FCO ski insurance warning
New research from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) shows that one in five winter sports travellers are not taking out insurance, and the costs of an accident on the slopes can be huge. Mandy Aitchison reports
New research from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) shows that one in five winter sports travellers are not taking out insurance, and the costs of an accident on the slopes can be huge. Mandy Aitchison reports
Every year, there are numerous incidents where families are faced with huge medical bills following an accident on the slopes. This is often because people have not taken out travel insurance, or have not read the small print of their policy, according to the FCO. The costs of an accident on the slopes can be significant – a fractured leg in the US could land a policyholder with a medical bill of up to £40,000.
Lynda St Cooke from the FCO said: “We strongly advise anyone hitting the slopes this winter to take out comprehensive travel insurance and make sure you have an up-to-date European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Don’t forget to check the small print – most insurance policies will not cover you if you’re under the influence of alcohol or venture off-piste. If you’re unlucky enough to have an accident and you’re not covered, you could find yourself thousands of pounds out of pocket.”
Meanwhile, statistics from specialist winter sport insurance provider Snowcard Insurance Services have shown that in the 2010 skiing season, 26 per cent of claims resulted from shoulder and collarbone injuries, closely followed by knee injuries at 20 per cent of claims. Leg injuries comprised 14 per cent of claims, while damaged wrists accounted for 10 per cent, and head injuries for three per cent of claims. The company added: “Whilst helmet use has increased massively in recent years, helmets do not stop injury, although they do reduce the severity of a knock to the head by an estimated 50 per cent.” The firm added: “We attribute the increase in shoulder and collarbone injuries to the growing availability of snow parks with artificial jumps and half pipes. Fitness, strength and ability are strong influences on the likelihood of being injured.”
Regarding the cost of claims, the average cost of a ski injury claim during the same winter period, if minor claims under £100 are excluded, was £1,700. Snowcard said: “Larger claims in excess of £10,000 tend to be for serious leg or neck injuries. Our largest fracture claim last season was £39,000 for a broken tibia and fibula.” Other typical claims the company saw included £9,000 paid for a neck injury, £7,000 for a knee injury, £6,000 for a collarbone fracture and £4,000 for a wrist injury. It was also noted that the number of small claims in excess of £500 is on the increase as treatment costs in the Alps continue to rise, and the biggest challenge facing ski insurance operators is claims cost containment.
Another concern raised by the company is the lack of third-party liability insurance that some skiiers have – those without insurance, or those relying on their EHIC for cover. Churchill Insurance has also chimed in with its own encouragement to holidaymakers to obtain appropriate ski cover, with a particular warning about EHIC usage. It warned that not all ski resorts have state-owned medical facilities, and the EHIC can be refused by some private clinics, rendering the person helpless if they do not have proper winter sports insurance, or a credit card with a high limit on it.