Good to know: what type of insurance do you need for a skiing trip?

Extreme sports-related travel plans are of above-average risk and require greater attention when insuring. What should you consider when taking out insurance for your skiing holiday, to make sure you are protected against the unexpected?

Accidents can happen – but they tend to happen more often on a ski slope than on a normal holiday. Therefore, when taking out travel insurance, it is crucial to choose a sufficient amount of medical assistance insurance. The minimum insurance amount could be € 500,000, as medical costs are very high in many destinations. For example, ski resorts in France, Switzerland, and Austria usually have private medical services that are many times more expensive than the standard system.

According to Alver Kivirüüt, Head of the Products Department at LHV Insurance, depending on the accident, medical costs can be very high, even for minor injuries. ‘In our experience, we have also seen cases where the cost of a foot injury sustained on a skiing trip in Europe has reached up to € 30,000. It is therefore worth considering that travel insurance should also be taken out when travelling to neighbouring countries, such as Finland, which is a popular destination for skiers. It is often believed that the European Health Insurance Card provides adequate protection when travelling – but if an accident happens on a ski slope and you need medical transport and separate airline tickets, these are not covered by the Health Insurance Card,’ said Kivirüüt.

When going on a skiing holiday, it’s worth choosing liability and legal expenses insurance as additional cover – this will help in the event of an accident involving another skier. ‘A skiing trip generally requires the conclusion of sports insurance, but it’s always worth checking the terms and conditions of your travel insurance to make sure the activities are covered. Please note that the insurance does not cover skiing outside of official trails. However, it is possible to insure pre-purchased ski slope tickets in the case that the mountain is closed due to bad weather,’ Kivirüüt added.

If you are taking skis or other equipment with you, you should take out baggage insurance for a higher amount than for a normal holiday – especially if you are travelling via a connecting flight. ‘We have noticed that people tend to underestimate the value of their luggage and opt for less insurance cover. It should be noted that hand luggage, together with the items and equipment contained therein, is also protected. It is often thought that there is no point in insuring your hand luggage, as it is not so easy to lose during a flight. However, baggage insurance is valid not only on the plane but also in hotels and when travelling elsewhere,’ said Kivirüüt.

When choosing the amount of travel disruption cover you should calculate the total cost of the trip – transport, accommodation, local costs, and slope tickets. It’s also worth increasing the cost of the trip a little, in case you unexpectedly need to buy new airline tickets, which are often more expensive than originally planned.

It is worth taking out travel insurance as soon as possible after you have paid for your trip, as travel insurance coverage starts 72 hours after you sign the contract. This means that if you buy travel insurance the day before your trip and you fall ill or have an accident on the morning of the day of your trip, the insurance has not yet kicked in and the cost of your trip cannot be reimbursed. However, if you take out travel insurance earlier, the price is the same and the travel disruption insurance is valid for a longer period.