This has been covered on many forums so I apologise.  I just would like to hear what the locals on here do.  Some of you are full residence of France/Switzerland, others may be lowly seasonionaires like myself.

I have for peace of mind had BMC insurance the last two years, but this coming year they will not cover me as I will be working and under new policy they cannot cover this.

dog tag is even more expensive than BMC, but covers high mountain activities (skiing, mountaineering, hiking, downhill mountain biking).

a good climbing friend has Austiran Alpine thingy insurance, but I don’t really know all that much about it.

Being paid and employed by a british company reduces my French options I believe.

OliC - 09 November 2011 02:59 PM

This has been covered on many forums so I apologise.  I just would like to hear what the locals on here do.  Some of you are full residence of France/Switzerland, others may be lowly seasonionaires like myself.

I have for peace of mind had BMC insurance the last two years, but this coming year they will not cover me as I will be working and under new policy they cannot cover this.

dog tag is even more expensive than BMC, but covers high mountain activities (skiing, mountaineering, hiking, downhill mountain biking).

a good climbing friend has Austiran Alpine thingy insurance, but I don’t really know all that much about it.

Being paid and employed by a british company reduces my French options I believe.

I’m not entirely sure I understand your question. I would have thought the the BMC wouldn’t cover you because of residency. They were never going to cover you for work on a mountain of any description and neither will dogtag or the Austrian Alpine club.

The Austrian Alpine Club, or Air Glaciers or REGA for that matter, will generally provide cover regardless of residency because they’re only doing rescue insurance and everything else, medical, repatriation, civil liability and so on are things that mainland Europeans have anyway.

oh dear, just lost my post.  I think i am going mad from reading so many pdf small prints....

I was more wondering what the likes of yourself in Switzerland, Davidof in France with his family, and others do to cover themselfs in the high mountains.  Does your Swiss home insurance policy cover you?

In previous year the UK tour op’s i worked for would cover basic insurance so I got BMC to cover my more “extreme” high mountain activities.  this year i’m doing everything myself (slowly entering the real world..) so need more!

btw ISE- did you get your mountain bike qualifications?  I’m still collecting IML hours.

I actually really live here

I have LAA (l’assurance accidents) which all Swiss employees have to hold, if you’re self employed you can add it to your health policy. I also have Air Glaciers rescue cover, as a Swiss resident that’s a global coverage for me. I’ve personal liability insurance on the general policy. And I am part of the ASAM (Association Suisse des Accompagnateurs en Montagne) group scheme for professional insurance which covers me to take clients out.

I’ve not done MBLA yet, I may do it next year if ASAM accept it as a “cours de formation continue”

ise - 09 November 2011 04:54 PM

I actually really live here

one day for me too hopefully.
As I thought it makes insurance easier, as does having guiding qualifications.

ise - 09 November 2011 04:54 PM

I’ve not done MBLA yet, I may do it next year if ASAM accept it as a “cours de formation continue”

how else do you get your mountain biking experience and qualifications?  Do you have to be a French style proffessional coach?

In Switzerland there’s LAA & health providers that must cover people on L permits. If we had staff on either side of the business I’d contact our current provider and ask them to sort it out.

The “cours de formation continue” requirement is, in English, continuing professional development where you’ve got to take one safety/technical & one general course to keep your carnet. They just done the control here for Vaud people. As I claimed TCL for this years CPD I’m not sure if I should do something different. I can’t imagine anyone would really bat an eyelid with TCL & IML if I wanted to take people out though.

I assume you’re talking about Personal and not Public Liability?  Your employer or professional body should cover the latter.  For personal insurance I had the same problems as you last year.  BMC and Dogtag require residency in UK as they both have the same underwriter! BASI covers me for public liability, despite being a non-resident, but would not cover me for private activities as they too have the same underwriter.  I resolved my problems by using JBI at http://www.jbionline.com.  They cater for Expats and provide varying levels of cover.  You will need to contact them on the specific requirements but have a good look at the terms and conditions. I paid an additional 180 pounds for Mountaineering and Ski Touring cover above their standard policy.

The BMC policy has changed a lot, its way more expensive now if you are older or staying over 45 days. My daughter who lives in France has used as a top up to the French health system, either membership of CAF, or Carte Neige for which you may need a medical for a season long policy both are cheap compared to uk arranged insurance. If you are in Switzerland the heli rescue insurance is fairly cheap as a stand alone policy. I did know someone who was heli rescued from the piste in Verbier, the initial bill was thousands, when it turned out she had no insurance it was reduced to hundreds!
Many years ago many British alpinests joined the Austrian Alpine Club specifically for the insurance, but they gained a reputation for not paying out, this may have changed in the last twenty years.

The Swiss (Air Glaciers/REGA) looks cheap until you look at the costs of the health insurance residents would have. I’m not sure it really works out to mix and match policies from different countries, either they overlap or there’s a load of big gaps. That said, Air Glaciers/REGA or Carre Neige is so cheap you might carry it for the reduced hassle.

I’ve got a slighly complex situation. I live in France but work in CH. So I have a private health insurance scheme with a French mutuel but at the same time don’t pay French social security contributions. Which is nice. Anyway that covers any medical bills plus ambulance. In France evacuation outside of ski areas is covered by the French State (whether you are resident or not). So when I ski in resort (mainly with my son) I pay for lift passes with my credit card which covers piste evacuation (but not off piste).

I am an FFME member so for any other insurance needs their insurers pick up the tab. I don’t generally ski outside of France but would be ok if I had an accident in Switzerland for health bills too. I don’t know about Italy or beyond though.