Winter sports enthusiasts should read small print

by Gill Montia

Story link: Winter sports enthusiasts should read small print

According to Moneysupermarket.com, one-quarter of the three million UK holidaymakers that will be headed for a skiing break this year will not be insured properly.

Some will not have read the small print and be unaware that their travel insurance does not cover skiing. Others do not believe that travel insurance is worthwhile.

It is estimated that one in seven UK skiers seek medical attention while away and according to online insurer More T>AN, the five most common types of injury are torn ligaments, fractured tibias, sprained wrists, back injuries and dislocated shoulders.

Some travellers believe that a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will provide them with full medical cover, but this is not the case.

EHIC entitles the holder to free or reduced cost basic medical care, but the cover is limited.

It will not, for example, fund an air ambulance and should not be seen as a substitute for winter sports insurance.

Neither is winter sports cover likely to be included in all-year-round travel policies, or insurance attached to a bank account.

Ski insurance is not necessarily expensive; a policy for a one week trip to France costs as little as £29.90 for a family of four.

Even when purchasing dedicated Ski Cover it is as well to read the small print, as exclusions frequently exist, particularly for extreme winter sports, such as heli-skiing, tobogganing and cross-country skiing.

In addition, specific terms and conditions sometimes apply for anyone skiing “off piste”.