Apres-ski rules for skiers who never set foot on the slopes

Every fourth skier or snowboarder is uninsured for injury to themselves or others, warns moneysupermarket.com.

With the winter sports season getting underway, a survey reveals that while skiers and snowboarders spend an average four hours a day cutting tracks through the powder, a surprising one in five (18 per cent) of those who head off on ski holidays don’t spend a single moment on the slopes.

It seems men demand more bang for their buck and spend half an hour more a day on the slopes than women, according the poll commissioned by moneysupermarket.com, the price comparison website. The Scottish are also the most likely to be out on the piste, spending nearly five hours a day on the snow, compared to Northerners who spend around three and a half hours a day.

While spending time on the slopes is important for most skiers and snowboarders, travel insurance is not a high priority. One in eight (12 per cent) skiers and snowboarders do not take out travel insurance while another 16 per cent do not take out essential winter sports cover, meaning every fourth slope-user is not insured for injury to themselves or other people. A further 22 per cent of those who have been to a ski resort could not remember if they had taken insurance, leaving only half of respondents who were sure they had taken out adequate travel insurance for their trip.

Peter Gerrard, researcher at moneysupermarket.com, said: "The après ski spirit makes up an important part of most ski trips, but it’s surprising how many holidaymakers now go for the glühwein and good times alone and never even set foot on the slopes. However the millions of people who do take advantage of the chance to perfect their twists and turns cannot afford to skimp on their travel insurance. While some people may not realise they need extra cover for winter sports, it seems that many are prepared to take a huge financial risk, both to themselves and potentially to other skiers.”

Gerrard continued: “It is a little known fact that virtually every travel insurance policy on the market includes a clause that says if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time an incident occurred, you may not be able to make a claim as your policy may be rendered invalid. Of course, there will be plenty of people taking advantage of the après ski on offer but it is extremely important that people try to be sensible about alcohol consumption, particularly when returning to the ski slopes after a drink or two."

Other research findings reveal:

Twice as many Londoners (34 per cent) have been skiing compared to Northerners (17 per cent)

Those from the Midlands and Wales are least likely to hit the slopes at all when they visit a ski resort. A quarter (24 per cent) said they didn’t spend any time on the slopes. This is compared to 12 per cent of Northerners who failed to hit the slopes.

Those in Scotland are the most likely to forego any type of insurance with 37 per cent saying they didn’t not take any cover for their ski trip.

moneysupermarket.com recommends you take at least the following level of cover for ski holidays:

Medical Expenses: £2million
Personal Liability: £1million
Cancellation: £3,000
Baggage: £1,500
Cash: £250

You should also check the small print for the following ski cover:

Ski equipment
Ski hire
Piste closure
Inability to ski due to accident
Inability to ski due to sickness or the loss or theft of your ski pass
Avalanche closure