Winter Sports Travel Insurance Guide: How to Protect Your Trip and Yourself

Nobody wants to fret over finances when trekking on a snowy mountain. Unfortunately, most winter sports are not covered by standard travel insurance. From hypothermia to dislocated shoulders, snow sports come with a multitude of risks. If you get injured, medical evacuations can cost over $100,000 without insurance.

Let’s go over the unique risks of winter sports, what travel insurance you need, and which add-ons to consider.

The Unique Risks of Winter Sports Travel

Increased injury risk

Skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing, snowmobiling, bobsleighing, and countless other winter sports all have high risks of injury. You’ll be moving fast on icy terrain, snow, mountains, and remote areas. Temperature drops, fog, and blizzards can lead to disorientation and injuries. There is less control in a wintry landscape than in a basketball court because the weather and climate conditions can be unpredictable.

Harsh environmental conditions

Winter sports usually expose you to harsh environments. Even if you’re in an indoors sports center, slippery terrain and other risk factors still exist. Here are some of the most common environmental conditions.

• Avalanches
• Blizzards
• Hypothermia
• Falling icicles
• Thin ice
• Slippery terrain

While hypothermia and other health conditions can cost a few hundred dollars on the low end, they can also cost tens of thousands of dollars. Broken bones, paralysis, loss of limbs, and other serious injuries can cost a catastrophic amount.

Remote locations

Many winter sports locations have limited access to hospitals or medical care. High up the mountains, there should be first aid kits and stations, but those are not enough for grave injuries. If someone needs life saving procedures, they will need to be urgently evacuated.

Emergency medical evacuations involve bringing the injured or ill to a suitable nearby healthcare facility. Transportation methods include air lifts, air ambulances, snowmobiles, and emergency ground transport.

High-value gear

Winter sports gear and equipment can cost thousands of dollars. Theft or damage to equipment can result in significant financial losses.

What Standard Travel Insurance Usually Misses

Exclusions for high-risk activities

Traditional travel insurance excludes high-risk activities and regions from coverage (unless you have a policy upgrade). This means that if your travel insurance claim is related to adventure sports, high altitude mountains, ice rinks, or athletics, it will likely not be covered. Most athletic activities or activities in outside areas are considered high risk, including ice holing, dog sledding, and snow shoeing.

Limited coverage for expensive sports equipment

If you’re bringing expensive winter sports equipment and gear, standard insurance may not cover enough. You need to make sure it includes the right Sports Equipment Loss benefit. Between thick winter jackets and expensive sports equipment, you may want at least $10,000 of gear coverage.

Emergency evacuation and SAR restrictions

Evacuation and emergency expenses in remote regions may not be covered by standard travel insurance. Travel insurance also usually only covers medical evacuations, not evacuations due to civil unrest or other reasons.

Search and Rescue usually fall under an additional insurance add-on, so if you get lost on a snowy mountain, travel insurance won’t generally cover SAR services.

In the United States, some SAR services are free. However, you would still be required to pay the evacuation costs, like the air ambulance that carries you after you are found. Internationally, the SAR cost varies greatly depending on where and how extensive the search is.

Trip cancellation and delay gaps

Trip interruption insurance doesn’t cover all sorts of disruptions and delays. If you need to cancel your trip due to an avalanche risk or other winter sport-related reason, whether it is covered by insurance will depend on your policy details. The worst gap in coverage is that trip delay insurance usually doesn’t cover delays due to bad weather unless the transportation is halted for over 24 hours.

Liability concerns

The risk of liability lawsuits against you is high for winter sports because it’s too easy to crash into another athlete while moving at fast speeds. You might injure them or break their equipment. If you’re going on a winter sports trip, you should consider personal liability insurance coverage. Personal liability coverage (or business liability insurance, depending on your situation) will help with expenses if you injure other people or damage their property. It is not covered by regular travel insurance.

What Special Winter Sports Coverage Offers

Adventure sports rider/add-on

Default travel insurance won’t cover high-risk activities. For winter sports, you need an adventure sports add-on or a specialized extreme sports insurance policy. Many activities that you think are safe may actually be considered highly dangerous by travel insurance companies.

Equipment coverage

Specialized equipment insurance can cover the high repair and replacement costs for skis, boards, and other winter gear. You can usually purchase a sports equipment add-on to enhance your current policy. Usually, successful gear insurance claims would mean you receive a payout based on the cash value of your gear damages.

Generally, you want to carry only as much gear insurance as you need. Insuring for over the total value of your gear is a waste of coverage.

Emergency evacuation and SAR

Mountain rescue and Search And Rescue services are important for winter sport travelers. Mountainous peaks are gorgeous, but their glory is dangerous. Many athletes get injured or lost in snowy and icy conditions.

