Getting the right travel insurance policy for a winter sports holiday may involve taking out specialist coverage. Going skiing or snowboarding may be fun but it comes with extra risks to both the individual and their equipment. What can a winter sports insurance policy offer to cover these risks and what should individuals look for when they take out coverage?
Why Take Out a Specialist Winter Sports Policy?
Those taking a winter sports break are likely to need a specialist travel insurance package to protect them in the event that something goes wrong. A standard travel policy may exclude them from coverage because of their skiing or snowboarding activities leaving them to pay their costs if something goes wrong. On the other hand a ski or snowboarding package may simply give them the protection they need.
Ski and Snowboarding Insurance Features and Benefits
So, what should a holidaymaker look for here? Typical specialist features and benefits worth having include:
- Adequate medical cover: Taking part in winter sports can mean an increased risk of personal injury or accident. A specialist travel insurance policy may be better designed to deal with medical costs which can be high especially in the case of a serious accident.
- Accident/injury compensation: Having even a minor accident whilst skiing or snowboarding can spoil a winter sports break if the individual can no longer take part in their chosen activities. This can also leave them out of pocket if they have already paid for a ski pack or for individual lessons, ski passes or equipment hire. Many specialist policies will offer compensation benefits if this happens.
- Weather issues: Finding that a resort has too little or too much snow can cause problems on skiing and snowboarding holidays. It may be worth looking for a policy that will pay compensation costs to use a different resort if there is not enough snow to do what was planned or, on the other hand, too much snow or unsafe weather conditions.
- Equipment loss/theft: Skiing and snowboarding equipment is often expensive. Losing equipment or having it stolen can leave the individual out of pocket. Looking for coverage that will help with replacement costs and that will pay for hire fees in the interim period may be useful.
- Ski pass costs: Paying for a ski pass can also be costly. Many policies will build in compensation coverage in the event that a ski pass is lost or stolen so that it can be easily replaced.
Bear in mind that not all winter sports insurance policies will cover all activities. Those looking to take part in unusual activities should check for coverage first before taking out a policy.
In addition to looking for specialist features, a good winter sports package will also include standard travel insurance benefits. These are also important to look out for. Ideally, getting the best ski and snowboarding policy should involve specialist benefits, standard coverage and the lowest possible costs.
Carol Finch - Carol Finch is the Topic Editor for Retirement Planning, Budgeting, E-Commerce & Technical/Business Writing on Suite101.
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