Sunday, November 30, 2008

A Look at Travel Insurance Winter Sports

By Jerremy Grey

It doesn't take very long for the mountains in many European countries to go from a pleasant green to white as the snow falls getting the resorts ready for a new season of skiing. Last season's poor snow record is already forgotten as large amounts of snow have already fallen across Europe and elsewhere.

By its very nature, skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous and that is part of the excitement and it is not uncommon for many accidents to occur each season irrespective of the experience level of the person involved. Of course, winter sports insurance packages are available although you will often find that regular travel insurance will cover most skiers or snowboarders if they fall into the novice and intermediate categories.

This is the vast bulk of the market and yes, accidents do happen but they are more likely to be in a controlled fashion, by that we mean on well groomed slopes, with assistance and help on hand. The problem area is when the skier or snowboarder gains in confidence and skill and wants to seek greater challenges and with it more thrills which generally means tackling ever more severe slopes but also to venture into what is loosely termed 'off piste'. This is why the travel insurance cover generally stops at this point and more specialized winter sports insurance is required to cover the more serious skier.

Skiers who require that extra element of danger need to know in advance what restrictions will be placed on them if they wish to have winter insurance cover; so they may only be covered if they stay within the local area or have a guide with them when venturing off the regular runs. As newer types of challenges have arisen like 'half pipes' as just one example; risks have increased for skiers that want to try something different.

To make sure you are properly covered for these more extreme sports activities, it is essential that winter sports insurance is obtained that offers protection to this level of activity. Some people have travel insurance that is included in their credit cards or bank accounts for example but these can often be cut down examples and may not include winter sports insurance as part of the package so checking this before your journey is an absolute must.

There are many companies who offer a winter sports holiday insurance policy as a standalone package but it is important to compare features during the quoting process to see exactly what you are getting for your money. These travel insurance policies include cover for loss or damage to skiing equipment whether hired or owned and can even pay out if the resort does not have any snow.

Winter sports insurance packages are more likely to be required by competent to expert skiers as their risk of injury is considerably higher even with their experience and the locations they are injured in are often more remote. There is no good contemplating this information as you are being taken down the mountain on a stretcher with a broken leg so be smart and sort this out before you travel.

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