Ski resorts can be dangerous places. No sooner are you off the plane and hitting the slopes, than you come a cropper to an out-of-control snowboarder. Equally though, you could be saddled with the kind of weather that leaves you confined to the ski chalet all week.
Either way, having the right winter sports travel insurance is vital. But how can you find the right policy that ensures you’re covered if you break your leg, but also won’t break the bank?
We’ve identified what we consider to be the best winter sports insurance policies, taking into account common factors such as ski equipment, piste closure, and cancellation cover for Covid-19-related risks.
For more details, on how we arrived at our star rankings, refer to our Methodology section, below.
Recent data from insurer Admiral shows that 59% of its winter sports insurance policies are sold to individuals, 23% to couples and 18% to families. Based on this, we looked at the best policies for single travellers. However, we have also highlighted the best policy options for couples, and the best for families.
We then used data from our travel insurance partner CYTI, to score the policies based on the following:
If you’re going skiing, snowboarding or taking part in any number of winter sports, a standard travel insurance policy won’t be enough. You will need ‘winter sports cover’, either as a separate policy or as an add-on to an existing policy.
Exactly what sports are covered on a winter sports policy varies from insurer to insurer. On-piste skiing and snowboarding will be covered on all winter sports policies. But if you’re trying something a bit different such as off-piste, alpine or cross-country skiing, ski jumping, luge, skeleton, bobsleigh, ski orienteering, glacier walking, dog-sledding, ice fishing, or tobogganing, you should double check that you’re covered.
Winter sports insurance will cover you for a whole raft of risks that are part and parcel of this type of holiday. Getting injured is the main one – obviously you’re much more likely to hurt yourself skiing than if you spend a fortnight lying on a beach.
As well as risks covered by standard travel insurance, such as medical costs, cancellation, lost or stolen baggage, and repatriation, a winter sports policy will include cover for risks unique to winter sports. These include:
As with any travel insurance policy, make sure that you are covered for the items that are important to you. We’ve outlined some examples below:
Check your limits
Pay attention to any financial limits on the policy you are considering so you don’t encounter any nasty surprises should you need to make a claim.
Look carefully at the figures for:
Policy exclusions
Not all policies will offer the same level of cover so check carefully what yours does (and doesn’t) provide protection for. Some common exclusions to look out for include:
Finally, if you’re travelling to Europe, don’t forget to take your EHIC or GHIC card with you.
EHICs, which are being phased out for Global Health Insurance Cards (GHICs) since the Brexit agreement in January 2021, mean you can receive the same state-run medical treatment as a local should you fall sick or become injured while away.
If you have a valid EHIC, you can still use it until it expires. GHICs replacements are free to apply for at the NHS website.
It’s important to note that neither card is a substitute for travel insurance. It won’t cover all medical costs or other unforeseen events, such as cancellation, that a comprehensive travel insurance policy will.
| Insurer | Forbes Advisor Rating | Policy | Ski equipment cover | Covid cancellation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switched On |  |
  |
Switched On One Single | £500 | Yes |
| Post Office Money |  |
 |
Lite | £500 | Yes |
| Admiral |  |
|
Admiral | £500 | Yes |
| Holiday Extras |  |
|
Basic | £500 | Yes |
| Post Office Money | |
|
Prime | £500 | Yes |
The price of your winter sports policy will depend on a whole host of factors. These include:
As with mainstream travel insurance, winter sports policies will either be for a single trip or all the trips you take in a year. As a general rule of thumb, if you take more than one or two winter sports trips, an annual policy will work out the most cost effective.
Cover for a week in Europe will normally cost about £15. If you’re going to the US, Canada or Japan, insurance for a week will normally be at least £40 due to higher medical costs in these countries. Annual policies normally start at about £40 if you’re sticking to Europe.
Watch out if you’re indulging in some apres-ski – you normally won’t be covered if you have an accident while under the influence of drink or drugs.
Your claim could also be rejected if you’re negligent. Negligence can mean anything from leaving ski equipment unattended or your hotel room open. Spectacles are often not covered so glasses-wearers should consider securing their eyewear or buying prescription ski goggles.
Some of the most extreme winter sports such as heli-skiing or base jumping are unlikely to be covered on a mainstream winter sports policy. You also won’t be covered if you’re a professional sportsperson or taking part in a competition.
If you already have an annual travel insurance policy, it might include cover for winter sports. If it’s not covered as standard, you can normally add winter sports for a fee.
If you’re aged over 65, you might need to buy a separate winter sports policy as some insurers won’t add on winter sports cover for travellers of this age.
If you have travel insurance as a perk on a packaged bank account, check if winter sports are covered. Again, you could pay for it to be added-on.
If you need to buy a standalone winter sports policy, make sure you shop around as costs can vary wildly between insurers. Check the cover carefully on the cheapest policies – many will just cover skiing and snowboarding and have low claim limits for lost equipment or possessions.
You can choose from single person cover, or policies that cover couples or your whole family. Note that family policies might only cover under-18s if they are on holiday with their parents – not with their friends or on a school ski trip.
Whatever type of winter sports policy you want to buy, it’s wise to do so as soon as you book your holiday. This ensures you’ll be covered for cancellation at any point. As always, check for Covid cover and how comprehensive this is.
As with any travel insurance policy, the best time to buy winter sports travel insurance is at the same time you book your trip.
This way you should be covered for cancellation should anything outside your control go wrong before your trip – such as divorce, redundancy or the death of a close family member – as well as being protected while you’re away.
