Introduction
There is a misconception that Ski Travel Insurance, like Motor Insurance, has become commoditised and they are all the same. They are not and there are many differences between providers.
Get your motor insurance wrong and you could loose your car, get your travel insurance wrong and you could loose your house, especially with the high costs associated with a ski injury.
Tip 1 - Consider a policy from a specialist provider, don’t always choose the cheapest, and read the policy wording.
Emergency Medical Expenses
This is the big one, why? because ski injuries are about 60% of all claims for ski insurance.
It pays for the ancillary expenses of local emergency medical treatment, ambulance and return home costs if necessary, if you are injured or suddenly become ill.
Mountain rescue would also be considered under this section, however many policies are silent on this point, nevertheless they seem to pay out. Make sure it also covers the threat of exposure.
Tip 2 - Be aware that Travel Insurance is for emergency medical treatment and you should us the EHIC where possible. It is not a replacement to private health insurance.
Personal Liability
What happens if you accidently ski into someone? - you can be sued. Ski and Travel insurance will pay for the amount they sue (if successful) plus legal costs.
This part is of equal in importance to Medical Expenses. Fortunately the frequency of claims is low but when they happen the amounts claimed and the legal costs are eye wateringly high.
This should also cover damaged to holiday accommodation which in France is a legal requirement.
Tip 3 - Look for a policy that does not exclude you accidently injuring a travelling companion (this does not extend to family), many do, and also covers trip accommodation.
Medical Conditions
What if you have a medical condition(s)
Providers have varying degrees of exclusions relating to medical conditions which exist prior to buying insurance.
Some insurers make pre existing medical conditions an exclusion, which means you can still buy the policy and travel with the condition excluded. Alternatively you can declare the condition for consideration.
Others make it a requirement that you advise insures of any pre-existing medical condition(s), whether or not you wish that condition to be insured, so you must comply with this condition otherwise you may not be insured at all.
Tip 4 - Don’t be frightened of telling the Insurance Company. Most of the time they will agree to cover you, sometimes they may ask for an extra premium, but at least you know you are covered. If you don’t tell them, any claim relating to that condition may not be paid, or in some cases even an unrelated claim may not be paid.
Cancellation – by you
If you can’t go on your trip usually because you are sick or injured, insurance will pay for your flight and accommodation and any other cost that you may not get back from the Tour Organiser etc.
Tip 5 - Check the amount insured (sums Insured) is enough, some trips can cost a lot more than the amount Travel Insurance policies provide. If your trip costs more, ask the Insurer if the sums insured can be extended or look around.
Cancellation – by Airline or Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO)
If your airline goes bust (you must book direct) or the FCO has recommended not to travel to the destination you have booked, some travel insurance polices will cover these cancellations, many won’t.
Tip 6 - Check the policy you buy does, this is very important in the current climate.
Off Piste Skiing
There is a lot of confusion about this and there are a myriad of different wordings in the market.
At MPI Brokers it is one of the features that sets us apart form others. Michael our MD, who has been skiing since a child, and as a Ski Club of Great Britain Rep, much of it off piste, considers it is inappropriate for Ski Insurance to control your activity. Insurance should cover you for what you do, not the other way round. If as a result the premium is a little higher, so be it. There is no point in buying partial cover. ..Read More
Tip 7- Avoid policies with ‘Off Piste’ exclusions.
Ski Racing and Competitions
Most polices to not cover any form of Racing or Competition which would include a local village race.
Tip 8 -You won’t be allowed to enter a race without prove of insurance so check this out before departure and you will need to go to one of the specialist providers as not many will cover this.
Carte Neige and EHIC
There is a misconception by some skiers that the French insurance, Carte Neige, and the EHIC (The reciprocal health agreement within the EU) is all one needs.
Carte Neige is not travel insurance, it is a sports injury policy, with very limited cover, and the EHIC is limited by the agreement to c. 80% of in patient hospital costs. This varies in different EU counties.
Tip 9 - The Foreign and Common Wealth Office advice people to take out Travel Insurance in addition to the EHIC and the same applies to Carte Neige. So as we have advised in Tip 7 there is no point in being partially insured.
Ski Equipment
Many polices do not cover skis left outside a restaurant at lunch time nor damage in use. I had an occasion to ask an underwriter with such an exclusion what we were supposed to do with our skis. He advised they should be taken inside the restaurant!
Tip 10 - This exclusion is shown in polices as ‘items left unattended or ‘left in a public place’. It is your choice whether or not to buy ski insurance with this exclusion, but at least you will know. You will be offered ‘insurance’ by the ski hire shop, take it if you wish it saves a lot of hassle and many are now introducing an excess, may be as high as £100 which you would then claim off your ski insurance.
