It's that time of year when many of us start thinking about heading off
on a ski trip. But, in among thinking about ski hire, lift passes and
the quickest way to get to the slopes, how much time do you spend making
sure you are fully insured?
A worrying numbers of people are skiing or snowboarding without
Ski Insurance. Government statistics from 2012 showed that a third of people
heading off on winter sports holidays did not have any travel
insurance, and of the ones that did, 31 per cent hadn’t bothered to
check if winter sports were covered by their policies.
Given that
treatment for a broken leg in Europe could cost as much as £6,000 it is
well worth making sure you have Travel Insurance.
Here are four things you need to know about Ski Insurance.
1. EHIC is not enough
Most people going on ski trips think simply having a European
Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will suffice. Unfortunately, that is not
the case. An EHIC only entitles you to necessary, state-provided medical
assistance at the same level as a local could expect.
2. You need specialist cover
Standard travel insurance policies do not cover high-risk sports like
skiing or snowboarding so you need to make sure you have extra cover
for your trip. If you already have multi-trip travel insurance check
your policy to see if it includes a winter sports pack, if it doesn’t
find out how much it would cost to add one then compare it with the cost
of a single-trip policy with winter sports included.
3. Off-piste is off most policies
Even if you have a Travel Insurance policy with added Winter Sports
coverage that doesn’t give you carte blanche to do whatever you like.
According to data from GoCompare.com 20 per cent of winter sports
insurance policies will not cover you if you ski off-piste. Of those
that do the majority require you to comply with certain conditions in
order to remain insured such as being accompanied by a qualified guide.
So, make sure you read your policy before you go and that you are clear
about what you can and can’t do.
4. Drinking can leave you high and dry
If you could be considered drunk when an accident occurs on your
holiday, you may well find your insurer refuses to pay out. Many travel
insurance policies include a clause stating they will not cover any
claims that arise as a result of alcohol consumption.
Finally, make sure you take a copy of your policy with you and you
have the claims telephone number recorded somewhere you will easily find
it if you need it. ·