Don't let a slip up on the slopes this winter bruise your finances, too
By Laura Pullman
More than 200,000 British holidaymakers will hit the slopes this winter without proper ski insurance.
Of the one million who head to the mountains every year, around 110,000 don’t bother taking cover; 50,000 have insurance that won’t protect them, and 40,000 simply forget to take any at all.
On top of that, some may now be caught out because they fail to wear a helmet.
Leading insurer Essential Travel has become the first UK company to adopt a ‘no helmet, no cover’ policy.
Other firms may follow suit by refusing to pay for injuries if skiers have not worn recommended safety equipment.
To wear a helmet or not is rapidly becoming the sport’s big issue.
In Italy it is compulsory for anyone under 14 to wear one and in Slovenia and Norway helmets are mandatory for children under 13.
However, as yet no resort in Europe has a rule for adults.
According to the Ski Club Of Great Britain, having a helmet reduces the severity of head injuries in 50 pc of cases.
Former British Olympic skier and founder of ski holiday company YSE, Fiona Easdale, says: ‘My husband wears a helmet and my children have always worn them, but I don’t. I think my reactions are quicker without one.
‘Helmets can give you a false sense of security and you are less aware of what is happening around you. I can hear the snowboard scrape behind me.
‘I still think it should be personal choice. I agree that wearing helmets is probably safer overall, but I don’t think the argument is so compelling it should be compulsory.’
Helmets can usually be rented from the same companies which hire skis and boots. Intersport charges around £14 a week.
Ski insurance is vital if you’re heading to a resort this winter. According to AXA Direct Insurance, for every 1,000 people skiing or snowboarding in a day, an average of four will require medical attention.
If you are unlucky enough to have a serious fall that leaves you injured, the costs of mountain rescue, emergency operations and hospital fees can quickly rack up into tens of thousands of pounds.
Bob Atkinson, travel expert at comparison website MoneySupermarket, recommends skiers take policies with at least £2 million worth of medical expenses cover.
Standard cover with the Ski Club Of Great Britain’s non-members’ insurance is £2 million.
On top of medical treatment, repatriation costs — that is, the price of flying you home — can be eye-wateringly expensive, particularly if you’re on holiday in the U.S.
According to Esure, it costs £8,000 to get on to home soil, while a flight back on a stretcher from the U.S. can cost up to £25,000.
The majority of winter sports complaints that the Financial Ombudsman Service receives are about the costs of repatriation. A number of these grievances are from people who have had to shell out for a second plane seat for a broken leg, only to find their policy did not cover this additional bill.
If you accidentally crash into someone on the slopes and injure them, you could be sued for negligence.
This is standard practice in the U.S. and is becoming increasingly common in Europe, so make sure your policy includes third-party liability. Without cover for this scenario, the financial damage could be vast. If skiing in America, cover of £2 million is recommended.
Also, check your policy covers being rescued from the slopes if you get into trouble, either because of injury or because you got lost.
Forking out for a helicopter rescue will set you back around £1,500 and being carried down the mountain on a ambulance sledge costs approximately £200, insurer Esure says.
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles you to state healthcare throughout Europe and Switzerland.
However, your EHIC cover won’t cover your flight home, air ambulance rescue or extras such as hotel bills.
A lack of snow is an increasing problem for skiers, so it pays to know what your policy covers.
Policies that do typically pay you a small sum for the inconvenience. For example, 52 pc of policies offer between £20 and £34 per day and 15 pc of policies offer a daily limit over £35.
To claim this, you’ll need to provide proof that the slopes were closed and why.
Check small print as some companies provide cover only if the piste is closed for more than 24 hours, while others pay out if the closure is for more than 12 hours.
At the other end of the spectrum, if there is too much snow, whole resorts can be closed down and evacuated due to avalanche risk.
DailyMail
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