Winter sports travel insurance.

Do I really need winter sports travel insurance?

Whether you’re a seasoned thrill-seeker, or a complete novice, accidents on the piste happen, and they can be serious. If you’re going on a winter sports holiday, it’s essential to take out specialist cover.

Winter sports travel insurance is a policy add-on designed to protect you against the extra risks you wouldn’t expect from a beach holiday. Think avalanches, or being injured by a rogue snowboarder, and you’ll understand what we mean!

If you have a medical emergency while taking part in winter sports, you’ll only be covered to claim if you have specialist winter sports travel insurance.

What does a winter sports travel insurance policy include?

Standard travel insurance policies fall short of the cover you actually need for a winter sports holiday. Tag our winter sports add-on onto your Classic or Deluxe single trip policy and you’ll also be covered for:

• Loss, theft or damage of your own winter sports equipment
• Loss, theft of damage of ski pass
• Piste closure
• Avalanche or landslide
• Search and rescue
• Physiotherapy

You’ll find 17 days of winter sports cover included with our Classic and Deluxe Annual Multi-Trip policies.

If you’re a stickler for detail, you’ll find everything you need to know in our policy wording.

Why high-quality cover matters

When John¹ had a fall and needed urgent medical attention during his trip to America, he called our 24/7 medical emergency support team. We were able to reassure him that we would settle his bill directly with the hospital.

With no need to worry about finding the funds or paying for his treatment on a credit card, John was able to focus on what really mattered – feeling better.

If a medical-emergency bill comes to more than £350, we’ll do our best to pay the hospital directly whenever possible, so there’s one less thing for you to worry about.

Do I need travel insurance if I’m skiing in Europe?

Yes, you’ll need winter sports travel insurance if you plan on skiing, snowboarding, or taking part in any other winter sports activities in Europe.

Most winter sports activities aren’t covered by standard travel insurance policies because they’re seen as ‘high-risk’. This means that if you had a medical emergency on the piste, without specialist cover for winter sports, you might not be covered if you need any help.

A Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will give you access to free or subsidised healthcare while on holiday in certain European countries.

But, a GHIC/EHIC won’t cover the costs of getting home safely after a medical emergency should you need personal assistance. Nor will it protect you against the loss, damage or theft of winter sports equipment, having to cancel your trip, or cutting it short.

Do I need to tell you about my pre-existing medical conditions?

Yes, it’s really important to let us know about your health so we can personalise your cover to your needs.

Telling us about your health conditions is very straightforward and you can choose to do this online or over the phone.

If you have any worries about the type of questions we’ll ask, or the cover we offer, our friendly team is here to help. We’ll be happy to talk you through the medical questions step by step and explain anything you’re unsure of.

Do I need to have had all of my Covid jabs to be covered?

To be covered by winter sports travel insurance, you’ll need to have had all the vaccines you’ve been offered for Covid-19. This includes any booster jabs. If you can prove you are medically exempt you can also be covered.

If you’ve refused any doses of the vaccine, or haven’t been able to have a dose you’ve been offered by the NHS, you won’t be covered.