Whether you’re going snowboarding in Australia or skiing overseas there is always an element of risk involved. With mountain rescues costing tens of thousands of dollars, you don’t want to let a slip on the slopes ruin your winter holiday.
If you think a standard travel insurance policy will provide adequate cover for your winter sports holiday then think again. It is all in the fine print, literally.
The guys at Comparetravelinsurance.com.au provide unbiased travel insurance information and compare a range of basic, mid range and comprehensive policies across twenty two insurance brands including 1Cover, Citibank, Budget Direct, Ski Insurance, Under 30, WorldCare and Virgin Money.
They clearly know travel insurance so we asked marketing manager, Natalie Smith, what to look out for when purchasing insurance for a ski holiday.
What does ski insurance cover?
Ski insurance covers all the usual stuff included in a comprehensive policy such as unlimited emergency medical assistance, lost luggage, cancellation cover, personal liability, resumption of journey, theft of cash and more.
However a ski policy also includes the following tailored benefits too:
Emergency rescue – A helicopter ride off a snowy mountain could set you back upwards of $10,000. Most insurers will cover medical evacuation to the nearest hospital or depending upon the seriousness of the injury, back home.
Ski pack reimbursement – Any ski passes, lift passes, equipment hire and ski lessons that you don’t use can be reimbursed by your ski insurance if you become ill, injured or if your pass is lost or stolen.
Piste closure because of bad weather – Ski insurance will cover your pre-paid travel and accommodation arrangements if you have to cancel due to adverse weather conditions or avalanche closure.
Luggage and ski equipment – Ski insurance covers your ski equipment and the cost to hire alternative equipment if your gear gets damaged. Make sure you know the cover limits in your policy – if you’ve got really expensive gear you might need extra cover.
Ski equipment hire excess -Some insurers will refund your ski equipment hire and the cost of repairing the equipment, whichever is the lesser, if the equipment you have hired is damaged or stolen.
Black runs – Insurers do cover you when you’re skiing on a black run as long as you keep within the resort boundaries.
What does ski insurance not cover?
If you’re an adrenaline junkie – make sure that all your riskier ski activities are covered before you leave.
If you’re skiing off-piste in dangerous grounds then you might find yourself without cover. A few insurers will cover off-piste with a professional snow instructor but make sure you check first.
Après ski –No travel insurance policy covers you if you injure yourself, or lose items when you’re intoxicated.
Heli-skiing/boarding, cat skiing, bob sleighing and mountaineering are typically not covered, but some insurers will if you pay an additional premium. These do vary between insurers so check your policies’ benefits.
Any luggage or ski equipment that is lost or stolen when it was left unattended would not be covered by travel insurance. However, if your skis were stolen when they were locked away in a locker or in a hotel luggage room before you’ve checked out, then you would be covered – provided you told the resort and the police immediately.
Always read the fine print
Like with all insurance policies the devils in the detail. The level of cover and exclusions varies between policies so it’s important to read the policy document (PDS) before purchasing.
Have you been stuck in a rut overseas without ski insurance? How much did it cost you?
The most important aspect to consider are the insurer’s definitions. Some define “piste” as a groomed run in a resort. Some define “piste” as a “named run”. There are also varying definitions of “back country”.
I’ve done a lot of research into this and I’m lucky enough to have some on the side legal insurance advice. Basically if you want to go backcountry outside USA and Canada then get insure4less and choose the backcountry option. If you want to go backcountry within USA and Canada your options are very limited. Even “skiinsurance.com.au” won’t cover you outside resort boundaries. You can either choose bupa ipa uk at an exorbitant rate or else find any policy which doesn’t exclude backcountry skiing and boarding. If they don’t exclude it they have to cover it… Goodluck. It’s a tough gig getting good coverage for a decent bc trip!
Also be aware of selecting issurance policies which don’t mention that they exclude off piste or bc but are underwritten by the same underwriters who also have specific ski policies that do exclude these activities. If you call them and ask about the generic politicies (which are usually half the price of the ski specific policies) but don’t exclude the bc and off piste activities they will either direct you to their extremely limiting and pricy ski policy or else tell you that if you take out the generic policy and you do have an accident in the bc that it would fall under the general negligence / not taking proper precautions to keep yourself safe clause…. You could risk it with one of the policies and fight it out if it actually happens, however it’s possible you’d end up with a huge shit fight on your hands regarding this proper precautions clause. Best to find a different provider altogether.