The UK Insurance Blog

You don’t necessarily have to pay a fortune when purchasing holiday skiing insurance, according to the article “From adrenalin junkie to après-ski – cover remains crucial”. The point of the article is that just because you spend more, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will get a better deal. Read that small print religiously before sealing the deal! Although ski insurance doesn’t often come cheap, it is possible to save a pound or two when shopping around.

Following a survey at moneysupermarket.com, the conclusion arrived at was that winter sports holidaymakers need to check the small details because they are all saying different things. Insurance cover can vary from company to company regarding claim upper thresholds for damage or theft of property and have differing clauses regarding going off piste, closure due to avalanche as well as piste closure. With insurance companies having varying ideas concerning alcohol consumption, you could find that one glass of wine at lunchtime could nullify your protection.

When shopping for insurance, bear in mind the fact that few companies will provide cover for skiing off piste while many do not. Bear in mind also that those who do will normally expect you to pay higher premiums.

The head of research at Moneysupermarket agrees that effective comprehensive insurance cover doesn’t have to be costly. Inadequate insurance cover is a waste of money, so we need to take time looking for an insurance policy that covers every eventuality and make sure we get value for our money. He went on to reiterate that policy details and cover levels have to be fully comprehended before we sign on that dotted line. On the matter of après ski, the head of research at moneysupermarket.com emphasized the need to check our policies concerning possible accidents that happen after we’ve hit the slopes. To avoid invalidation of our claims, we need to be fully savvy with the contents of our policy agreements.

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In his article, “Caught short in Europe”, Ali Hussain urges motorists to check their insurance cover before they set off for Europe.

Check your fully comprehensive driving insurance before you go, it may not be as fully comprehensive as you would like it to be! Many travellers find themselves abroad with less cover than they need or worse, without cover at all!

Do not assume anything! Many companies including the RAC, Norwich Union Direct and Direct Line provide third party cover ONLY once you leave the UK. An additional premium is necessary in most cases while some companies require you to inform them prior to your trip.

Sheila’s Wheels’ research revealed that out of the 4.3 million British motorists who are set to drive in Europe this year 15% ASSUME they have full cover from their insurance company. This is frightening! Always ring up your insurance provider informing them of your trip and that you will need to extend your cover.

Do not assume anything! The market analyst, Defaqto revealed that 61% of comprehensive policies do not actually cover breakdown in Europe. Those offering cover for Europe as a standard feature account for only 11%. Third party cover is only standard thanks to EU law, where damage is paid only to another motorist when involved in an accident. This type of cover does not protect you against accidental damage, theft and personal injury.

While comprehensive insurance can be provided as an extension, how much insurance companies charge for it can vary considerably.

Direct Line, Admiral and Diamond offer differing rates that depend on the length of cover required. Barclays charge about £21.90 for 90 days of cover. Diamond will sell annual cover for an extra £34.50. Admiral will charge £9 for four days and £17 for thirty days. Marks and Spencer, Churchill and Endsleigh offer free comprehensive cover for up to 90 days per year.

Free annual cover is available from Ecar and SAGA. Don’t rely on price comparison websites because they can be deceiving. The insurance companies featured can often provide different versions of their policies so they stand out on the tables. For example, the Norwich Union Direct charge £26 extra for 90 day cover abroad although via a broker, the whole trip cover is standard with no extra charge. The cost for normal cover is more likely to be more expensive overall however. While you are at it, check there are no restrictive clauses concerning numbers of consecutive days you can drive abroad.

A couple of other things mentioned in the article, that we should all be aware of when driving abroad include alcohol levels, speed limits and general safety.

Europe is much tougher on alcohol levels than the UK, that everyone has to wear a seatbelt and that speed is monitored regularly. If caught driving 25 kilometres per hour more than the speed limit, you could face an on-the-spot confiscation of licence and you’ll certainly get an on the spot fine (yes, they do take credit cards). Do yourself a favour and read up on the European Highway Code before you go.