Insurance considerations are the focus of this installment of our learn to ski guide.

Accidents happen, and a third of all skiers do not purchase insurance to protect themselves from what could end up being thousands of dollars worth of medical and rescue bills.

Stolen or broken equipment, baggage loss, piste closure, personal liability and repatriation could also leave you out of pocket.

These are all reasons why purchasing an insurance policy for your ski trip makes the best sense.  Choosing from the huge range of policies, however, can be tricky.

The first thing you should take into account is the type of skier you are.  If you’re a beginner or inexperienced skier, or someone happy to stick to the piste at all times, you’ll find basic policies will suit your requirements, even the cheapest ones.  Such policy prices start at approximately $30 and can be bought direct from the travel agent you book your holiday with or even from some supermarkets.

If you’re a more advanced skier, and wish to engage in some off-piste, heli-skiing or cat-skiing, you’ll need to find a policy specific to the activities you wish to do.  {Premiums can be significantly more expensive in line with the increased risk or danger and you should expect to have to use a specialist insurance provider to be fully covered.}

You must also consider how much coverage you need.  Within a policy of insurance, there can be different bands of coverage, whether or not your activities change.  For example $1,000,000 medical expenses on a premium policy or $250,000 for a basic policy.  While a cheaper policy may save you money initially, it is important to check out how much in excess payments on claims made you could be responsible for, as these costs can be significant.

No matter what policy or coverage you elect, you must purchase your policy before you travel, or it will not be valid.  Auditors always ask for proof of travel, such as air tickets, to guard against people buying insurance after their accident.

Finally, be very wary of the small print involved in ski holiday insurance policies and know exactly what you‘re covered for.  The best protection is to thoroughly read the proposed policy and ask questions before agreeing, by your signature, to purchase it.

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