FCO recommends ski travel insurance
Posted in General on 26 January 2012
New research from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has shown that 1 in 5 travellers taking part in winter sports do not take out appropriate ski travel insurance.
According to the FCO, every year there are numerous incidents where people have to pay huge medical bills after an accident on the slopes either because they not realised that winter sports may not be automatically covered under their policy or they have not bought travel insurance at all.
The costs of an incident on the slopes could be significant as a fractured leg while skiing or snowboarding in the US could incur a medical bill of up to £40,000. Claims data from Snowcard for the 2010 season has shown that the average cost per claim (excluding claims under £100) was £1,700. They also noted that the average cost of small claims has increased to £500 due to the rise in costs of medical treatment in the Alps.
It is worth noting that not all ski resorts have state-owned medical facilities and the EHIC may be refused by some private clinics, meaning the injured party may have to provide a credit card in order to be treated, if they do not have adequate winter sports cover.
Lynda St. Cooke from the FCO stated ‘We strongly advise anyone hitting the slopes this winter to take out comprehensive travel insurance and make sure you have an up-to-date European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)’ she went on to add ‘If you’re unlucky enough to have an accident and you’re not covered, you could find yourself thousands of pounds out of pocket’
All Voyager Travel Insurance Annual Multi-trip polices include 21 days winter sports cover as standard, covering you not only for and medical expenses if you are injured on the piste but also for the loss or damage of any of your ski equipment whether it is hired or your own.
Winter sports cover can be added to single trip or long stay policies with the payment of an additional premium.
Author: Adam
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