As ski season approaches, The Foreign Office has advised that they are not able to pay the medical bills of British skiers that are injured on the slopes, making comprehensive travel insurance all the more important.
Approximately 1.5 million British people are expected to embark on ski holidays this season (the period starting just before Christmas, continuing over the first three months of the New Year). Over the last year, 2 British ski-related deaths and 197 significant incidents were reported to the Association for Travel Agents and Tour Operators, as a result of accidents at overseas resorts. Medical bills can be extremely expensive, and may reach the tens of thousands of pounds, as This Is Money points out:
“Anyone who has an accident and needs to be airlifted off a mountain will face medical bills of thousands of pounds if they do not have travel insurance.
For example, a holidaymaker who last year had a serious fall while skiing would have faced a £90,000 medical bill as a result of fracturing a rib and puncturing a lung if she had not got insurance.
This involved a two-week stay in hospital and a doctor escort on the return flight to the UK”.
Comprehensive Travel Policies
The importance of a comprehensive travel insurance policy cannot be understated, and if you are taking part in winter sports such as skiing, you must make sure your policy covers you for that. We have outlined what you should look for in a travel insurance policy here.
EHIC and Travel Insurance
Many British skiers will be heading to Europe for their trip, and may be relying on their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for cover. The EHIC allows you to access medical care for the same cost as local residents. If you are skiing or snowboarding however, the EHIC will not cover emergency assistance on the mountain, ambulance travel or special travel back to the UK, therefore comprehensive travel insurance is the only way to avoid huge unexpected medical costs.
If you would like help selecting the right insurance policy for your trip, please get in touch. We would be pleased to help you secure the best level of cover for you and your travelling party.
