-
A friend is contemplating getting the personal (or perhaps business) Platinum card. She’s about to head off for a skiing trip, is normal skiing (ie not off-piste) included in the cover?
Before anyone suggests reading the terms myself, I can’t, I don’t have a Plat card anymore, and she’s not applied yet. The only thing I can find online is the US cover document.
Thanks for that — I did try Google!
Unfortunately the sports exclusions refers back to http://americanexpress.com/uk/insuranceportal, which redirects to https://www.americanexpress.com/en-gb/insurance/benefit-centre/login, which requires an account with the right product.
However, I can see another show-stopper in the visible T&Cs. She’s paid a substantial deposit before ever having an Amex, so can’t claim to have paid with the card account. She’s going to need another policy to cover the holiday.
However, I can see another show-stopper in the visible T&Cs. She’s paid a substantial deposit before ever having an Amex, so can’t claim to have paid with the card account. She’s going to need another policy to cover the holiday.
Just on this point, I don’t believe that’s a deal-breaker. I think that even if you’ve paid £1 towards the holiday using Amex, you’re covered.
I’ve searched for ski and skiing in the online tool they provide to verify if a sport is included and, apparently, it is not included. I checked for other sports just in case.
I was almost sure it was included at some point as I think I checked before going skiing years ago.
Sadly I can’t find the full list. The page suggests that there should be a link but no hyperlink is provided.
I’ve searched for ski and skiing in the online tool they provide to verify if a sport is included and, apparently, it is not included. I checked for other sports just in case.
I was almost sure it was included at some point as I think I checked before going skiing years ago.
Sadly I can’t find the full list. The page suggests that there should be a link but no hyperlink is provided.
Sports covered list under the medical exemptions
PS. That is the ICC list but I believe it’s identical, but obviously you should check. The Plat policy does also refer to winter sports.
Ok, I’ve now checked on the tool using the exact “On piste skiing” wording and it says it’s included. I suspect the same will apply to many others.
It’s a pretty bad tool if doesn’t do partial matching.
Ok, I’ve now checked on the tool using the exact “On piste skiing” wording and it says it’s included. I suspect the same will apply to many others.
It’s a pretty bad tool if doesn’t do partial matching.
There is the very strange header above the list that has been mentioned here before and says:-
“This policy covers You when You are engaging in the following sports and activities on a non-competitive and non-professional basis provided Your participation is not the sole or main reason for Your Trip”
If you go on a skiing holiday, the main reason is likely to be skiing, so no idea how this works in practice unless your main reason was to enjoy the mountain scenery, travel on ski lifts and the après ski.
The ‘sole’ and ‘main’ bit isn’t repeated in the winter section, but odd they don’t clarify the point since the header appears that it might cover the whole page.
I’ve currently got a complaint open with AXA.
Without going into details as it’s a running dispute, damage to/loss of ‘vehicles’ is excluded from the policy.
There’s no definition of ‘vehicles’ in the policy, in the only part where some ‘vehicles’ are listed it’s things like cars, trailers, caravans etc.
But according to AXA, if it has wheels and you sit/ride/whatever on it, then it is a ‘vehicle’.
I asked a few questions, AXA say that pushchairs are vehicles and therefore not covered, whereas sleds, presumably including Santa’s sleigh, are ok, which is nice.
Didn’t get around to asking about things like wheelchairs, but clearly they’d also fall foul of the wheels rule.
You should go back to Axa to say that while the term ‘vehicle’ is not a defined term within the policy, it is simple to extrapolate from the repeated use of the word within the policy, that it cannot possibly be applied to a pushchair. Even if that were not accepted and it became necessary to fall back on the dictionary definition of the word (as a court would), AXA’s argument still fails. The FOS simply would not entertain AXA’s argument which is a first stage try on; press them as I can’t think they would possibly wish to argue the point at the FOS or in court.
You should go back to Axa to say that while the term ‘vehicle’ is not a defined term within the policy, it is simple to extrapolate from the repeated use of the word within the policy, that it cannot possibly be applied to a pushchair. Even if that were not accepted and it became necessary to fall back on the dictionary definition of the word (as a court would), AXA’s argument still fails. The FOS simply would not entertain AXA’s argument which is a first stage try on; press them as I can’t think they would possibly wish to argue the point at the FOS or in court.
I’m just letting their complaint process proceed first.
In my case it wasn’t a pushchair, but I asked about that specifically on the call with them (which they stated was recorded) as it was an example of how crazy their position was, and that was their response.
It seemed to me the agent was clutching at straws to justify their position, they’d already escalated my initial dispute of their interpretation – that is was based entirely on things outside the policy document.
If you go on a skiing holiday, the main reason is likely to be skiing, so no idea how this works in practice unless your main reason was to enjoy the mountain scenery, travel on ski lifts and the après ski.
The ‘sole’ and ‘main’ bit isn’t repeated in the winter section, but odd they don’t clarify the point since the header appears that it might cover the whole page.
I once talked with a rateable value expert, who said a grass runway could be argued as farmland, since the aircraft only used it for a minute or two each, so the rest of the time the land was growing stuff!
So the primary purpose of any holiday might be sleeping, since that is the single activity that takes up the most hours of my day!
There is the very strange header above the list that has been mentioned here before and says:-
“This policy covers You when You are engaging in the following sports and activities on a non-competitive and non-professional basis provided Your participation is not the sole or main reason for Your Trip”
If you go on a skiing holiday, the main reason is likely to be skiing, so no idea how this works in practice unless your main reason was to enjoy the mountain scenery, travel on ski lifts and the après ski.
The ‘sole’ and ‘main’ bit isn’t repeated in the winter section, but odd they don’t clarify the point since the header appears that it might cover the whole page.
This is strange and concerning…! Quite a lot of my holidays are trips with a certain activity as the main purpose – apart from the mentioned skiing holidays, I sometimes go on hiking trips, cycling trips, diving holidays etc.
There is the very strange header above the list that has been mentioned here before and says:-
“This policy covers You when You are engaging in the following sports and activities on a non-competitive and non-professional basis provided Your participation is not the sole or main reason for Your Trip”
If you go on a skiing holiday, the main reason is likely to be skiing, so no idea how this works in practice unless your main reason was to enjoy the mountain scenery, travel on ski lifts and the après ski.
The ‘sole’ and ‘main’ bit isn’t repeated in the winter section, but odd they don’t clarify the point since the header appears that it might cover the whole page.
This is strange and concerning…! Quite a lot of my holidays are trips with a certain activity as the main purpose – apart from the mentioned skiing holidays, I sometimes go on hiking trips, cycling trips, diving holidays etc.
Yes, it is strange and something @jj has mentioned as someone who likes activity holidays. In fact the whole policy is quite strange in what it does and doesn’t cover and has quite a few gaps/low limits, notably for ‘travel inconvenience’ as well as a very restrictive list of covered medical exemptions (otherwise medical is OK, save limits lower than equivalent policies) and low limits for lost/damaged personal effects. Axa is also a very poor claims handler and seems unable to answer basic questions. Personally, I wouldn’t use it as my sole policy.
The policy document also needs to be rewritten as it lacks clarity in so many areas. People regularly ask about what card you need to use, but even if someone reads the whole policy it simply isn’t clear, when it easily could be.
Also crazy detail here. They say you have to have a quide to ski off piste. Then they say that Ski Touring is covered and no mention of a guide. So I guess you are covered when you are skinning up the mountain but not covered when you are skiing down it?!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
