Your holiday insurance, our expertise.
Ensuring you have comprehensive travel insurance is important for any holiday but is even more important for a ski holiday. Skiing and snow sports carry a lot more risks than most holidays and you're a lot more likely to injure yourself on the slopes than a beach. The cost of accommodation and specialist sporting equipment, whether hired or owned, can be expensive, but our ski travel insurance can cover these and all other aspects of your holiday.
No winter holiday is complete without a skiing adventure. Essential Travel offers you affordable travel insurance for 7 different types of skiing and many other winter sports when you add Winter Sports cover to your quote.
Winter Sports cover is available to add onto any of our policies and includes cover for an additional 26 different winter sport. You can add your cover for winter sports as you make your way through the booking process.
Helmet Safety - Wearing a helmet is a requirement for your winter sports travel insurance when taking out a policy with Essential Travel. Failure to wear a helmet could invalidate your entire policy.
Essential Travel's policies are structured so that the best policy for you depends on your trip.
- for one-off trips up to 87 days with 17 days of skiing (ages 2 - 65)
- for multiple trips throughout the year of up to 45 days each, with up to 17 days for skiing/wintersports per year (ages 2 - 65)
- continuous trips for 2 years with up to 31 days skiing per policy (ages 18 - 55)
*If you are 65 or older, find out about Travel Insurance for Over 65s.
Snowboard Insurance can cover emergency medical expenses, piste closures, ski passes as well as the theft, loss and damage to personal and hired equipment.
Planning your own getaway? Our independent traveller add-on covers extended cancellation, delayed departure & accommodation that would otherwise be covered by a travel agent.
Book a family skiing holiday on one policy & everyone can benefit from our comprehensive cover, including loss & theft to personal and hired equipment, ski passes and piste closures.
Do you have a pre-existing medical condition that you need to declare to your travel insurance provider? Get advice on pre-existing medical conditions.
Essential Travel recommends the best time to purchase your travel insurance to make sure your holiday is fully covered and you get the most from your policy.
Learn how to cut costs on your holiday insurance & receive exclusive travel insurance discounts. Cover for medical emergencies, cancellation and lost luggage.
Which sports are covered with a winter sports policy?
Listed in the table below are a range of ski-related activities and other winter sports that you are covered for at no extra cost with your Winter Sports add-on.
Air boarding | Glacier Walking |
Big Foot Skiing | Huskey Dog Sledging organised and non-competitive |
Blade Skating | Ice Karting |
Bum Boarding | Ice Skating |
Cross Country/Nordic Skiing | Ice Windsurfing |
Dog Sledging | Kick Sledging |
Dry Skiing | Langlauf |
Ski - blading | Snow mobiling |
Skiing - alpine | Snow Shoe Walking |
Skiing off piste with a guide | Snow Tubing |
Skiing on piste | Tobogganing |
Sledging | Winter Walking (using crampons and ice picks only) |
Snow boarding | Sledging pulled by horse or reindeer as a passenger |
What equipment am I covered for?
In addition to theft, you are covered for:
Feature | Cover Limit | Excess |
---|---|---|
Replacement or repair of equipment | up to £750 | from £75 |
Loss or damage of hired equipment | up to £510 | nil |
Closed piste | up to £500 | nil |
Unused ski packs | up to £600 | nil |
Ski pack - Essential Travel will cover for any unused portion of ski school fees, lift passes and hired ski equipment should the policy holder suffer bodily injury or serious illness. We will also cover for the unused portion of any lift pass if lost.
Can I buy snow sports cover if Im on a backpacker policy?
Yes. You can can cover up to 31 days skiing per policy. A backpacker travel insurance policy can cover up to two years continuous travel for those aged 18-55.
What is considered as off piste skiing?
Off-piste skiing, or backcountry skiing, is considered as skiing outside of the boundaries of the prepared piste and marked runs, and beyond the are controlled by the ski patrol.
If you plan on skiing off-piste you will need to ensure you have sufficient cover and that will depend on whether or not you will be accompanied by a qualified, resort-approved guide or instructor.
You will automatically be covered for off-piste skiing with a qualified and resort-approved guide when you add winter sports cover to your policy.
However, if you will be skiing off-piste without a guide you will need to specifically select 'off piste skiing' as an hazardous activity. You can do this after selecting your policy and making your selection to customise your policy.
If you decide to ski off-piste without a guide, without the correct level of cover, or against official, published resort advice (such as in the case of an avalanche warning) you will not be covered by your ski insurance.
What is a pre-existing medical condition?
Pre-existing medical conditions are those that existed before an insurance policy was taken out. Any disease or illness for which you have ever received medication, advice or treatment or experienced symptoms for will need to be declared to us.
Do I need to declare a pre-existing medical condition?
It is very important that you declare any medical conditions, either using our online medical screening, or by calling our customer services. Failure to declare any medical conditions may invalidate your entire policy.
Can I use my EHIC card?
Many medical costs in Europe can be covered with an European Health Insurance Card but it should not be seen as a substitute for travel insurance. An EHIC will not pay for you mountain rescue, transport costs, cancellation, lost and stolen luggage or piste closures. It is highly advised that you buy a comprehensive ski insurance policy as well as ensuring you have a valid EHIC card.
It is important to note that your policy will not be valid should you go off-piste when it has been officially advised against by the resort.
As with many of our policies there will be the opportunity to add any pre-existing medical conditions to your policy. You will be asked to declare these with our online medical screening process.
Listed in the table below are a range of ski-related activities and other winter sports that you are covered for at no extra cost with your Winter Sports add-on.
Add Winter Sports to your Single, Annual or Backpacker policy you can take part in over 26 x sports and be covered for:
Medical: you will be covered for emergency medical expenses that occur should you have an accident and require medical attention including cover for mountain rescue, helicopter rescue costs and repatriation
Equipment: Winter Sports cover also provides peace of mind against any theft, loss or damage to your personal or hired equipment as well as any pre-paid fees.
winter sports cover →Cover for your golf equipment and pre-paid green fees can be added to your policy giving you nothing else to work on except your game.
Simply add extra golf protection to your Single, Annual Multi or Backpacker Trip policy to add extra protection for:
Self employed or working for a company, if you travel for work you can add extra protection against accidental loss, theft or damage to your business equipment to your Single, Annual Multi or Backpacker Trip policies.
Business cover protects equipment such as cameras, mobiles, laptops that you may need to work or have with you in meetings.
Sail the seas worry-free by adding extra cover for missed port, cabin confinement and unused excursions to any of our Single, Annual Multi or Backpacker Trip travel insurance policies.
Cruise cover will add extra protection for:
If you're planning on tying the knot abroad, extra cover for accidental loss, theft or damage to your your wedding clothes, rings, gifts and photos can be added to your Single, Annual Multi or Backpacker Trip policy, to help ensure that your special day is everything its meant to be.
Should you need to claim on your travel insurance an Excess is the amount that you'll have to pay before we pick up the rest of the bill.
Avoid paying any excesses by adding the Excess Waiver option to your Single, Annual Multi or Backpacker Trip policy.
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Essential Travel is a trading name of Holiday Extras. Holiday Extras Cover Ltd and Holiday Extras Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Holiday Extras Cover Ltd 05058680 and Holiday Extras Ltd 01693250 are registered in England and Wales. Registered address: Ashford Road, Newingreen, Kent CT21 4JF.
Holiday Extras is underwritten by Travel Insurance Facilities plc which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered address 2nd Floor, 1 Tower View, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent. ME19 4UY. Company number 03220410.