As the days get shorter and summer fades into a memory, many of us will think about planning a winter vacation, especially winter sports like skiing. Travel insurance is an often overlooked part of vacation planning, but if you're planning on participating in sports, it's really essential.
A normal travel insurance policy probably won't live up to the standards you need for winter sports, and if things go wrong you could end up with a huge bill. So what features should you look for in a font?
- Injury coverage
No matter how accomplished a skier you are, going down a mountain is always going to be riskier than just laying down on a beach to sunbathe. And if you have an accident, a mountainside is not the easiest place for medical services to reach. If you're unlucky enough to need a mountain rescue or airlift to hospital, you'll have to pay thousands of bills before you even get medical attention. This type of expense is likely to be specifically excluded on a standard insurance policy, but will form part of almost all winter sports cover.
- Equipment
Most winter sports require expensive equipment, and where there are valuables there is always a risk of theft. Your insurance must provide sufficient cover to fully replace your equipment with new items if necessary, directly on site at the station. Even if you plan to rent your equipment, the rental company will probably require insurance - and your own policy will probably be cheaper than the standard policy they will try to sell you.
- Responsibility
Even the best skiers or snowboarders can be involved in an accident in which someone else is injured. Whether or not you are responsible for an accident, you could be sued, which is usually a long and expensive process. A decent insurance policy will cover the costs of any legal proceedings and/or any compensation payments.
- Runway closure
If bad weather (or hot weather!) means the slopes are closed and you can't ski, your policy should pay you compensation to cover the cost of pre-booked lessons or lift costs, and lots more. will even include a payment just to cover the inconvenience of not being able to ski.
- Off road
A final point to note is that a standard winter sports policy will likely only cover you for accidents that occur while skiing on designated slopes. If you plan to go off-roading, make sure your insurance will cover it - you'll probably have to pay extra.
As with most types of insurance, paying for travel insurance can seem like a waste of money. However, if you find yourself caught up in a mountainside accident, the costs involved can be truly daunting and you'll be glad you took the time to arrange adequate cover in advance!
