The lure of a ski holiday is often too tempting for many adrenaline junkies who find themselves drawn to…
The lure of a ski holiday is often too tempting for many adrenaline junkies who find themselves drawn to the slopes in search of adventure. With New Zealand just a plane ride away, skiing and snowboarding is becoming more and more popular amongst Australians.
Before you pack up your skis and head off, remember that there are some risks involved with snow season and the last thing you want is to end up with a short lived holiday and huge hospital bill.
Check Your Insurance
Most people take out travel insurance before heading on an overseas holiday but make the mistake of taking out the first policy they come across and signing up. If you plan to do some skiing or snowboarding, chances are you’re going to need a specialised policy and a lot of situations won’t be covered. There are a few risks you need to be aware of before taking out travel insurance.
- Alcohol and snow are not a good mix – In cold conditions, it can be tempting to warm up with some booze before heading out. However, not only is this unsafe because of impaired judgement, it’s unlikely your insurance policy will cover you for any injuries that occurred while you were intoxicated.
- You’re on your own with competitions – You’ve had a few days on the slopes and are feeling pretty confident. Signing up to that skiing competition may seem like a great idea but your insurance won’t cover you for any type of competition.
- Go off course at your peril – If you decide to go off on your own rather than sticking to the designated ski runs, that’s your decision and often advanced skiers or snowboarders like to challenge themselves. However, your insurance policy may not cover you if you stray off course.
- Don’t assume snow cover – Some people take out a standard travel insurance policy and assume that snow will be covered. This isn’t necessarily the case and you may need to select this as an optional extra.
- Anything with a motor needs separate insurance – If you decide to go wild on a snow mobile and crash it, your travel insurance won’t pay for it. You’ll need to get a separate policy when hiring a vehicle and remember that this separate insurance still won’t cover you for high risk roads
- Don’t leave it too late – Try not to wait until the week before you’re meant to leave to take out insurance. If you take out insurance as soon as you book your trip, you’re likely to be covered if you can’t go due to accident or illness.
Speak to Your Insurance Broker
To make sure you have the best travel insurance policy to meet your needs, have a chat to your insurance broker who will be able to advise you. And remember – stay safe!
To discuss your travel insurance options for your next snow destination, contact Elliott Insurance Brokers on 1300 635 315 and we would be more than happy to help.
