Ski Insurance

Some interesting information on ski insurance appeared in todays Guardian newspaper in the UK.

The article states that 1.2 million people in the UK go skiing/boarding each year and that a staggering 14% of these don’t have insurance. That is 168,000 people….!!! That really surprises me!

As the article goes on to say, injuring yourself abroad can be costly, a broken leg in France, £3,000, in the US, £25,000. That (in both cases) is a lot of money. The average claim after an accident it around £1,200. Most accidents occur for boarders between the age of 18 and 29, and 40 to 49 for skiers. (That is an interesting, and weird, stat!)

Now, when I injured myself (see earlier post) I didn’t need to be ‘taken’ off the mountain (I could ski the last 150 m), however, if you do need a ‘lift’ (by skidoo or helicopter) you can be looking at £300 (skidoo) or £2,000 (helicopter). Now in European resorts your E111 (if you are a European citizen – also called the European health insurance card or EHIC) won’t cover the ‘lift’ off the mountain and may only cover medical expenses in some of the EU countries. Also, it only covers around 70% of the cost (may depend on country) and may only cover the first hospital visit (again, check for the country). Therefore make sure you insurance is adequate!

General advice seems to be you should have at least £1m cover for skiing in Europe and £2m for the US.

For ski insurance it is worth checking out American Express Insurance, which is mentioned in the Guardian story.

Actually, why not read the full story in the Guardian as it is full of good advice… The Full Story