FAQ
Airlines have a legal responsibility for damage to any property in their care, custody and control, this includes bikes or any sports equipment you have paid to travel in the aircraft hold.
If you take the optional 'equipment' section of cover you will be insured for any 'irrecoverable' expenses resulting from damage to your equipment in transit.
This means that in the first instance you must seek what is known as a 'property irregularity report' or 'PIR' from the airline if your equipment or baggage is damaged and you wish to make a claim.
If you are able to obtain compensation from the airline for damage to equipment you can only claim for any expenses in excess of any compensation award.
If you do not obtain a PIR, you will not be able to make a claim against your travel insurance, it is a policy condition that a PIR is requested from the airline.
NOTE: CHECK EQUIPMENT BEFORE LEAVING THE AIRPORT - airlines are unlikely to issue a PIR after you have left the airport and this will mean you can not claim against your insurance policy.
https://www.snowcard.co.uk/personal-belongings-and-equipment
Electronic/Techno Pack equipment, (see definitions), is covered upto the amount specified on your Insurance Schedule. High value items should be insured separately under a home contents insurance. Theft of unattended electronic/techno pack equipment is excluded.
https://www.snowcard.co.uk/personal-belongings-and-equipment
All policy limits are per person insured on the policy including couple, family and group policies.
Note the policy excess selected by you is also applicable to each person insured on the policy and applies to any claim made under each section of cover as detailed in the policy wording.
The policy is subject to certain health exclusions for pre existing conditions.
Email [email protected] if you require guidance on any uncertainties.
If you or anyone you are buying insurance for has a pre existing medical condition, you must refer to the health statement to see if it is covered https://www.snowcard.co.uk/health-statement
Some conditions will be covered, others not.
If your condition is not covered by the Snowcard policy, you can still purchase a policy which will cover any new accidents or illnesses happening on holiday. If you require cover for a pre existing medical condition that is excluded by the Snowcard policy, you must seek alternative cover with an insurer specializing in pre existing condition insurance. Please refer to the British Insurance Brokers’ Association website at: www.biba.org.uk Please refer to the policy wording for specific exclusions regarding the health of close relatives/business associates or other travel companions.
Children up to and including age 18 can travel independently on a family policy. Children over the age of 18 travelling independently are classified as adults and require their own policy.
Children must be supervised if engaging in high risk activities.
Yes, each person is insured separately and all policy limits are per person
The standard single trip limit for annual multi trip policies is 31 days.
Any holiday must start and end within the 12 month policy period.
If you require cover for a trip longer than 31 days, you can extend the single trip limit to 45, 60 or 90 days.
The maximum trip duration we can cover on an annual policy is 90 days.
If a trip will not end by the expiry date of the policy, we must be consulted in advance of the trip starting to obtain agreement from the insurers to extend the policy. It is important this is done before you depart on the trip.
If you are unable to advise Snowcard prior to a trip departure, it is possible that a cover extension might not be possible so please make sure we are consulted before leaving on an extended holiday.
Unfortunately we are unable to offer travel insurance quotation for persons aged over 75. For information on obtaining a quotation from an alternative provider, please visit the British Insurance Brokers’ Association website at: www.biba.org.uk
This directory is also useful https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/insurance/travel-insurance-directory?source=mas
It is a general condition of cover that you follow FCDO or government advice, which is available from www.fco.gov.uk
If FCDO advice is that ‘they advise against all travel’ or ‘they advise against all but essential travel’ then you will not be covered for claims directly or indirectly connected to the reason for the FCDO advice.
Where caution is advised, you must follow more specific suggestions like using the services of professional guides or local agents.
The FCDO often advise against travel to certain areas in a country that they otherwise do not advise against all travel to. Please ensure that you have read the FCDO advice and you understand these restrictions prior to travel.
If in doubt, you should contact the British Embassy at your intended destination for advice. In the event that it becomes too dangerous to visit a country you have booked to go to, in the first instance you must seek either a refund or an alternative holiday from your tour operator. It is normal that where it becomes impossible to provide travel services because of hostilities or negative FCDO advice that tour operators provide such assistance.
Where you make independent travel arrangements or book directly with service providers overseas, you may not have such protection and it is advisable to use a tour operator where there is a higher than normal risk of terrorist activity interfering with your journey.
No. If any single trip is likely to exceed your selected trip limit or you need a higher level policy, you can amend your policy via your online account.
If you call the 24 hour emergency number on your Snowcard, the insurers can guarantee and arrange to pay your bills for you.
For smaller amounts (under £500) which you have paid yourself, simply call the claims department on your return to the UK.
If you are hospitalised or likely to incur medical expenses over £500, call the insurers to authorise any treatment or expenses.
If you are being evacuated by an air ambulance, where possible have a member of your party call the insurer to authorise the expenses.
https://www.snowcard.co.uk/24-hour-emergency-medical-assistance
Within Europe, alpine mountaineering is covered up to 5000m - professional guides are not required providing you have the relevant experience, equipment and preparation and you are climbing with experienced mountaineers. You must follow local safety advice regarding weather conditions and areas that climbing is permitted in.
For Worldwide destinations, the maximum altitude we can offer cover for is 6000m
For all Worldwide mountaineering trips, a professional guide and commercial trekking agency or tour operator must be used - for self organised or solo/small two or three person self contained expeditions, full details of the expedition must be submitted as we may not be able to offer quotes in certain situations.
The FCDO advises all travellers to have travel insurance to cover emergency medical expenses and repatriation insurance. Although some medical services are provided at no or reduced costs, a proportion of most European medical services are charged for and any private facility requires full payment. In the event of a serious injury or illness, medical costs can be high and if a medically assisted repatriation is required, this can be extremely expensive. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-insurance
With regards to rescue, even if the SAR team are volunteers and do not charge, the cost of an ambulance to transport you to hospital would be invoiced to the rescued party.
For specialist expeditions which are self organised, or exploratory or part of a research project, we will not provide cover unless a full submission regarding the expedition organisation has been agreed by the insurers.
We do not cover expeditions over 6000m - refer proposals to the appropriate organisation or governing sports body.
https://www.snowcard.co.uk/expeditions
Within the 14 day cooling off period, if you don’t travel and do not make a claim you can cancel the policy and obtain a full refund.
Outside of the 14 day cooling off period or if you have travelled, there is no refund of premium.
Refund requests - email [email protected] quoting your policy number and the reason for cancellation
The link to add your eSnowcard to either your Apple or Google wallet is at the bottom of your policy email confirmation.
Note: The eSnowcard is in the name of the lead account holder - you can share your eSnowcard to other members of your policy via the Apple or Google wallet menu in your wallet app.