Don’t be caught out by poor ski insurance cover

Despite many European resorts reporting excellent skiing conditions, things can still go wrong when you take to the slopes.

Equipment can go missing, pistes can be closed or avalanches can disrupt travel arrangements, so skiers are advised to check the cover offered before buying winter sports travel insurance, says Defaqto.

Single trip insurance cover can either be purchased as a standard winter sports policy, but can also be obtained by adding on the winter sports option to an ordinary single trip policy. If you do this, you can expect to pay the same again for the privilege. Skiers planning to go skiing more than once a year should consider an annual policy.

If an avalanche delays departure to or from your resort, nearly 80% of policies pay some level of compensation, with around one in five paying £200, around one in ten paying £500 and one paying a massive £1,000.

If you are unlucky enough to find yourself at a resort where the snowfall isn’t sufficient to keep the piste or pistes open, your policy could compensate you in part for the disappointment. Almost half of all policies pay out up to £200 in total and just over a quarter are capped at £300. Some even go as high as £600, but a few pay nothing at all.

If you can travel to an alternative resort where you can ski, you may be able to claim travel expenses instead, although an eighth of policies don’t offer this cover and the rest pay between £10 and £50 a day, with again, half offering just £20 a day.

Mike Powell, Principal Consultant - General Insurace at Defaqto, said: “When selecting a travel policy to cover winter sports, remember that while personal liability, medical expenses and ski equipment cover are obviously important, in this time of disturbed weather patterns, it’s worth checking you have realistic cover for piste closure and travel to an alternative location.”