Asthma sufferers at risk on skiing holidays?

Asthma sufferers could find themselves at risk on their winter skiing holiday if they have not declared their condition when buying travel insurance.

Most standard travel insurance policies will not pay claims if an asthma attack is triggered by the altitude changes or extreme cold when skiing on holiday. If the attack happens on a mountain, many policies will not cover mountain rescue or hospital bills, leaving the claimant with a massive bill. The key is to buy a specific winter sports travel insurance policy and to make sure you fully declare your asthma, even if it is fully controlled and you haven’t had an attack for years.

Fiona Macrae Operations Director of Insurancewith.com a specialist travel insurance provider for people with pre existing medical conditions says “It is so important to make sure you are purchasing the correct policy for your needs. Different types of holidays need different types of cover - a skiing holiday is different to a holiday on a cruise ship which is different to a holiday lying on a beach. For example if you are on a cruise you will need cover for ship-to-shore repatriation, and on a skiing holiday you will need cover for mountain rescue. You must also declare all your medical conditions no matter how well controlled or insignificant you consider them to be”

A recent survey by ABTA found that 1 in 5 UK holiday makers are travelling uninsured.