Why Winter Sports Travel Insurance Matters
Navigating the fine-print-filled world of travel and winter sports insurance is just about the last thing anyone wants to do when you are excitedly planning a skiing holiday. However, you will certainly agree that it was time well spent in the event that an accident or a travel problem hits. Winter sports, including skiing and snowboarding, can be hazardous for beginners and experts alike. To really enjoy your trip, eliminate the burden of worry, and ensure you have the right insurance!
Price
Winter sports insurance varies in cost, starting with prices as low as £10. There are a number of price comparison websites to assist you in choosing the most affordable policy for your trip. However, you do still need to read all the fine print as, in this instance, you pay for what you get and you may end up paying for what you don’t get too!
Basic insurance plans should cover, at a minimum, £1 million in personal liability and £2 million in medical expenses in the event you injure yourself or someone else. The amounts sound extortionate; however, mountainside injuries can involve helicopter transfers, extensive medical treatment, long-term hospital admission, and then you’re faced with the question of how to get home! The price tag could end up being well over any amount you might ever dream of spending on a holiday in the first place.
What are the Perks?
When it comes to winter sports insurance, most travellers see the need in case of physical injury. However, many policies cover events that you might not have anticipated and will be very grateful for the coverage if they actually happen. This is when reading the fine print comes in handy.
After the coverage staples, such as flight delays or lost baggage, some insurance plans also cover the cost of stolen or lost ski passes, and even weather-related events such as avalanches or lack of snow.
Loopholes
Insurance companies don’t like giving out money. Their customers don’t like needing them either, as it means they’re anticipating a problem on their holiday. My advice would be to work with your insurance company. Read ALL the fine print, especially in regards to limitations within the policy itself. Winter sports insurance can be very specific about the geographical area it covers, the ages of those it is covering, and even whether they require you to declare pre-existing medical conditions to them prior to travelling.
Also, be aware that insurers are relying on you to use a bit of common sense while travelling. Follow all local authorities’ rules around personal safety, wear helmets and other protective equipment, and don’t enter spaces marked ‘Do Not Enter’. Also, most winter sports insurance will become completely null and void if the accident occurs ‘under the influence of alcohol’.
Due Diligence
Hopefully, after reading all that your travel insurance policy does and does not cover, you will never end up needing it! However, the relatively low cost of these plans can end up being priceless in the right (or horribly wrong) event. In the end the peace-of-mind they provide is always worth the money.
Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of InsureMore, an award-winning team of specialists in global single trip, family and annual travel policies including winter sports insurance. Besides offering great deals on travel insurance, Patrick also collects and shares the best free travel competitions to help his clients get the most out of their holidays.