Winter Sports Insurance

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Winter Sports Insurance

Winter Sports Insurance isn’t a legal requirement of those going skiing but it probably should be. Over a hundred people die in skiing accidents every year and many more are injured so making sure you’ve got an appropriate level of cover before you hit the slopes is a must.

Skiing and snowboarding (or simply boarding to you ‘dudes’ reading this) holidays are a yearly event for many and are amongst the most common holiday choices in the UK. The thrill of hurtling down the side of a mountain on skis or a board is wonderful but it also presents a serious risk and not just to your body. Your wallet could take a beating too. Did you know that a broken leg in Switzerland could cost up to £25,000? Or that a similar break in the US could cost £70,000 with the cost of getting you home factored in too?

Is Winter Sports Insurance Necessary?

When money is tight, it’s not surprising that many people want to cut back on costs which they think are unnecessary but winter sports insurance cover is definitely not a safe thing to skip. Usually cover is an optional extra when you book a holiday and some such offers present good value for money and provide cover for a wide range of eventualities, however, if you really want to save money rather than skipping cover all together shop around and find a product which really fulfils your needs at a price you don’t mind paying.

Why bother? If you don’t take out Winter Sports Insurance and you suffer an injury it could not only ruin your trip but place you in thousands of pounds worth of debt. Unlike the UK with our National Health Service (NHS) many other countries rely on private health insurance in order to treat their residents and they rely upon travel insurance to treat those who are there on holiday. Therefore, if you don’t have any you might not even be able to receive treatment at all until,of course, you’ve paid the full cost for surgery or whatever procedure you need.

Because the risks of hurting yourself are greater with winter sports holidays than many other kinds of trip it is vitally important that you protect yourself by taking out an insurance package which matches your needs.

What does Winter Sports Insurance Cover?

Something especially interesting about winter sports cover is how it relates to activities you take part in, for example some policies only cover skiing accidents not snowboarding ones and some policies will cover accidents you have in your own skis but not in rentals, so make sure that you read the fine print. Equally if you’re a seasoned pro and go out every year, own your own skis and know perfectly how to use them, you might like to get cover which includes the theft of your skis and/or damage of them. After all, they are not cheap!

Usually, a good policy will cover you for skiing, snowboarding, ski boarding, snow mobile use, tobogganing, ice-skating and sledging. You’ll also be covered for any slips, trips or falls whilst not taking part in any of these activities and most policies will also cover some loss or theft but how much varies. Other perks and quirks can be had and each insurer seems to have a different spin on what those going away on winter sports trips want to be included in their plan.

Swift Cover for example, offer those who are keeping pets in a cattery or kennel £10 a day extra cash if your return from a trip is delayed due to an injury or accident. Go Travel Insurance, on the other hand, offer up to £10,000,000 to cover medical expenses in the event of an accident and have a 24 hour emergency support line.

Insurance Benefits

There are lots of literal benefits to taking out winter sports insurance and depending on which insurer you choose, you could be offered anything from a free meal, to a £400 ski pack just for choosing them.

Be careful that you get a policy which covers you for the activities you’ll be doing though and don’t be too swayed by freebies and add-ons. The genuine benefits of having winter sports insurance are obvious, peace of mind being the biggest.

Not having to worry about falling over (quite as much) and being able to focus on skiing are both big benefits and the truth is, those who don’t take out travel insurance to save money are taking a huge risk and buying into a false economy. Really, isn’t your health priceless?