Make Sure You're Covered When On The Slopes Warns Travel Law Experts

Insurance for extreme sports

18/12/2007

It's estimated that over 1 million Britons will head to the slopes over the winter period. Skiing and Snowboarding holidays remain one of the fastest growing holiday choices for the British holiday maker. However travel law experts at law firm Irwin Mitchell have warned people to make sure they have the adequate insurance cover for a sport that is intrinsically dangerous.

Clive Garner, Partner and Travel Litigation specialist at national law firm Irwin Mitchell said, "I would encourage everyone to try this great sport but it does have the potential to be extremely dangerous which means everyone who puts on skis, or gets on a board, and takes to the slopes should have the adequate insurance cover for accidents which may cause injury to them or others."

"As an example of the costs someone could be faced with, if you were to break your leg in Switzerland and required specialist treatment in resort and transport home, total costs can easily cost as much as £25,000, in the US this is likely to be in the region of £70,000."

According to a poll by the British Insurance Brokers Association an astonishing 25% of travellers still leave home without any travel insurance.

General travel insurance policies often offer winter sports cover as an optional extra. However, winter sports cover is also offered as a separate product and this can be ideal for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts.

Mr Garner adds, "What is important is that the insurance covers all of the activities you are likely to engage in. For the more adventurous skier or snowboarder it is important to consider whether your insurance would cover the costs of Search and Rescue, especially if they are planning to go off piste."

Mr Garner added, "'Dangerous' activity or 'hazardous' activity is generally defined in the definitions section of the travel insurance policy. If the activity that you are planning (e.g., bobsleigh, ice hockey and tobogganing etc) is excluded from cover, it will be important for you to buy a specifically tailor made insurance policy that will provide cover for you."

Other Holiday Tips

• If you find yourself on holiday with only a general insurance policy and decide on the spur of the moment to partake in any such activity, eg ski jumping, it is unlikely that your travel insurance policy will cover you. In those circumstances, it may be possible for you to contact your travel insurers using the telephone number given in your policy and obtain top-up cover over the telephone.
• The safety record of suppliers of such activities abroad varies greatly. Wherever possible, it is best to purchase your excursion/activity from the tour operator that you are on holiday with. Better still, if you are able to book your activities as part of your package holiday arrangements with your tour operator when you book your holiday, this will give you greater protection.
• You should also be aware that in some countries, prior to undertaking any such dangerous activity, you may be asked to sign a disclaimer. The legality or otherwise of the disclaimer will depend upon the country that you are in. However, it is perfectly possible in some countries for providers of excursions/activities to exclude any liability to you if something goes wrong, purely as a result of you signing the disclaimer.