The true cost of winter sports related claims has been revealed by The Association of British Insurers (ABI) and payouts range from £1,000 to as much as £90,000.
In excess of six 6 million travellers from the UK choose to visit ski resorts during their winter trips and it’s vital that you have the right cover included in your travel insurance.
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) recently estimated that as many as a third of people do not check whether their travel insurance covers winter sports before heading up the mountain so the ABI is urging holidaymakers to be absolutely sure they have the right insurance in place before venturing onto the slopes.
The warning comes as the Association publishes details of recent claims, demonstrating the sometimes calamitous costs of a winter sports injury:
- One holidaymaker had a serious fall, fracturing their rib and puncturing a lung. The accident led to a 14-day stay in hospital and required a doctor escort on their flight back to the UK. The entire claim cost £90,000.
- One young skier, who travelled to his resort by coach damaged a knee ligament on the slopes. Following hospital treatment he was unable to travel home by coach so his insurer paid out £3,823 to cover the medical costs and an alternative flight home.
- A customer fell over whilst skiing in America and broke their wrist. One night in-patient treatment and surgical intervention was required resulting in a total cost of £38,000, covered by the insurer.
Mark Shepherd, Assistant Director, Head of Property, Commercial and Specialist Lines at the ABI says: “With thousands of ski-related injuries happening every year, dedicated winter sports insurance cover is essential for anyone thinking of skiing or indeed snowboarding this winter. Without the right cover, consumers could be on a slippery slope to a major financial headache.”
Some of the typical costs if you break a bone up the mountain include: £8-12,000 medical costs; £600 mountain rescue and £2,000 for transfers or flights. However, the requirement of an air ambulance can add an additional £10,000 to the bill.
If you are unsure whether you have appropriate insurance for your holiday why not chat to Asprey Harris staff who will investigate your policy and advise whether additional cover is required. However, do make sure you do this before you travel or your holiday could end up bankrupting you.
