Living There
Laura Maddison from Avanti Travelcare shares her insights into winter holiday safety and explains why you must travel with insurance.
The keys to finding suitable insurance policy for your winter break
Skiing the slopes may be a lot of fun, but you need to make sure you’re covered for all eventualities with the right insurance cover.
What should your winter holiday travel insurance policy cover?
Winter holidays are often dramatically different to other types of holidays, which is why they require a specialist type of insurance coverage. A typical insurance policy will contain traditional features like medical cover, emergency repatriation, baggage cover, cancellation cover, plus a few smaller extras. But some standard policies won’t cover you for such in winter sport conditions, which is where winter holiday travel insurance can help. Dedicated policies will contain all of the standard elements, along with cover for any issues related to ski school lessons, off-piste snowboarding and skiing, and equipment damage.
What won’t your winter holiday travel insurance policy cover?
Before you fly out on your winter holiday and hit the slopes, you need to read the terms and conditions of any prospective winter holiday travel insurance policy. This is because you need to be aware of what you won’t be covered for. Generally speaking, your winter sports policy won’t cover you for incidents that occur off-piste when a fully qualified ski instructor isn’t present. Your policy may also be deemed void should you not declare any pre-existing medical conditions that could result in a future claim.
Cheap isn’t always cheerful
Everyone wants to save money by getting the best possible deal on his or her travel insurance, but when choosing a winter holiday travel insurance policy, you can’t choose one on price alone. A cheap winter holiday travel insurance policy may meet your needs in the cost department, but all may not be as it seems. In cases of “too good to be true” price policies you will find that they contain higher excess charges or that they won’t cover you in vital areas. Finding a policy that meets your needs shouldn’t mean skimping on coverage for the sake of price. It’s recommended that you line up several insurers when looking for winter travel insurance and compare all of the pros and cons before making a decision.
Comparison is key
The key to finding the right deal isn’t to get sucked in by marketing speak or be impressed by a flashy advert on TV. It may take a little more time, but if you’re looking for a winter holiday travel insurance policy, you need to compare what’s available. Note down your dates of travel, what it is you think you’ll be doing on your winter holiday, personal details and medical history, then use an insurance comparison website to generate tailored quotes. From there you can compare what’s on offer and find something that truly suits your needs. Also, don’t neglect contacting insurers directly if they’re not featured on your insurance comparison website of choice – some offer great deals to customers who are willing to give them a call.
Choose carefully
Choosing the right winter holiday travel insurance policy that meets your needs isn’t difficult. Simply follow the advice above and you’ll soon find a policy that’s comprehensive and affordable.
Laura Maddison is Head of Marketing at Avanti Travelcare who specialise in travel insurance for those with pre-existing medical conditions, and are one of very few that have no upper age limit on their policies.
