Travel Insurance for Mountain Biking

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May 22, 2012, 03:10:56 AM

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Total Voters: 287

[PeteH]

I'm heading to Les Arcs in August for a weeks biking and am still to sort out insurance.

I have a European Health Insurance Card already but know its a good idea to get additional cover for activities like Mountain Biking.

What have other people used? Have people ever had to make a claim or had problems claiming?

Sorry if this is a silly question but its my first trip abroad with the bike, I used the search and didn't find any previous topics with much information in them. Thanks in advance for any advice

Pete

[keef]

I buy an annual insurance with 'snowcard' they seem  very good and list 'off piste' mountain biking and downhilling.

give them a try.

keef

[Graham T]

I always use BMC insurance.
A major reason is that you do not have to let them know immediately shoudl anything happen. Because for me the last thing I am going to care about is phoning the bloody insurance company

[doml]

Another vote for snowcard here. Used it when I was helicoptered off the Swiss dh and spent a night in hospital. THey sorted it all out and I didnt have to put any of it on my credit card. Very worthwhile as the bill for the chopper trip was approx 3.5k alone and it isnt covered by your EHIC.

[steveb]

If I have to be stretchered off anywhere, I want it to be by helicoptor, in the Alps. Lucky sod. If you know what I mean!

I use the annual opackage from Dogtag. Thankfully not had to claim but plenty of people I know have and all have never had a problem. No idea how they compare pricewise, I have the middle package and it's about £100pa.

[simonism]

I use E&L insurance. Fortunately not had to use them for real, they just get my money every month for piece of mind when I take my Flame07 down to the Med.
Good bike bag and pack it well is useful. Soft case bag is fine if your not doing another plane transfer. Plus your bike never really appears where your normal luggage comes out on the airport carousel. Keep an eye out.

[lucky_pierre]

I know in winter when I by my season pass I also get a Carte Neige which is my free heli trip off the mountain.

Out of all the people I've known who have been choppered out its the ones who relyed on their snowsports insurance people to cough up the cash.

Be careful who you pick as insurance companies are tight b***ards and will try and wriggle out of paying your medical bills etc etc.  

I'm not aware that they do an equivalent of the carte neige for summer which is a shame.  

[Graham T]

3.5K for a chopper trip? Thats cheap someone on one of our trips was airlifted from a mountain hut in switzerland.
His bill was way more but they accepted his EHIC god knows how he got away with that one

[doml]

Probably cheap as this was teh helicopterhttp://www.cupboardy.com/images/Random%20bike%20shots/DSC00007.JPG
not exactly airwolf!.

Steve, dont remember anything to do with the flight. Do remember waking up in what turned out to be sion hospital, which looked like a Space 1999 set. Best bit was waking up naked being 'assisted' to use a pee pan by a very fit nurse in proper 'old school' nurses outfit......  or maybe that was the morphine

[steveb]

So you paid £3.5k and had a fit lass in a nurses uniform play with your willy. You claim there was a helicopter involved but by your own admission you don't remember it?

The real story starts to emerge.

;-)

[doml]

Either way it was worth it and Snowcard picked up the bill. Wins all round.

[Karen Davies]

We have free travel insurance with Nat West and got it upgraded to cover dangerous sports - I think it was £50 extra but might have been £25 not sure. I would watch out using E&L, I know they also do pet and horse insurance and have a terrible reputation fpr both.  Our vet refuses to even submit a claim form to them now because they do anything and everything to get out of paying - I think you have to get approval before having any treatment which could be a problem if you are in a lot of pain or unconscious.  Go with one of the companies that others have used and claimed on without trouble its not worth saving a few pounds if it just gets you a load of hassle.

[doml]

I def dont remember that bit. Ive dreamt about it definitely, but dont remember it;-)

Be a little careful with the Natwest one. (Im with them as well). When I questioned them on exactly what they covered and I mentioned that I would be riding DH trails (not racing just riding) they were a little unsure themselves.

With snowcard, there were no questions, I phoned them up from hospital bed and they sorted the rest including calling my mates back in boomerang to let them know what was going on etc.

[Tomm]

I paid £42 for annual cover with Travelplandirect (some online insurer my mate recommended).  That includes the extra Category D sports cover (To include amateur competitive / off piste mountain biking (AKA Megavalanche) according to the man on the phone) and Wintersports cover.  Pretty good deal I reckon.  I've not had to make a claim though. 

[PeteH]

Thanks for everyone's help.

I just sorted out single trip cover with Dogtag, it cost just over £20 for 10 days 'Base' 'Sport' cover. The 'Sport' package covers recreational Mountain Biking so its all good.

I leave on Saturday