Getting Good Ski Insurance Deals & Sneaky Catches To Look Out For
January 2006
One can almost understand why no insurance is needed for a summer holiday to the Med, but skiing and winter sports in general is another matter. Thankfully on the internet there are some great deals on winter insurance, with many of them over 50% cheaper than those offered on the High Street.
As ever though to get the best policy for you it's wise to look out for some of the tricks and clauses. Read on -
Why Ski & Winter Insurance Is So Necessary
Basically the cost of an accident combined with getting you home can run into £10,000's combined with the probability of an accident
- Ambulance helicopter down to a valley hospital £1,000-£3,000
- Knee reconstruction at £12,000
- The cost of any drugs etc
- Plus the flight booked at short notice to go home which you'll likely need to buy 3 seats in order to lay your smashed leg
Points To Watch Out For When Evaluating Ski Insurance Cover
Piste Closure Payouts
- If the weather is really bad then the slopes closing is a real possibility
- Benefits vary but usually pay out between £100-£500 per person
- However, some policies only pay out on 100% lift closure but many resorts always try and keep at least 1 lift open if only to a basic slope
- Companies which only pay on 100% lift closure include American Express, Argos, Asda, Atlas Direct, Bradford & Bingley, Flexicover Direct, Options and Preferential
- Direct Travel is a good one though as it pays out if more than 80% of the lifts are closed
- It's also worth checking a policy to see if they cover such weather events as high winds or closure of slopes due to avalanches
No Snow!
- See how high your resort has to be to qualify for this kind of insurance
- Some insurance companies demand the resort has to be at least 1000 metres, others demand over 1500m
Off Piste
- What level of a skier are you, how adventurous are you?
- If a beginner then you won't be looking to go off piste but if adventurous or a snowboarder etc then the chances are high you'll be venturing
- Over 80% of insurance plans don't cover off piste or if they do you'll have to be accompanied by a qualified instructor or local guide
- If you do want off piste cover then these companies specialise in offering cover - Ski Club of Great Britain, Direct travel Insurance, Columbus and Sainsbury's
- Note that snowboarders whether on or off piste are not usually covered in normal policies but double check facts such as these
Theft
- Punks stealing your skis, losing a ski pass or equipment are also real possibilities so check out the different policies to see what they cover
Summary
Travel insurance for summer holidays and the odd weekend away is relatively important but not that critical (see Top Tip below as how you can get free medical cover when in Europe). But for adventure or physical holidays such as skiing insurance is critical and disregarding it is a gamble that for most people is just not worth it.
This is especially so as a family of 4 can now get good insurance cover for between £70 and £100 (via the internet - see links below) which incidentally on the High Street would likely cost well over £200.
Good luck with your ski insurance and don't break a leg......
See Also
!TOP TIP!
European Health Insurance Card - Free Medical Insurance When On Holiday in Europe
If you're going on holiday to Europe (skiing, sun or just a weekend away) then you MUST get hold of a European Health Insurance Card.
- It's 100% FREE!
- Entitles you to reduced cost or even free medical treatment while on holiday in any European country including Switzerland and Iceland
- The card (which is like a credit card) is valid for between 3-5 years and covers ANY medical treatment
- Valid for all UK residents - Get more information here from the Govt website
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