Skiing Insurance

Travel Insurance is essential, not optional, if you are heading off on a winter sports holiday.
Terrifying figures from AA drive home the point that taking chances on the slopes without adequate insurance could cost you a fortune.

Helicopter mountain rescue, at about £20 a minute flying time, works out at £500-£1,000 in Europe and £1,000-£2,500 in the US. Manipulation treatment of a dislocated shoulder, meanwhile, costs up to £2,000 in Europe and £10,000 in the US, while flying you back to Britain from Europe with a fractured hip can hit £10,000 and double that from North America.

Do not assume your "free" bank account insurance, or the annual policy you took out for a beach holiday, will cover you unless it specifically includes winter sports cover.

Many medical costs in Europe may be covered by the free European Health Insurance Card (Ehic), but it is not a suitable substitute for travel insurance on a winter sports trip. The Ehic will not pay to get you down off the mountain, for example, nor will it necessarily pay for all transport costs and medical treatment you may need if injured, and of course it won't cover you for lost baggage, cancellation or having to cut your holiday short.

Top tips

• Ski insurers are increasingly recommending that policyholders wear ski helmets. So far, however, Essential Travel is the only insurer to have made it mandatory for the skiers it insures.

• Keep a note of your travel policy number, emergency number and Ehic number on you, perhaps in your mobile phone. Make sure more than one person has these details if travelling in a group or as a family.

• Always abide by local rules on, for example, wearing helmets and dos and don'ts for pistes or snowboarding parks. Insurers have the right to withdraw cover if you have an accident when failing to follow local rules or skiing against local authoritative advice .

• Look after your ski equipment – if you leave it in an unattended vehicle, for example, it may mean you are uninsured, and if your equipment is stolen you need a police report in order to claim, and keep receipts where appropriate.

• If you have arranged your own holiday, rather than booking through a tour operator, check your cover is comprehensive enough for problems such as delayed departure or additional accommodation if you are unable to get home.

• When purchasing an annual policy, check if there is a limit on the winter sports cover – some may restrict it to, for example, 17 days each year.

• Be aware that insurers can refuse to pay out medical costs if you were "under the influence of alcohol" when you had an accident. It may make you think twice about having a beer or Glühwein with your lunch at the mountain cafe