Trip interruption/cancellation for weather-related issues

Weather changes leading to trip disruptions and cancellations need to be covered by your winter sports insurance. You never know if a change in weather will result in trip delays or cancellations. Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you for most of the trip’s prepaid, nonrefundable expenses such as lodgings, flights, and sports event tickets.

Third-party liability coverage

If you injure another skier or damage property, you could get involved in an expensive lawsuit. You would need to hire an attorney and/or pay for the other party’s medical and property expenses.

Personal liability insurance can cover liability lawsuits against you, including settlement costs and legal expenses. If you’re joining a winter sports competition, you may be required to carry participant legal liability insurance.

Real-Life Examples

Travel insurance for winter sports can cover a lot of situations. Let’s go over a few real life examples where insurance can save thousands of dollars.

• A skier gets injured in the Alps and requires emergency helicopter evacuation
• Goggles and snowboard get lost during airline transit and have to be replaced before the traveler can go snowboarding
• A snowy mountain trip is cut short by resort closure due to avalanche warnings and bad weather
• You crash into other snowboarders going down a slope and they sue you for medical damages

How to Choose the Right Winter Sports Policy

Finding the best policy that works for you makes your winter sports trip more secure. Here are guidelines to help you find the best winter sports insurance.

Check for exclusions and restrictions

Make sure to read all the exclusions and details of your winter sports insurance. Some sports are not covered. Specialized sports insurance policies may only cover one type of activity, such as ski insurance only covering skiing, not heli-skiing. Before purchasing any insurance, write out your itinerary to see a list of what winter sports you plan on participating in. That way you can easily compare it to your policy coverage.

There may also be restrictive conditions on when you can file insurance claims. For example, some policies do not cover injuries if you are found to not be wearing proper safety gear. Competitive events may also be excluded unless you choose a competitive sports insurance policy.

Look for suitable medical coverage limits and deductibles

A broken back or other serious medical expense due to sports can easily cost over $100,000 to treat. Make sure to choose a suitable coverage limit for your needs and health expectations.

The deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before winter sports insurance will kick in. A higher deductible means you pay a lower travel insurance premium, but your coverage is worse. If your insurance plan has a deductible, make sure it is a reasonable amount for you.

Verify rescue/evacuation clauses

Winter sports insurance usually covers emergency medical evacuations, such as the cost of airlifts, air ambulances, and medical helicopters. However, it is still important to review your policy’s evacuation and rescue clauses to see if there are any limitations.

Choose a gear coverage limit

Sports insurance policies usually come with a per item limit as well as a total gear coverage limit. This means that a $1,000 snowboard might only be covered up to $500. Check your policy details to be sure what is covered. Some insurance might only cover rental equipment costs.

Watch for geographic limitations

Some travel insurance providers will exclude certain regions from coverage. This may be due to the area being geopolitically tense or filled with dangerous terrain.

Compare premiums

Your travel insurance premium can vary greatly. A lot of it depends on your overall trip value, including your gear, hotels, flights, and prepaid event costs. Most travel insurance policies cost between 4-10% of the total trip cost.

To lower the insurance, you can consider opting for higher deductibles. Still, it would mean paying out of pocket a greater amount in case of an incident, which many travelers do not find worth it.

Tips to Reduce Risk While Traveling

Insurance is a great safety net, but it’s important to take proactive measures to ensure a safer trip. Here are some general winter sports precautions and preparations.

Wear appropriate safety gear

Always wear suitable protective gear when partaking in winter sports. Follow the safety guidelines for your specific sport(s) since some sports require specific gear. In general, you will want to wear warm, windproof, and waterproof layers. Arm guards and knee pads are important for high impact winter sports. Helmets and goggles are essential for sports like skiing and snowboarding.

Follow local safety advisories

Before going on your trip, sign up for phone notifications. Embassies, local authorities, and apps are able to give you fast avalanche warnings and safety advisories. If evacuation is required due to a storm, flood, avalanche, or other crisis, you need to receive the warning ASAP.

Keep comprehensive documentation

Keep all receipts of your gear, payments, and communications with the insurer and anyone filing a claim against you. The more relevant documentation you have, the easier it is to support your claim.

Know the location of nearby medical facilities

Before starting your journey, it’s important to note down the location of the nearest emergency facilities, their contact information, and local emergency numbers. The more remote you are, the harder it will be to access high quality medical care. Knowing how to reach or contact medical workers can make a big difference in a crisis.

Conclusion

Both recreational and competitive winter sports athletes need specialized travel insurance. Medical and evacuation expenses can be financially devastating if you don’t have insurance as a safety net. Specialized winter sports insurance can cover:

• Medical expenses
• Emergency evacuations
• Search and rescue (SAR)
• Trip cancellations due to weather
• Trip delays and interruptions

For just a small insurance premium, you can avoid serious financial problems later. Check out our ranked list of best travel insurance companies for winter sports to protect your snowy trip today.