Travel Insurance

Ed Whittaker said:

I`m off to Austria next week to do some walking between the Alpine
huts. I`ve always taken out travel insurance when going abroad to
cover loss/damage to my property and myself, more out of habit than
actual thought. It sounds to me that walking could be regarded as
mountaineering or climbing at the whim of the insurer - "You say you
were scrambling, thats not walking, thats climbing and seeing as you
didnt have a rope, thats free-climbing, we don`t insure that...".

Anyone had any experience making a claim or could recommend a good
company to insure me for 5 days hiking in the alps with no climbing
and covering expensive stuff like a camera. I`ve always used STA
travel in the past.

I used www.direct-travel.co.uk last year. Their restrictions seemed sensible
and should cover the type of hillwalking you propose. Happily I didn't need
to make a claim...
--
Dave

In article <[email hidden]>, Ed
Whittaker <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

I`m off to Austria next week to do some walking between the Alpine
huts. I`ve always taken out travel insurance when going abroad to
cover loss/damage to my property and myself, more out of habit than
actual thought. It sounds to me that walking could be regarded as
mountaineering or climbing at the whim of the insurer - "You say you
were scrambling, thats not walking, thats climbing and seeing as you
didnt have a rope, thats free-climbing, we don`t insure that...".

Anyone had any experience making a claim or could recommend a good
company to insure me for 5 days hiking in the alps with no climbing
and covering expensive stuff like a camera. I`ve always used STA
travel in the past.

Cheers, Ed.

Snowcard do an option for alpine hut to hut walking. You can get a quote
online:

http://www.snowcard.co.uk/

Fortunately I don't know anybody who has had to make a claim so I cannot
vouch for that side of the service...

--

Dominic Sexton
http://www.dscs.demon.co.uk/

Ed, check out the BMC. www.thebmc.co.uk They do insurance policies ranging
from hill walking up to climbing Everest.

Quoted message said:

5 days hiking in the alps with no climbing

Would be £28 if I've read the site correctly.

Quoted message said:

and covering expensive stuff like a camera.

I think the BMC's cover for posessions is just the same as your usual travl
cover os it'd be worh phoning them to make sure.

Cheers, Jiffy

Ed Whittaker said:

I`m off to Austria next week to do some walking between the Alpine
huts. I`ve always taken out travel insurance when going abroad to
cover loss/damage to my property and myself, more out of habit than
actual thought. It sounds to me that walking could be regarded as
mountaineering or climbing at the whim of the insurer - "You say you
were scrambling, thats not walking, thats climbing and seeing as you
didnt have a rope, thats free-climbing, we don`t insure that...".

Anyone had any experience making a claim or could recommend a good
company to insure me for 5 days hiking in the alps with no climbing
and covering expensive stuff like a camera. I`ve always used STA
travel in the past.

I'd suggest either Snowcard or the BMC for insurance for medical/rescue and
travel delays. Both seem to have a sensible attitude towards risk in respect
of mountain activities and clearly defined limits before you need the "next
level" of cover they offer.

For possessions, I'd suggest household insurance, and extending the cover to
"all risks" for the items you are taking (such as cameras, clothes, money,
passport, etc.). I have found that most travel policies seem to cover
possessions on an indemnity basis (ie. s/hand value only), whereas many
household policies are new-for-old. A camera, for example, has an incredibly
low s/hand value, and on such a low payment in the event of loss, indemnity
insurance is probably a waste of money.

- Nigel

--
NC - Webmaster for http://www.2mm.org.uk/
Replies to newsgroup postings to the newsgroup please.

On 27/8/04 12:14 pm, in article
[email hidden], "Ed Whittaker"

Quoted message said:

I`m off to Austria next week to do some walking between the Alpine
huts. I`ve always taken out travel insurance when going abroad to
cover loss/damage to my property and myself, more out of habit than
actual thought. It sounds to me that walking could be regarded as
mountaineering or climbing at the whim of the insurer - "You say you
were scrambling, thats not walking, thats climbing and seeing as you
didnt have a rope, thats free-climbing, we don`t insure that...".

Anyone had any experience making a claim or could recommend a good
company to insure me for 5 days hiking in the alps with no climbing
and covering expensive stuff like a camera. I`ve always used STA
travel in the past.

Use BMC (British Climbing ...). You can buy over the web and you're covered
immediately.

--
Andy Howell
Birmingham, UK

I've always used BMC (www.thebmc.co.uk), they have a selection of
catergories which cover most levels of activities at resonable prices, and
their sales team are very helpful, but fortunatly I have never had to make
a claim.

Si,

(Ed Whittaker) said:

I`m off to Austria next week to do some walking between the Alpine
huts. I`ve always taken out travel insurance when going abroad to
cover loss/damage to my property and myself, more out of habit than
actual thought. It sounds to me that walking could be regarded as
mountaineering or climbing at the whim of the insurer - "You say you
were scrambling, thats not walking, thats climbing and seeing as you
didnt have a rope, thats free-climbing, we don`t insure that...".

Anyone had any experience making a claim or could recommend a good
company to insure me for 5 days hiking in the alps with no climbing
and covering expensive stuff like a camera. I`ve always used STA
travel in the past.

Cheers, Ed.

Join the Austrian Alpine Club, not only does it get you discounts on
the huts, it also gives you insurance. Details at www.aacuk.uk.com

Simon

On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 14:45:16 GMT, Andy Howell

andy.howellNOSPAM@ecotrendDOTorgDOTuk said:

Use BMC (British Climbing ...). You can buy over the web and you're covered
immediately.

Bah! Andy, you slipped up on an easy one.. easy PP's to me!! ;-)

British Moonteneerun Coonsul

http://www.thebmc.co.uk/

HTH

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum;
http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

On 28/8/04 2:11 pm, in article [email hidden],

SteveO' SteveO said:

On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 14:45:16 GMT, Andy Howell

andy.howellNOSPAM@ecotrendDOTorgDOTuk said:

Use BMC (British Climbing ...). You can buy over the web and you're covered
immediately.

Bah! Andy, you slipped up on an easy one.. easy PP's to me!! ;-)

British Moonteneerun Coonsul

Just checking you were all awake :-)

--
Andy Howell
Birmingham, UK

Dave Pickles <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Ed Whittaker said:

I`m off to Austria next week to do some walking between the Alpine
huts. I`ve always taken out travel insurance when going abroad to
cover loss/damage to my property and myself, more out of habit than
actual thought. It sounds to me that walking could be regarded as
mountaineering or climbing at the whim of the insurer - "You say you
were scrambling, thats not walking, thats climbing and seeing as you
didnt have a rope, thats free-climbing, we don`t insure that...".

Anyone had any experience making a claim or could recommend a good
company to insure me for 5 days hiking in the alps with no climbing
and covering expensive stuff like a camera. I`ve always used STA
travel in the past.

I used www.direct-travel.co.uk last year. Their restrictions seemed sensible
and should cover the type of hillwalking you propose. Happily I didn't need
to make a claim...

Cheers everyone, such good suggestions and so quickly. I went with
Direct Travel in the end - the cheapest and appeared to have decent
cover. Luckily I didn`t need to make a claim so can`t comment on that
side of things.

Ed.