Half-term (bone) break for skiers
In the UK, schools are currently on their half-term break, which is a popular time for families to take the opportunity for a quick holiday. However, according to claims data from UK insurer Aviva, February half term is the most dangerous time of the year for a trip to the slopes, with almost twice the average number of winter sports claims that week compared to the rest of the ski season.
Aviva’s figures show that the average cost of a skiing or snowboarding claim is around £900, with the most expensive winter sports claim paid out by the insurer in recent years, for a customer who suffered a hip injury while skiing in Austria, costing over £17,000.
Most accidents on the slopes happen in France, followed by Austria and Italy, while the US is the most expensive place to have an accident, with the average cost of a claim there being over £2,000.
Kate Niven, travel underwriting manager for Aviva, said: “Even the most competent skiers and snowboarders are injured in collisions which take place every day on the slopes. The cost of medical treatment for an accident on the slopes – even for minor injuries – can run into the hundreds and thousands of pounds. The cost of bringing someone with a damaged spinal cord home to the UK by air ambulance could be in the region of £20,000 from Europe, or even as much as £80,000 from the US.”
Aviva also surveyed parents who take their families on a winter sports holiday, and found that one in five admits that their children do not wear helmets on the slopes. “If your children are hitting the slopes this half term, wearing a helmet should be essential,” continued Niven. “Getting them used to it early will ensure it becomes standard practice. Some resorts enforce the use of helmets for children so it’s well worth checking their guidelines.”
TIFGroup has launched a campaign called Travel Insurance Explained, which aims to educate travellers about the need for travel insurance, as well as highlighting the importance of reading the policy to understand exactly what it covers. The campaign includes videos that show the kinds of trouble that holidaymakers can get in to, as well as discussing what people expect from their insurer.