Insurance, touring above 1000 metres

[Globalti]

Assuming you had a nasty accident on a Spanish road, do you really think the rescue services would record the altitude or the insurance clerk dealing with your claim would have the gumption to check the altitude?

It's not like an accident in a ski resort where the pisteurs will record formally whether you were on or off the piste.

 

[gom]

Checked my employer-provided travel insurance. Cycling OK, but trekking above 5000m not (don’t know about cycling, but I’m not bothered).
In case of interest/use the provider is Crispin Speers. I know nothing more about them.

 

[Globalti]

If they thought they could wriggle out of paying ... I wouldn't bet against it.

It sounds as if this insurance is worded to exclude cycling up and down Alpine or Pyrenean cols. I really doubt if the insurers even realise that Spain is generally a highveld country, as an extension of Africa.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I have just taken a party abroad (Holland) and bought travel insurance (InsureandGo) for those who did not possess their own. It was inexpensive. I've checked the 'permitted activities' and it includes "Cycling" and "Mountain Biking" (normal) and also "Trekking" up to 2000m. So suggest this would meet the OP's requirement for cycling in 'high' Spain.
OTOH, looking at my current annual insurance it includes 'Cycling' BUT "Occasional, not main purpose of trip" so excludes it (at whatever altitude) if it is the main activity/purpose of the trip. However it includes cross country off-road mountain biking. Go figure.
Thanks to the OP for highlighting this issue. As others have said, you just have to trawl round and spend time looking at the 'permitted activities' before buying.

 

[robjh]

Another little gem from my trawl of low-cost travel insurance policies

Any recommendations for popular body protectors?

 

[<Tommy>]

Op have you tried ‘pedalcover’?

https://pedalcover.co.uk/

I use them for my home insurance as it works out better than gettting separate policies for my bikes and home. I couldn’t find a home policy that would cover the value of my bikes outside of the house. The firm was set up and run by cyclists and they’re really good to deal with. I discovered them from a different bike forum where they had dozens of endorsements.

I’m going to ring them tomorrow just to make sure, as I’m planning a trip to the Pyreneese this summer. But I’m 99% sure my world wide cover is for everything other than racing.

 

[mjr]

I did the rounds of this recently and a lot of them are selling similar policies from Germany's URV with the 1000m limit.

One that isn't and looked OK for Europe was www.ehicplus.com which is baked by Mapfre, who are Spanish.

 

[robjh]

I went with Sports Cover Direct in the end - not one of the cheapies, but no silly stuff about 1000m limits, compulsory helmets (or body armour! - see above) or restricted cover for mad risky stuff like cycle touring.

 

[mjr]

I went with Sports Cover Direct in the end - not one of the cheapies, but no silly stuff about 1000m limits, compulsory helmets (or body armour! - see above) or restricted cover for mad risky stuff like cycle touring.

Their policy wording refers to a "table of sports" which I didn't find. Does anyone have a link to it?

I'm surprised they don't compel helmets given https://www.sportscoverdirect.com/scd-blog/2016/04/19/cycle-touring-equipment-essentials/ makes them sound like hat botherers, plus hi viz and kneepads.

 

[User269]

I'm glad you've come along to clear that one up. The fact that a raft of different providers ('distributors' in your terminology above), offering a similar product at the bottom end of the market, all incorporate an identical 'activity pack' table in their T&C made me suspect a single underwriter or else some kind of new industry standard that I've not seen before.

Actually all I really want are the emergency medical and repatriation parts, I'm fairy chilled about the rest of it, but an exclusion clause is an exclusion clause and I'd rather not find myself at the wrong end of a wrangle about reasonable interpretations of something which is, on paper, rather black and white.

Good points. Like you I've found there are only 3 or 4 different schedules across many different brokers, and increasingly they limit cycling to 1000m altitude and incidental use only. Don't even think of mountain biking............. This year we found cedar tree to offer a policy that actually allowed you to go on a cycling holiday and ride above 1000m.

 

[User269]

It sounds as if this insurance is worded to exclude cycling up and down Alpine or Pyrenean cols. I really doubt if the insurers even realise that Spain is generally a highveld country, as an extension of Africa.

Why do you doubt that? Do you have any actual knowledge or experience?
A friend of ours crashed at the top of the Puerto de Tudons, Costa Blanca a few years back and an ambulance took him down to Benidorm. His insurance claim was quickly rejected when it was pointed out that the Tudons is at 1024m.

 

[robjh]

Their policy wording refers to a "table of sports" which I didn't find. Does anyone have a link to it?

I'm surprised they don't compel helmets given https://www.sportscoverdirect.com/scd-blog/2016/04/19/cycle-touring-equipment-essentials/ makes them sound like hat botherers, plus hi viz and kneepads.

Not a link as such - you can certainly find it if you go through the process of getting a quote but sorry CBA to go through that again.
However this is the same stuff from the policy documents they sent me

ie. it just says 'Cycle touring(not competition or events)'

I've also checked through the policy and the only reference to helmets is in regard to motorbikes.

 

[Ajax Bay]

This year we found cedar tree to offer a policy that actually allowed you to go on a cycling holiday and ride above 1000m.

And Cedar Tree's policy wording says "COVERED AS STANDARD WITHOUT CHARGE" is
"Cycling (no racing or competition’s) All protective clothing (e.g. helmet) must be worn. No cover for Mountain Biking - see seperately listed activity"
which I'm sure @mrj will welcome.
At the expensive end of the market (for a 10 days in France) - about double the InsureandGo product (no financial interest). Is Paris-Brest-Paris randonnee a "competition"?
And two grammar/spelling mistakes in one entry: "Cycling etc".

 

[mjr]

Not a link as such - you can certainly find it if you go through the process of getting a quote but sorry CBA to go through that again.

I tried but it's asking for payment before saying whether they'll cover my illnesses not on their preapproved list, which is naughty IMO. So you've spotted none of the other usual tricks, like saying that they exclude liability cover for road collisions?

And Cedar Tree's policy wording says "COVERED AS STANDARD WITHOUT CHARGE" is
"Cycling (no racing or competition’s) All protective clothing (e.g. helmet) must be worn. No cover for Mountain Biking - see seperately listed activity"
which I'm sure @mrj will welcome.

I assume you mean me? Yeah, that pretty much says to me that they don't want cyclists and even if I did wear one, they are likely to be a bag of weasels who will try to avoid paying claims.

It's also useless to me because "We are unable to provide a quote due to one or more of the medical conditions declared" which I think is unethical because my conditions are pretty low risk if managed but that sort of shoot punishes people for getting diagnosed and treated.

 

[robjh]

I tried but it's asking for payment before saying whether they'll cover my illnesses not on their preapproved list, which is naughty IMO. So you've spotted none of the other usual tricks, like saying that they exclude liability cover for road collisions?

I haven't noticed any other small-print trickery with them. Some of the others did indeed halve all medical expense and accident cover, and remove personal liability, but as long as I've not missed something I think I'll be OK* with Sports Cover Direct.


*hopefully not famous last words