Travel Insurance Without a Helmet

[simonhill]

I have looked at LV. I used to use them up till last year.

I would need Premium 90 days multi trip cover that is £117 more than Snowcard. This gives buckets of cover I don't want, need or would bother to claim for. Regardless, there are 2 catch all in LV's full policy:

General conditions - these apply to the whole of your policy

5 You must take care to protect yourself and your property against accident, injury, loss and
damage and act as if you are not insured and to reduce the risk and cost of any claim.

Also where the different sports are listed:

Sports and activities covered

Standard activities

Essential and Premier policies both automatically cover you to take part in any of the following
Standard activities while you’re on a trip as long as you are not going against medical advice.
You must take all reasonable precautions to protect yourself against accidents and injury this
includes using any appropriate safety equipment and follow any instructions provided.

The thing about the Snowcard is that you can limit/amend to more of what you want. The almost only prepaid expense of any of my trips is the airfare. Most long haul airlines charge for cancellation, but it's not excessive. I only book one or two nights accommodation sometimes I can cancel, but it rarely comes to much more than a few tens of £s. I could certainly wear a few hundred quid if it was a critical family emergency.

Thanks for all the replies.

[mattheus]

The almost only prepaid expense of any of my trips is the airfare. Most long haul airlines charge for cancellation, but it's not excessive. I only book one or two nights accommodation sometimes I can cancel, but it rarely comes to much more than a few tens of £s. I could certainly wear a few hundred quid if it was a critical family emergency.

I have ZERO experience of altering flights (and very little experience of flying in general <insert halo emoji> !),
but wouldn't the bigger cost be REBOOKING a flight home at short notice?

[simonhill]

I just looked at Emirates. To change the date of the cheapest flight home is £100, plus any extra if the return flight is more expensive (prices vary by date, demand, etc). That is well below most insurance policy excesses.

If flying on a budget airline, you may well loose the whole amount of flight and extras (eg baggage) unless you buy more expensive tickets.

[Navrig]

I've just cancelled a one-way flight to Hanoi. Qatar Airways charged me £138 cancellation fee. The flight cost was £702.

I may try the insurance company for the difference between the cancellation fee and the travel excess which is £75.

I booked a one way as I knew I was flying home from Bangkok but I had no idea what date. Booking online for an open ended return from a different city seemed to be too hard. Next time I'll try harder.

[Toffee]

Trying to get annual travel insurance for over 70 year old. Max trip length 60 days. Helmet not required. Anyone any suggestions?

I have been reading innumerable policies to check their requirements. Most nowadays include a statement along the lines of 'any appropriate safety equipment' which is pretty much a catch all. I've also seen 'not as the sole purpose of the trip' when listing activities, so rules out cycle touring.

I thought I had cracked it with Saga, but then saw that even though max trip is 60 days, there is an annual total of 120 days - I need unlimited (actually about 160).

Snowcard is an option. They enable you to adjust a host of variables to select what you require, price is reasonable (£350) and valid up to 75. However the basic level is classed as "tarmac touring" which is a bit odd. The next level at 200 quid more goes off road, etc. So I can ride a busy RN in France, but not a protected cycle path unless it is tarmac.

Anyone any other companies they can suggest that fit the bill, as I said I've already tried a lot.

NB Yes, I know there are previous posts on insurance. I have read them all in their time, taking notes as appropriate. They are either well out of date or not particular to these requirements.

We used Pedal Cover https://pedalcover.co.uk for a cycle touring holiday last year, Helmets were not required as part of the policy, I don't know if it has changed.

[irc]

We used Pedal Cover https://pedalcover.co.uk for a cycle touring holiday last year, Helmets were not required as part of the policy, I don't know if it has changed.

Looks a bit vague. Has the phrase " the appropriate safety equipment (such
as protective headwear, life jackets etc.) are worn at all times"

Then among other activities says

"trekking (safety helmets to be worn)"

Seem to me that if they expect helmets to be worn while hillwalking they will expect cycle helmets to be worn.

https://insurance.pedalcover.co.uk/asse ... ording.pdf

[Jdsk]

We used Pedal Cover https://pedalcover.co.uk for a cycle touring holiday last year, Helmets were not required as part of the policy, I don't know if it has changed.

Looks a bit vague. Has the phrase " the appropriate safety equipment (such
as protective headwear, life jackets etc.) are worn at all times"

Then among other activities says

"trekking (safety helmets to be worn)"

Seem to me that if they expect helmets to be worn while hillwalking they will expect cycle helmets to be worn.

https://insurance.pedalcover.co.uk/asse ... ording.pdf

I see that for "Zip lining/trekking (safety helmets to be worn)" but not for hillwalking...

Jonathan

[irc]

I thought trekking was hillwalking.

[Jdsk]

I thought trekking was hillwalking.

There are separate sections on walking where helmets are not mentioned:

Trekking/hiking between 2,500 and 5,000 metres above sea level. On organised tour along recognised routes only. No search and rescue other than for medical reasons.

Trekking/hiking/walking up to 2,500 metres above sea level

Jonathan

[irc]

My mistake.

[simonhill]

Sainsbury's Travel Insurance looks pretty good. Normal recreational cycling a specified activity, helmets only mentioned in relation to motorcycling, etc. Good price and 62 days in basic Silver cover, discount for Nectar members.

Slightly cheaper and better cover for me than Snowcard which I took out yesterday. Hey ho.

[hufty]

Finally got a clarifying response from Insure And Go, they are lost to us. Usual weasel words all round, but basically cyclists not covered if not wearing a helmet, even in Amsterdam, even in Zaltbommel, even though it doesn't actually say it in the policy wording.