mountains already… but have you considered your insurance?
Snowcard blogger, Freddie D, explains what insurance is, why we need it and why choosing the right insurer can make all of the difference.
Why do I need travel insurance?
You love travel and adventure
You love sport and activity
You want to feel confident that your activity is covered
You want peace of mind that someone has your back in the event of something going wrong
But more importantly...
The FCDO advise that everyone should travel with appropriate travel insurance for your activities even if you have a GHIC card.
It is not a legal requirement to have insurance but if you have a serious accident, you or your family will have to pay your medical fees before you are allowed to return home.
Average medical expenses claims are £1500 but more serious claims will cost a lot more.
In Europe a serious knee injury can cost more than £5000 in medical fees, in the US this could be £50,000.
Most piste rescue or mountain rescue services are privately operated. A helicopter air ambulance can cost at least £5000.
How does travel insurance work?
When you buy your insurance policy, your money goes into a ‘risk pool’. This pool is then drawn from in the event of a claim. Essentially you are part of a big community of people who ‘pool’ together to assist with the bad luck of the few.
Main cover sections of a travel insurance policy
Emergency Medical and Repatriation Cover
Personal Liability
Personal Belongings
Equipment
Cancellation and Travel Delay
Travel insurance policies may not cover every risk you encounter. It is therefore important to read through the policy to ensure you understand the insurance cover provided.
What is Snowcard?
Snowcard is an insurance intermediary. We act as the go between, between you (the insured person), and the insurance company who provide cover for your holiday.
Like our clients, Snowcard has a passion for sport and adventure. With over 30 years of insurance expertise, we take pride in providing a service that means you can go on your adventure holiday knowing that we will have your back.
Snowcard is a specialist activity insurer for UK residents. We are underwritten by Allianz Assistance, the largest and leading travel specialist in the UK. (Allianz are the ones who are responsible for paying claims. Snowcard is responsible for the sale and administration of the policy)
Most general travel insurance doesn’t cover higher risk activities, especially if you have bought a cheap policy through a price comparison web-site. Snowcard was established in 1990 and was the first specialist branded travel insurance to provide a service specific to higher risk sports. List of activities covered
Founder and Managing Director, Russell Dadson, is still very much at the helm of the ship and is in communication with clients on a day-to-day basis via email.
The benefit of using a service like Snowcard is that we provide a speedy and personal response and we can help you work through the complexities of insurance claims.
Check out our ‘how to guides’ to learn more about our quotation and claims process: