A Snow-Brainer?
Yet a staggering one in four British skiers plan to hit the slopes without any travel insurance at all, with one in twenty assuming an EHIC is sufficient [travelbite.co.uk: 25/01/08]. These uninsured travellers must be unaware of the repercussions of not having the right ski insurance - either that or they are just adhering to the immortal famous last words âitâll never happen to meâ...
But what if it does happen? After all, of the 1 in 20 ski insurance policyholders who claim, none would have predicted any imminent misfortune.
Like any sports, winter sports and activities run the risk of accidents, no matter how experienced the skier may be. Even if youâre not worried about having cover for ski equipment, piste closure, and all the other benefits that can be included in a ski insurance policy, medical cover is crucial.
You may be a world class pro with thirty years of skiing experience under your belt, but that would not prevent a disoriented novice stumbling into your path without warning. Before you know it, you could have a broken leg and need an airlift to hospital, which could set you back in excess of £2,000. Thatâs before youâve considered any medical costs that may arise - a broken leg in the USA could cost £20,000 [Harvey Jones: 25/01/08], if not more.
Itâs also worth checking what is actually covered under a ski insurance policy. Some ski insurance providers cover certain winter sports and activities that other ski insurance providers may in fact exclude. For example, within all of its ski insurance policies, Direct Travel Insurance cover/some policies will cover heli-skiing and tobogganing, whereas many other travel insurance policies will not. Another common ski activity is off-piste skiing, which most companies restrict by stipulating that you must be accompanied by a guide at all time. However, a handful of providers, such as Direct Travel Insurance, can cover lone off-piste skiing providing you donât go against local authority advice.
Arguably, quality of cover is more important than low price when it comes to ski insurance, but thatâs not to say you canât get both. Be wary of ridiculously low prices, as they are likely to come with ridiculously low cover to match, but decent ski insurance for an adult planning to ski for a week in Europe, can be had for about £20.00, with Annual cover kicking off at around £45.00. Donât get fooled into paying over the odds either, as high prices can be misleading and do not always reflect the level of cover.
Of course, itâs a free choice as to whether you take ski insurance out or not, but it really seems like a no-brainer â a £22,000 bill or a £22.00 (if that) ski insurance policyâ¦?
Rob James is the communication co-ordinator for Direct Travel, providers of holiday and ski insuranceThis article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_475766_32.html
Keywords: airlift, british skiers, broken leg, direct travel, ehic, famous last words, harvey jones, insurance policy, insurance policyholders, insurance providers, medical costs, misfortune, repercussions, ski equipment, ski insurance, skier, skis
, stint, travel insurance policies, winter sports.