UKH

Last year I had to pull out of a ski touring trip after stubbing (and I suspect breaking) my little toe. The NHS advice for this is that it should get better in 4-6 weeks without any particular treatment, which indeed it did. In the end the provider was able to re-sell my place and most the travel was refundable/transferable so it wasn't worth making an insurance claim but it wouldn't have been particularly straightforward if I had needed to.

The BMC insurance (although this seems pretty standard) cover cancellation due to illness but require a medical certificate when claiming. GPs will generally fill out the form for a small fee. This is fine if there's something seriously wrong that you're receiving treatment for but there are plenty of conditions which don't require a visit to the GP but would still preclude going skiing (apart from my toe, flu/covid spring to mind). Does anyone have any experience of claiming in this sort of situation?

The only advice my GP surgery had was to call 111 and describe the symptoms so at least there's something on the medical record they could make a statement based on; I'm wondering whether "patient reports they have a runny nose and headache" would really cut it though. I also notice Snowcard only cover Covid cancellation with a positive PCR test. I'm not really sure how you'd go about getting one now, and it's a bit of a problem if the test comes back negative but you're still laid up in bed.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else had looked into / dealt with this and if any insurers are better than others to deal with.

I suspect that cancellation due to illness means not being able to go on holiday rather than not being able to ski tour when yo get there

I would try contacting Snowcard directly for advice/clarification on how (or if) their policy would cover in such a situation.

I have found them very helpful (and honest) when I've questioned them before about cover for hypothetical situations.

Following. Sorry I don't have an answer.

I'm currently booking an ice climbing trip in two months' time but currently off work with concussion. Expect to be sorted by then but currently having to buy flights etc while understandably being ineligible for insurance. Will get insurance once recovered but need to provide Snowcard with a medical note to say I'm fit to ice climb - no idea how to get that from a GP; I never saw them, and don't intend to unless I'm not better - I went through A&E.

On the other hand I was surprised that getting an (un)fit note was quite easy - they can see online that I'm concussed. I just don't know how to prove the opposite.

All these systems seem to rely on you having a doctor at your beck and call to give advice when often you won't have gone to a GP at all and surely they have far more important things to be doing, especially at this time of year.

Is there not an argument that a broken toe would have required rest at home rather than lengthy journeys through airports though? 

Rule 5

GP's will, or certainly used to, provide a medical certificate saying you are fit to participate as part of a private consultation.

Common for them to be needed for organised sporting events particularly in France.

How can a GP say someone is fit for iceclimbing? Unless the GP is also sports medicine qualified, I doubt you'll easily find one willing to write that.

On the other hand a GP can easily write a letter saying "diagnosed with concussion on xyz date, and as at today's date does not have concussion".