Everything you need to know about ski travel insurance

Did you know that if you take out a general travel insurance policy, you might not be covered for winter’s best ski activities?

With some travel insurance policies you may have to pay an extra premium to cover your time on the piste. You really need to be on your game when it comes to ski travel insurance.

Thankfully, it’s never been easier to get helpful information quickly, to compare travel insurance, to get online travel insurance or request travel insurance quotes.

To cut through all the small print and make it easy for you to understand – here’s a simple FAQ guide to help you choose the right ski insurance.

Is skiing covered by general travel insurance?
Generally, no. Most general travel insurance policies don’t include snow skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. Be sure to ask for additional ski cover when you get a travel insurance quote.

Why is ski travel Insurance an optional extra?
Accidents that happen on the slopes come with their own set of unique conditions. Put bluntly, medical responses to snow accidents are expensive, which you could otherwise be liable for.

Difficult terrain requires specialist personnel, equipment and aircraft. And medical evacuation might involve a helicopter transfer from a remote ski resort to a far away hospital. All of which is costly. Mountain rescues and medical evacuations can reach tens of thousands of dollars.

I’ve got ski cover so I’m totally covered, right?
Don’t go thinking that because you’ve shelled out for optional ski insurance that you’ll be able to do all kinds of weird and whacky stuff when you hit the slopes. Sorry (I’m feeling like a real party pooper here), but you need to keep it safe and abide by the policy restrictions, such as strictly skiing or snowboarding in safe areas of the piste.

Will I be covered if I ski out of bounds?
Most ski insurance policies don’t cover off-piste skiing. So if you’re cross-country skiing or snowboarding, you won’t be covered. Other policy restrictions include racing or participating in a professional capacity. Again, you won’t be covered.

Best to avoid the backcountry, unmarked or unpatrolled areas. And take special note of heli-skiing, cat-skiing and extreme skiing activities, which usually aren’t covered either.

But I’m a pro, surely I don’t need this insurance stuff?
It’s a tired saying, but it’s never been truer with travel: always expect the unexpected.

Whether you’re an experienced skier or snowboarder, accidents and injuries can still happen.

And there’s always the uncertainly of lost, stolen or damaged equipment, as well as other mishaps – which would be covered under ski travel insurance.

Is cover needed if I’m only skiing in Australia and New Zealand?
One of the main reasons to take out travel insurance is to protect you against high medical costs, especially in the USA.

And if you’re just skiing in Australia or New Zealand, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take out insurance. As mentioned before, responding to snow incidents is expensive, which you could otherwise be liable for.

Although New Zealand’s ACC provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover for all residents and visitors, it doesn’t cover everything. Ski insurance not only gives you peace of mind, but some insurers offer total coverage too — such as personal effects, delays, cancellations and incidentals not covered by ACC.

While ski travel insurance can seem a little overwhelming, it’s quite basic really. You’ve read the essentials here. Play it safe and stay within the resort boundaries, and you’ll be sorted. Get a travel insurance quote with NRMA now.