A winter sports vacation is the highlight of the year for many people. Hit the slopes, fresh mountain air and work in a few half liters of Weizen in the umbrella bar afterwards. However, something can go wrong along the way or on the slopes. Think of damage to your skis or a banana ride down due to a skiing accident. With travel insurance with winter sports coverage, you can prevent an accident or bad luck from spoiling your vacation, because you will have to pay the high costs afterwards.
Many people think that winter sports insurance is separate insurance, but that is not true. It is actually a travel insurance with winter sports coverage. This concludes an additional module that is specifically intended for winter sports activities. This coverage covers, for example, damage to your ski or snowboard equipment, medical costs after an accident, and the remainder of your ski pass or ski lessons if you are no longer able to ski.
Please note: most continuous travel insurances do not include winter sports as standard. So always check whether your policy includes additional winter sports coverage.
Ski equipment is often expensive, especially if you rent it or have bought it new. Compensation for damage or loss varies by insurer. Sometimes you will be reimbursed a maximum of €300, while others can amount to up to €5,000 per person. Therefore, check carefully what is covered by baggage coverage and whether there is a maximum per policy. That way, you won't be faced with any surprises.
Not everything you do in the snow is automatically covered by your winter sports coverage. Off-track skiing or snowboarding, for example, is often only insured if you do so with a guide. Without a guide, you run the risk that damage or injuries will not be reimbursed. Sports such as ice hockey, bobsleigh or speed skiing are also usually excluded.
Are you more into hiking or cross-country skiing? Good news: for these quiet forms of winter sports, the standard coverage of your travel insurance is often sufficient. However, it remains wise to check this beforehand, as it can vary from insurer to insurer.
An accident on the slopes can result in high medical costs. Think of transport with a snowmobile or helicopter, a visit to the hospital or even a gypsum flight back to the Netherlands. Your basic health insurance does not always reimburse these costs in full, because it only reimburses the Dutch rate. In countries such as Austria, France or Switzerland, the rates are often much higher.
With travel insurance including winter sports coverage and an additional module for medical costs, that difference is covered. The deductible for your health insurance is also often reimbursed. So you don't have to worry about unexpected bills if you get injured.
Are you going on winter sports in Europe? Then always bring your European Health Card (EHIC). This often means you don't have to pay high medical costs. Is the EHIC not on your health card? You can request it free of charge from your health insurer.
Good preparation starts with the right insurance. With travel insurance with winter sports coverage and an additional module for medical costs, you can enjoy the snow carefree, without stressing about unexpected costs.
So check that your coverage is in order before departure and adjust your policy if necessary. At Van Loon, we are happy to help you. Contact us and we'll check if your travel insurance for your ski vacation is OK or if you need to add anything else. We are happy to help you at our offices in Dongen, Rotterdam, Udehout or at one of our other eight locations. Prefer online? Of course, that is also possible!
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