Travel insurance for skiers and holidaymakers taking part in winter sports generally is designed to provide cover for emergency medical situations, mountain rescue and repatriation, rather than as a catch-all healthcare insurance as some people assume or even expect.
When you speak to your travel agent in booking your holiday they will probably offer you a ski insurance policy as part of their package. But you should bear in mind that there are insurers which specialise in winter sports insurance and which sell products on the market that may suit you better. The best way to begin is by looking online to find a good range of quotes quickly and easily.
The first thing to remember is that you are under no obligation to buy ski insurance from the travel agent you book your holiday with. Ski insurance is of course a specialist area, so it pays to shop around and to ensure you get the best possible cover for all winter sports activities, including snowboarding, heliskiing, off-piste skiing, dog-sledding and tobogganing, if you are eager to try out some of these things.
When you are out there on holiday, you should make sure you keep the risk to your property as low as possible. For instance try exchanging one of your skis with a friend if you ever have to leave them unattended: this will deter thieves, as a pair of mismatched skis will be practically worthless.
Many insurers are nowadays more inclined to allow off-piste skiing and incorporate it into the policies they offer. But you should first always check the details of your policy to work out if you’ll be covered should you try it without a qualified guide. Furthermore, skiing in avalanche zones or areas marked as ‘out of bounds’ will lead your policy to become invalidated.
Check the small print too to find out the terms in the event that your resort suffers from bad skiing conditions whilst you are there. If the resort is near a glacier they may pay for alternative arrangements that will enable you to ski there. There are bound to be many different reasons that may prevent you from being able to ski, such as a piste closure or your falling ill or suffering an injury.
If you’re planning to take more than one skiing holiday during the season, it may turn out cheaper to buy an annual insurance policy. This will take away the hassle of having to find a new policy every time you go away.
By carefully looking at the fine print of the insurance policies available, then you’ll ultimately find it is possible to make good savings whilst not compromising on cover, enabling you to relax and enjoy your holiday.
Noting the small details can be made a lot easier by taking out a skiing insurance policy with etravelinsurance.co.uk, a complete winter travel insurance package for any ski holiday.