Ski week is travel insurance's peak season – and the most expensive place to miss a tick. This list is the practical, condensed version of the skiing article: five minutes before departure, and the insurance side is piste-ready. All that's left to bring to the snow is your form.
- The most important tick: ski/sports add-on cover in every skier's name – without it, a piste accident is typically not covered.
- The second round: rescue cover (helicopter rescue included!), a liability element, equipment cover.
- Off-piste, racing, ski touring: a separate category – agreed in advance.
The cover ticks
☐ Ski add-on cover in every skier's and snowboarder's name – children included (ski school counts!). ☐ Rescue cover: check whether piste rescue and helicopter rescue are included, and up to what limit. ☐ Liability element: for the other party's damage if there's a collision (why it matters). ☐ Medical limit: skiing claims tend to run larger than average – size the limit accordingly. ☐ If it's planned: off-piste, ski touring, racing – a separate category, flagged in advance (extreme sports article). ☐ Cancellation cover: a ski week is a package paid for up front – take it out when you book (the time window).
The convenience ticks
☐ Ski equipment cover: your own skis and boots, under the baggage rules (in transit and in storage – the duty-of-care rules apply to a ski rack too); for hired equipment, the rental terms plus the liability element. ☐ Ski pass reimbursement: a proportional refund for unused days lost to illness or accident – a package-dependent element, worth asking about. ☐ Flight/baggage delay: on a fly-in ski trip, delayed equipment is the classic way to lose part of your holiday (delay cover article).
The on-the-slopes routine
☐ Policy + assistance hotline on your phone, along with the emergency card. ☐ Resort information: the local rescue service's number, the piste's name and sector (you'll be asked for this when you report an incident). ☐ In a collision: exchange details + get a report from resort staff + admit no liability. ☐ On an EU ski resort: keep your EHIC in your pocket too (it entitles you to public healthcare – according to the EHIC article, the two work well together). ☐ Follow weather and avalanche warnings – the reckless-behaviour exclusion applies on the slopes too.
Ski camp, group trips
☐ For a group ski camp: the group format + the numbers in every chaperone's phone. ☐ For parents: ask what the camp's own insurance actually covers – and if it's thin, arrange individual add-on cover for your child. ☐ For the organiser of a large group: a consultation plus a participant data form – I can help put it together.
Frequently asked questions on this topic
I'm hiring ski equipment – which ticks apply to me?
Hired gear is governed by the rental shop's own terms (a deposit, their own insurance) – on your side, the liability element and the ski add-on cover remain what matters. Photograph the rental agreement before you sign it.
My child is having ski lessons – do they need ski add-on cover too?
Yes – ski school is still skiing: winter sports need to be marked on your child's cover too. Family packages typically handle this at the family level; check on the policy that it really does apply to everyone.
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