Off Piste Ski Insurance

Our off piste ski insurance providers ensure you will be fully covered should the worst happen.

From back country ventures through to short off piste diversions, making sure you have the right insurance is paramount to ensuring you can get down off the mountain in case of injury or avalanche. Get a quote from our insurers below and choose your off piste policy with your exact requirements in mind. From annual to single trip, family to ski season, let SkiInsurance.com help cover you the right way.

 

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Tips on Buying An Adequate Off-Piste Policy

Don't leave things to chance if you are going to venture off the main piste on your holiday. This could be a very, very expensive mistake!

What is Off Piste?

Off piste skiing and boarding has become increasingly popular. It refers to skiing and boarding which does not take place on managed trails and slopes. The attraction is that you get to explore the mountains away from all the thousands of other skiers on the usual pistes. Many also find it more challenging as the snow off piste has not been compacted so it is usually soft and deep.

To ski or board off piste does require a different technique and is usually best done by advanced skiers and boarders.

Why Bother With Ski Insurance At All?

If we forget off piste for the moment, it is shocking that there are still people who go on a ski holiday without ski insurance. Many only depend on their EHIC card or general travel insurance. These simply will not be enough to cover you.

EHIC

EHIC is the European Health Insurance Card. It used to be called the E111 and is a reciprocal health agreement between European countries including Switzerland. This gives you access to state provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European economic area. You can apply for EHIC through the EHIC online application form, this is free of charge, so do beware as unofficial websites will try and charge you.

You cannot however rely solely on this on a ski holiday. The reason for this is that EHIC will not cover many of the things you may need should you have an accident on the slopes. So for example mountain rescue is not covered, nor is being flown back to the UK. Lost or stolen property is also not included. So for anyone skiing, EHIC alone may not cover you.

Any Old Travel Insurance Policy?

A normal travel insurance policy will also 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 which can cause life threatening injuries, so always make sure you take out ski insurance.

Another consideration 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.

Off Piste Cover

Once you have decided to take out ski insurance if you are planning to ski off piste you then need to check that you are covered.  Most policies will list this separately. Do not assume that a general ski policy covers you. Here we list what you need to look out for.

Will You Be Off Piste Alone or With a Guide?

Some policies will cover you for off piste but will stipulate that you need to be with a guide. This means that if you go off alone you will not be covered. If you are not planning to use a guide do read the small print very carefully. It is never advisable to ski or board off piste on your own. If you are travelling without friends then you may find groups in resort going off piste.

Always Follow Safety Guidelines

If you ski or board off piste then an insurance company will consider that this adds extra danger to you. You will need to follow all guidelines and safety precautions with regard to avalanches and you will need to follow all local advice as to whether a part of the mountain is safe to ski in or not. If you do not follow this advice then your insurance policy could be invalidated.

What Other Activities Will You Be Doing?

If you want to ski off piste then you may also want to try freestyling in a park, heli skiing and cat skiing. Again you will need to check if you are insured for these alongside the off piste.

Level of Cover

When looking at the detail of what is included in your policy, we would advise the following. Aim for at least £2m for medical expenses. This will cover you for repatriation to the UK and for getting you off the mountain should the worse happen. Look for £1m personal liability cover, this should cover you if it is deemed that you are liable for somebody else’s accident.

A final tip is to really check the small print of any policy. What looks cheap may for example come with a high excess making a claim not cost effective. For example some cheaper policies set excess levels at £200, lose your gloves and the policy isn’t really worth it.

General Safety Off Piste

There are three key things to remember when skiing off piste. Firstly always check the avalanche risk. You will usually find avalanche risks online as well as at most lift stations. The risk will normally be scaled 1-5. Never ski or board off piste on your own. Make sure