Carte Niege French Winter Sports Insurance

snowwhite12

Not sure if anyone can help at all but here goes. In March I went skiing without Winter Sports insurance so I bought Carte Niege Winter Sports Insurance in Val Thorens, it was an annual insurance.

Unfortunately I then had an accident, I had some investigations done in France using my EHIC card and was advised to come home for further treatment. Unfortunately I need surgery now which is only available privately at a cost of £5000. The insurance company is saying I was only covered for treatment in France. I can't see anywhere on the policy information I got that says this. I have been emailing the insurers but I don't speak French and they don't seem to have any fluent English speakers which doesn't help!

I have asked for the brochure page number where it says 'only treatment in France is covered' and I'm waiting for a reply. I am using the Resolver template to prepare a complaint because I think I am covered.
Has anyone else used the service, or have any ideas where I could go for help?

Thanks in advance :-)

[Deleted User]

Pretty sure a French insurance firm will only payout for treatment in France unless it is specifically comprehensive enough to cover you worldwide.
You bought it in France to cover your French holiday!!

I'm also not sure the "Resolver" template is going to help with a non-British firm.
Also, why is your urgent surgery only available "privately"? Why can't you use NHS facilities?

Robin9

Why not have the treatment in France ?

[Deleted User]

Robin9 wrote: »

Why not have the treatment in France ?

Or simply stay in the UK and have the treatment via the NHS...

Macadamia

In my experience, there are different ‘carte neige’ or 'carre neige' or other annual sports policies. I have had several over the years – the terms and conditions of each were different.

One policy I had covered any sports worldwide.

Was it bought via the ski-lift company? Can you provide more details?

[Deleted User]

Macadamia wrote: »

One policy I had covered any sports worldwide.

But did it cover subsequent treatment abroad of France? Did you purchase the insurance in France?

Regardless, I have my doubts the OP will return to the thread.

Macadamia

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

But did it cover subsequent treatment abroad of France? Did you purchase the insurance in France?

Regardless, I have my doubts the OP will return to the thread.

Yes – I bought all policies, including the most comprehensive one, in France. The all-sport policy would have covered emergency care and then follow up treatment anywhere. What is less clear is whether it would have supported initial treatment in one country and follow up in another.

‘Carte neige’ itself is a limited insurance designed to provide emergency cover . So, if someone was to have a ski accident, it would deal with that. ( e.g. get them off the piste, into the local medical centre or hospital for treatment, and meet any shortfall in what their insurance and/ or EHIC covers. ) If the OP has Carte Neige it doesn’t pay for any subsequent treatment, and certainly not private care, even in France.

People in ski stations tend to refer to any annual ski insurance as a ‘Carte neige’ regardless of who provides it and what it is called. So it’s worth the OP checking the details.

[Deleted User]

I still can't see why the OP has to have private treatment at a cost of £5000, regardless of any insurance policy.

snowwhite12

Thanks for responses! Some answers to the queries. The insurance says it is worldwide cover. GP says under the new local CCG guidelines the NHS will repair the injury but no longer correct the disfigurement caused by the injury (to an intimate area hence the lack of detail in the posting :-)).
Both aspects would have been covered in France and with hindsight that would have been the best solution. Unfortunately the specialist I saw in France did not speak a word of English, that didn't feel safe to me or the French GP so he advised me to come home.
Finally I am not using the Resolver process itself, just the templates to format emails to the insurer.
I will see how far I get with Carte Niege and post any progress.