Foreign Office urges skiers to buy winter sports cover

A worrying number of Brits take skiing holidays without buying winter sports cover. A survey conducted by the Foreign Office has revealed that around a third of British skiers and snowboarders fail to buy winter sports cover when they go on holiday.

Skiing is a hazardous activity and accidents can happen. If you don't have winter sports cover and you need to be rescued from the slopes by a helicopter ambulance or repatriated back to the UK, you could be facing a bill that stretches into tens of thousands of pounds. For just a few pounds, winter sports cover can take care of these costs. Winter sports cover can also cover the cost of lost, damaged or stolen ski equipment, piste closure and avalanche closure.

In addition to winter sports cover, make sure you carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which entitles you to state provided healthcare. A common misconception is that an EHIC can be used instead of winter sports cover. This is not the case. An EHIC should always be carried in addition to comprehensive travel insurance, as your EHIC will never cover the cost of repatriation, a helicopter ambulance or transportation off the slopes.

The Foreign Office has also found that skiers often don't realise their travel insurance becomes invalid if they have an accident whilst under the influence of alcohol. In these cases, even people that have winter sports cover won't have their costs taken care of if they have an accident.

Many skiers enjoy apr's ski as much as skiing itself, but it's important to remember that alcohol consumed at high altitude can affect you differently. Never ski or snowboard whilst you are intoxicated - not only will your travel insurance become invalid, but it is more likely that you'll have an accident.

Another problem that skiers encounter when they travel with winter sports cover is that they often don't realise that their winter sports cover might not cover off-piste skiing. When you purchase winter sports cover, it's important to read through your policy wording carefully to determine what you will be covered for.

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