Travel Insurance for Skiing Explained
Skiing trips are among the most common getaways for active travelers during the winter. Hence why many travel insurance providers are now building plans specifically with these travelers in mind.
Whether you’re heli-skiing, cross-country skiing, or anything in between, it’s important to know the risks involved and how to protect yourself financially if things don’t go according to plan.
Squaremouth shares the best travel insurance benefits for skiers, and how plans can provide much needed peace of mind on the slopes.
What Should I Look for When Buying Ski Travel Insurance?
The most important thing when searching for a ski travel insurance plan is to make sure skiing is a covered activity. Oftentimes, insurance companies will often list inherently dangerous sports like skiing and snowboarding in their exclusions. This means that medical coverage and baggage protection wouldn’t apply if something were to happen during your trip.
When searching for a travel insurance plan, look specifically for policies that feature the Sports & Activities benefit. These plans are built for adventure, and will extend valuable benefits to those participating in risky sports like skiing. Even with this benefit, though, it’s still important to double check the exclusions and make sure that your ski plans are covered by a policy.
Do I Need Travel Medical Insurance For My Ski Vacation?
Few countries or ski resorts will require that you show proof of medical coverage. If you’re a U.S. resident or citizen taking a ski trip within the USA, your primary health insurance will likely cover medical emergencies that occur during your trip.
However, for those without health insurance or those taking an international trip, getting coverage for medical care and medical expenses is highly recommended.
Whether you’re an experienced skier or a beginner, injuries can happen on any run. This is especially true for those that enjoy backcountry skiing or going off-piste.
Squaremouth recommends skiers consider buying a travel insurance plan that includes strong Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage.
Emergency Medical may cover the cost of hospital bills, ambulance rides, x-rays, and other medical expenses. Specifically, we recommend a plan with at least $100,000 in Emergency Medical coverage.
Medical Evacuation can provide reimbursement for emergency transportation services if a treating physician deems it necessary to receive care at a more adequate facility. Some plans also include reimbursement for repatriation of remains. Given the potentially high costs of these evacuations, we recommend a policy with at least $250,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage.
What Other Travel Insurance Benefits Should I Consider?
The vast majority of Squaremouth customers purchase single trip comprehensive travel insurance plans that include a wide-range of benefits that may also be valuable to skiers. When you get a quote for your trip, we recommend finding a plan with the following features:
- Trip Cancellation: If you get sick or injured before your ski trip, this benefit can reimburse up to 100% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses. This can include prepaid lift tickets, lodging, and flights. Cancellation policies also include Trip Interruption coverage, which can reimburse you if you need to cut your trip short due to an illness or injury, such as an injury that occurs while skiing.
- Sports Equipment Coverage: Can cover loss or damage to your skis, snowboard, or other winter sports equipment during your trip. Some policies may also cover the cost to rent equipment to cover your loss.
- 24 Hours Assistance Services: All providers found on Squaremouth offer support before, during, and after a trip. Providers can be reached at anytime to help with a broad range of services, medical referrals, and monitoring, legal assistance, arrangement of medical evacuations and pre-trip assistance, among others.
To search for travel insurance for skiing, travelers can use Squaremouth’s Adventure Travel Insurance activity selection matrix.