Travel Insurance Staysure: what does it cover over 2,500m? Nothing?

Annemos

I am waiting for a call-back from a manager on this. 

The Staysure policy booklet says Trekking, Rambling and Hiking are not covered by the policy when taking place over 2,500 meters. (Not accepted activities.) 


But a trust pilot reviewer was just told that NOTHING is allowed to be done over 2,500 meters. 

I called to check this out and the same thing has just been said to me. So I have asked for a Manager call-back. 


I gave 2 examples which I have always considered do not involve trekking. hiking or rambling. So I have always assumed that they are covered under the policy. 


1) Take a tourist train to Jungfraujoch in Switzerland and admire the views from the viewing platforms. (3,643 meters)

2) Fly to Leh, Ladakh in India on a scheduled flight, in order to visit several of the local monasteries. Tourist is going to be driven around all the time by a taxi driver. Hotel is in Leh. Shopping and restaurants are done in Leh, too. (3,524 meters.)


This is so important. Their policy wording has been left too vague? People could get caught out if they make a claim? 

DullGreyGuy

Annemos said:

This is so important. Their policy wording has been left too vague? People could get caught out if they make a claim? 

Vagueness generally works in favour of the customer not the insurer when it comes to complaints and matters escalated to the Financial Ombudsman.

Neither of the examples you give would fit in a plain english definition of trekking, rambling or hiking and therefore couldnt be legitimately excluded.

Annemos

Thank you very much, DullGreyGuy

It will be interesting to see what the manager says. AllClear is 3,000 meters. That at least brings in a few more Himalayan villages!! 

Annemos

Finally received some answers on this. From the Staysure underwriters. 

"Example 1 - As long as this is to look at the view only and does not include hiking or trekking then this is acceptable

Example 2 - This is above 3500 meters, this again doesn't sound like it includes any hiking or trekking so we could consider this."


So, the Example 1. which is for the train to Jungfraujoch in Switzerland is clear and it is acceptable (viewing platform is at 3,643 metres). 


But example 2 was still too vague for me, so I asked again. (Himalayan Monastery tour 3,524 metres approx, not trekking, not hiking, not rambling. Taxis everywhere.)   I was then told this....... 

Staysure's underwriters would need to check into the full details of your trip, along with your pre-existing medical conditions, at the point you book your trip. Only then will they be able to decide if they will consider covering your trip.  

So this is apparently the case, even if you are not doing any trekking, rambling or hiking. (The policy booklet does indeed alert us that they will not cover trekking, hiking and rambling over 2,500 metres, but it is silent on other things that we might be doing.)

So one should contact Staysure, to ask if the Underwriters will consider covering your trip, as you are booking it. 


This does make taking out an annual policy difficult, if you think you may be booking a higher altitude trip sometime within the next year but you are not sure of the details yet. When you come to book the holiday, you will not be sure if it will be covered by Staysure.

(Also it took a lot of probing for me to obtain the above information. When I spoke to representatives on the phone, the call handler would always say   "Over 2,500 meters, nothing is covered!")

user1977

At what stage does "walking" become "hiking" or "trekking"?

Annemos

This is the problem! There is a grey zone in all of this over 2500 metres stuff. 

I do not really trust this policy. Would they always come up with an excuse to decline a claim, if you had not run the whole trip by them first? 

Particularly as they have a list in the same section of the policy called "Sports and Activities"  saying... "If you are undertaking a sport, or activity which is not listed, or are in any doubt as to whether cover will apply, please call Customer Services."

An "activity" can be anything!!