As we head into the winter months the attention of many travellers’ turns to the prospect of a winter sports holiday, but what does this mean for intermediaries like you who might have clients wanting protection on the slopes this year?

Why do people need winter sports cover?

The answer to this might seem relatively obvious in that strapping a pair of skis or a snowboard to your feet and aiming yourself down a mountain is riskier than lying on a sunny beach!

Obviously, this increase in risk is compounded by the fact that not only could your client injure themselves by falling, but there is also the risk that your client could be injured by someone else on the slopes hitting into them. This means that the frequency of an injury requiring medical treatment is far higher and when this is coupled with the speeds involved in skiing, it is likely that the severity of an injury is also higher than in other activities.

This, as you can tell, makes it necessary for insurers to apply an additional premium for those heading to the slopes.

Are there any other reasons for Winter Sports cover?

While the main risk for insurers is when people are actively taking part in activities on the mountain, there are several other elements that are covered by winter sports cover.

Your client’s ski passes are included as a part of the Ski Pack cover (along with ski lessons and ski hire). Under this section it is possible to claim any unused amounts due to bodily injury or illness that prevents your client from skiing or snowboarding.

Additionally, losing or having your ski-pass stolen is specifically covered under the policy and as a ski pass for a week can cost several hundred pounds this could be vital cover for your clients.

Damage to your client’s ski equipment while not in use, for instance whilst in transit, is covered, provided your ski equipment is under 5 years old.

Piste closure cover is also available if adverse weather, a complete lack of snow, or heightened risk of avalanche causes the ski lifts to close on your clients’ trip.

So, what do we mean by Winter Sports activities?

While activities such as on-piste skiing and snowboarding are naturally covered by taking the Winter Sports option, there are plenty of other sports that might not necessarily spring to mind when needing winter sports travel insurance, for example Cross country or Nordic skiing, or Glacier walking (under 2000m). Even things your clients might do incidentally outside of skiing such as sledging or tobogganing, or even if they go on a snowmobile.

Glacier walking at higher altitudes between 2000m and 4000m can also be covered providing the Voyager Plus Travel Insurance policy has Winter Sports cover and Action activities added.

Below is the full list of winter sports activities that can be covered as standard on a Voyager Plus policy:

• On-Piste Skiing or Snowboarding
• Ice Skating
• Snowmobiling
• Cross Country Skiing (Nordic Skiing)
• Sledging
• Tobogganing
• Off-Piste Skiing or Snowboarding
• Recreational Racing
• Snowblading
• Glacier Skiing
• Mono Skiing
• Big Foot Skiing and Glacier Walking (under 2000m)

What about Off-Piste Skiing or Snowboarding?

Off-piste skiing can be covered with winter sports cover, providing your clients follow all the local safety guidelines and all warnings are observed.

How long can people go skiing for?

On a short stay single trip basis, the maximum period someone can go skiing for is 31 days.

For annual multi-trips there is a maximum of 21 days winter sports cover over the year.

On long stay policies there is a maximum of 31 consecutive days. This means it must be for a continuous period of 31 days over the trip and not spread out in chunks over the period of cover. Often it is better on long stay policies for the client to travel abroad and then upgrade their policy while they are overseas when they know the dates they will be using the cover.

I have some older clients who want to go skiing, is it possible to get Winter Sports Cover for them?

Voyager Plus Travel Insurance with winter sports cover is able to insure people up to and including the age of 74.

My client has medical conditions, will this cause a problem?

Generally, there is no issue with having medical conditions and wanting winter sports cover, however there are some conditions that we cannot cover, the most well-known being Osteoporosis where an accident on the slopes could increase the risk of severe injury.

The reason we include Winter Sports at the beginning of the quote journey is to make sure that medical conditions are checked against medical screening to ensure your clients are paying the correct premium for their cover, if it is available.

It’s also worth noting that medical expenses claims can be higher in ski areas due to the potential need for piste rescue. If someone is unable to ski or snowboard off the mountain, or unable to take a chairlift down, then it can be necessary to use a helicopter to get an injured person off the slopes and to a medical centre. Depending on the area this is likely to cost thousands of pounds.

Likewise, many medical facilities and ambulances around ski resorts are in fact private facilities which can escalate costs, however where you are treated will depend on the severity of the medical emergency, for relatively minor injuries your client may well be moved to be treated in the nearest state facility.

Is rented ski equipment covered?

Ski equipment, whether it is yours, borrowed from a friend or family member, or hired, is covered. This cover applies only when the equipment is not in use i.e. skis are not covered whilst your client is skiing, however they are covered against damage or theft while they are not in use, i.e. having lunch, provided your client can meet the other terms and conditions.

What about the Carre Neige?

In France, your clients may be offered the opportunity to purchase a Carre Neige, a basic insurance policy providing cover on the mountain, however, the cover is more limited, in that it is designed to cover accidents on the piste while skiing or snowboarding and not necessarily anything unrelated, such as a pre-existing medical condition. The limit of indemnity is €50,000, which is significantly less than any level on Voyager Plus Travel Insurance.

It does also cover reimbursement of any unused days ski pass or lessons due to an accident requiring medical treatment. However, it doesn’t cover equipment, so it is again far more limited than Voyager Plus.

Should you have any queries regarding Voyager Plus Travel Insurance and its Winter Sports cover, or any of our other policies for that matter, our broker support team will be more than happy to help. You can contact them by calling +44 (0)1483 562 662.

Voyager Plus Travel Insurance is one of the most flexible travel insurance broker products on the market, giving you the power to cover more of your clients travel needs. The information here is correct at the time of publishing.