Ski and snowboard holiday travel insurance (2023)

Outdoor vacations like skiing and snowboarding offer levels of fun for all ages. Additionally, cold-weather destinations often offer resort settings, shopping, dining, other outdoor experiences, and more.

But along with the joy of skiing and snowboarding, there's also an element of risk, not just from injury, but from weather delays and lost bags spoiling your vacation.

To be prepared, you can purchase a widetravel insurance planwhich offers important benefits such as coverage for trip cancellation, medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation and much more.

Winter Sports Vacation Cancellation

Ski and snowboard vacations are an exciting getaway to plan and look forward to, especially if you're traveling with friends or family. Whether the trip is to Utah or Whistler, there is always the possibility that something unexpected could happen and ruin the trip. For example, if a week before your trip you trip and fall while walking your dog and break your wrist, you can file a trip cancellation claim.

trip cancellation insuranceYou can reimburse non-refundable prepaid expenses that you will miss out on, such as airline tickets, airline tickets, hotel stays, and transportation.

Other acceptable reasons for a trip cancellation claim often include illness, death in the immediate family, bad weather, unexpected jury duty, and acts of terrorism.

Not all reasons will be covered by a standard travel insurance policy if you cancel. For example, if you're traveling with three friends and you have a big fight, you can't ask to cancel the trip.

If you want more flexibility to change your mind about taking a trip, consider“Cancel for any reason” coverage🇧🇷 This is an upgrade to a standard insurance policy and typically adds 50% to the cost. This gold standard of cancellation insurance allows you to cancel for any reason as long as you cancel at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure time. You will receive a partial refund for your lost non-refundable deposits, typically 75%.

snow delay

“Bad weather regularly interferes with flights and airports during the winter months,” says Christine Buggy, a spokeswoman for Travelex Insurance Services. “Snow, blizzards, and even ice can delay or disrupt your flights at an airport.”

If your flight is delayed, or even cancelled, losing accommodation and cable car tickets can be costly.

Travel insurance was created to help give you peace of mind in these exact scenarios. His policy can reimburse both prepaid and unreimbursed expenses, so he doesn't incur huge financial losses, Buggy says. “Travel delay coverage is valuable with reimbursement for additional costs, such as additional meals, lodging and transportation, if you delay your trip for an extended period of time.”

Look up the required delay time and maximum travel delay reimbursement on your policy. For example, travel delay benefits may require a six-hour delay and offer a maximum refund of $1,000 per person with a daily limit of $200 per person.

snow fall

The last thing you want while enjoying the slopes is to get a call saying you have to come home suddenly. For example, maybe your child is home and needs an emergency appendectomy. If you miss prepaid experiences like a private snowboarding lesson or whiskey tasting, you can file a claim under trip interruption coverage. Typically this covers 150% of the total cost of the trip to allow for any additional travel expenses you may incur upon returning home.

This coverage may also cover the cost of a last minute flight home.

Need an adventure upgrade?

When shopping for travel insurance for snow vacations, you'll want to know exactly which adventure activities are excluded in the travel insurance plans you're considering. Many exclude coverage for skiing, including cross-country skiing, heli skiing, ski biking and roller skiing. On the other hand, other cold weather “adventure” sports are often covered, such as snowblading, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing.

What about snow biking, snowbobbing, and snow tubing? You can find travel insurance policies that cover this, but be sure to work with a travel insurance agent who can identify these policies.

For example, Travelex's Travel Select plan provides additional coverage for many sporting activities that would otherwise be excluded. “When you're into more adventurous activities, like mountain climbing and heli-skiing, the Adventure Sports Coverage upgrade is available,” says Buggy.

luggage problems

When checking in luggage or sports equipment, there is always the chance that it may be delayed, misplaced or lost forever. This risk increases if you have connecting flights.

Buggy on Travelex notes that the most comprehensive travel insurance plans include baggage coverage and baggage delay if your items are lost, stolen, or damaged.

"Look at the value of the benefit and choose according to what you plan to take," he warns. “Higher value items may have a cap or cap added and you may need to provide the original receipt if you make a claim.”

It can be tempting to take your furs or fine jewelry for a night on the town to Aspen or Sun Valley, but it's best to keep them safe at home, she advises.

With Travelex's Travel Select plan, the delay of sports equipment is an added benefit. “If your personal equipment is 24 hours or more late, you can get reimbursed for the rental or purchase of sports equipment, such as skis, boots, snowboards or other equipment,” says Buggy.

The AXA Assistance USA Platinum policy includes $25 per day for missed ski days and $1,000 to pay for equipment rental.

snow related injuries

otravel medical insurancewithin your policy is very important when you spend the day on the slopes. This is especially true if your vacation is outside the US and your regular health plan has limited or no global coverage.

“Injuries, illnesses and other covered situations can ruin even the best-planned ski vacation,” says Daniel Durazo, spokesperson for Allianz Partners USA. If you have a fall on the slopes and need medical attention, your policy may cover the cost.

Travel insurance can help arrange and provide payment for doctor visits, hospital stays, medications and x-rays, for example, says Travelex's Buggy.

If your travel medical insurance is "secondary", your own health plan will have to pay first.

If you sustain a serious collision or head injury, you may need to be transported by medical evacuation to a specialized trauma center. Medical evacuation coverage within a travel insurance policy may pay to get you to the nearest suitable hospital. Your travel insurer's emergency assistance team can also arrange transportation.
Buggy says, “We recommend a minimum of $50,000 in medical coverage and $500,000 in medical evacuation. Medical evacuations can cost up to $100,000 in Europe and $250,000 worldwide, depending on where you're skiing."

Should I have a Global Rescue membership?

With a higher risk of injury on a winter sports vacation than on a typical getaway, you may want extra protection. If you're headed to a remote, snowy region or simply want the highest level of emergency medical planning, it may be worth seeking a partnership with a global rescue company. For example,Medjetwill transport you from any hospital to the hospital of your choice, such as a hospital near your home.