Worldwide Single Trip Ski Insurance Including North America

Why Insure Yourself At All?       

It is staggering how many people go on a ski holiday with inadequate insurance. If skiing in Europe some people just rely on their EHIC card or if skiing elsewhere in the world some people rely on their general travel insurance. The problem with the latter is that normal travel insurance will not cover you for a ski holiday.

If you are unlucky enough to hurt yourself then those injuries can be quite serious. You may break a bone and need to be airlifted off the slopes which can run into thousands of pounds. Or you could cause a serious accident to another skier or boarder and be liable for their costs. Skiing and boarding are dangerous sports, you could endure life threatening injuries, so always make sure you take out specialist ski insurance.

Another consideration, if you are also skiing or boarding, is your equipment. The equipment you use for skiing and boarding is expensive. If someone steals your board or skis then that could set you back thousands of pounds. This may not be covered under most general travel insurance policies.

Why Take Out Worldwide Travel Insurance including North America?

A further consideration if you are travelling further afield than Europe for your ski holiday is that the cost of getting you back following an accident will be higher. Personal injury, loss of belongings and cancellations can also cost you more so do ensure you have the right type of insurance.

Medical costs can also be higher in the States. Take a dislocated shoulder, this could cost up to £10,000 to deal with (compared to £2000 in Europe). If you have to be flown back from the states with a fractured hip that could cost as much as £20,000.

Worldwide Single Trip

Worldwide single trip ski insurance is great if you are planning just that, one ski trip away outside of Europe. It isn’t a great choice if you think there is a possibility you may go away again. So do be clear what your plans may be for the course of a year.

Destinations

Do check with the insurance provider that the country you are skiing in is part of their worldwide cover including North America and the Caribbean.

Check The Length Of Your Trip

Most policies will ask how long your trip will be. Do be clear when you need the policy to start and end on. Also be clear within that time how many days skiing you are insured for.

Medical Cover Levels                                                                                                                     

Do check that you have the right amount of cover. Remember on a ski holiday you may at worse require mountain rescue, hospital stay and then repatriation back to the UK. We would suggest that as such you get medical expenses up to £10 million. Also do check that you have a good level of personal liability. If you are deemed to have been responsible for someone else’s accident you may find yourself with hefty medical bills.

Lack of Snow

Whilst you may not suffer from this if you are heading to the States or Canada you may also want to check that your insurance policy will cover you if there is a lack of snow. You can for example be transported to an alternative resort if there is more snow there.

Equipment

Also ensure that you have cover for lost skis or snowboards. But also look for those policies that will cover your costs to hire replacement equipment. This will ensure that you can get back on the slopes as quickly as possible.

Ski School Fees And Lift Passes

Lift passes can be one of the most expensive outlays on a ski holiday yet many people don’t check that they are covered in an insurance policy. Make sure that they are covered and that you are also covered if you are injured and can’t finish any ski lessons. Children’s ski lessons can also be expensive so check you have cover for them.

Check Excess Levels

Some policies look cheap because they have high excess payments. We have found some as high as £200 which means that if your child loses their gloves, highly likely, this level of excess can be a real inconvenience.

Small Print Which Can invalidate a Policy

Do check the small print of any insurance policy. Many now say that you must wear a helmet and follow all safety advice. So don’t ski off piste with your child if you didn’t add off piste to your cover. Also check if you are covered for snow parks.