Winter wipeout warning
With the northern hemisphere now focused on winter sports holidays, a UK insurer has warned that many enthusiasts will be hitting the slopes without the appropriate insurance in place. Sarah Watson has more details
With the northern hemisphere now focused on winter sports holidays, a UK insurer has warned that many enthusiasts will be hitting the slopes without the appropriate insurance in place. Sarah Watson has more details
Almost one in seven (15 per cent) of winter sports-goers don’t take out the appropriate insurance cover for winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding or tobogganing, despite the fact that almost half (46 per cent) of snow-lovers admit to being involved in an accident or a near miss whilst on holiday, resulting in three-quarters (76 per cent) of them needing emergency medical treatment paid for by their insurance, according to research commissioned by Aviva. A thousand adults who go on winter sports holidays were surveyed on behalf of the UK-based insurer between 15 and 20 November.
Almost half (43 per cent) of those surveyed who didn’t buy winter sports insurance said it was because they didn’t think they would ever need it, with 36 per cent wrongly believing that they don’t need insurance if they have an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and 11 per cent simply forgetting to buy it. Yet when asked if they could afford to pay for any medical treatment themselves, without insurance, 64 per cent of the respondents admitted they couldn’t.
Aviva said that the research showed that many winter sports fans are unaware of the actual cost of receiving medical treatment abroad for winter sports-related injuries. When asked what they could afford to pay if they needed emergency medical treatment (and didn’t have insurance) the average amount that respondents said they could afford was £492, but in fact the average winter sports claim last year was far higher at £740, said the company.
Heather Smith, director of Aviva general insurance, warned travellers: “We never like to think about the worst case scenario, especially when going on holiday, but when it comes to winter sports this can be a costly error. Even if you consider yourself to be a competent skier, remember that mishaps can happen to anyone and the cost of even a minor accident can run to hundreds of pounds.” She added: “It is worth taking the time to make sure you have the right insurance when you book up your winter holiday. It could save a lot of worry and inconvenience should your holiday somehow go off-piste.”
Treatment for extreme injuries, such as a damaged spinal cord, can be very costly, said Aviva, noting that in one claim, the cost of emergency medical treatment was £31,000. Given a range of costs to choose from for examples of actual winter sports injury claims, the survey revealed that these costs were grossly underestimated for serious injuries – in the case of one specific injury by more than £12,000. Specific scenarios – based on real claims that Aviva has paid – were described to the respondents, who were then asked to estimate the associated medical treatment costs. The cost of a spinal cord damage claim was estimated at an average of £18,917, whereas the real cost in the case was £31,000. The average estimate for a knee damage claim, real cost £24,000, was estimated at just £13,570; whereas a £22,000 actual bill for the treatment of a dislocated ankle compared to a £12,420 average estimate by the respondents. The final case, which concerned a fracture or break around the knee, prompted an average estimated cost of £13,665, whereas the real cost was £16,000.
Bronwen Courtenay-Stamp, partner and head of the travel, tourism and insurance team at UK-based Stones Solicitors LLP, also had some words of advice for winter sports enthusiasts: “Make sure that the travel insurance policy covers the sports that you are going to do – not every policy covers winter sports, and just have a think about what activities you are going to partake in – will you be skiing off piste without a guide? Might you fancy a go on a luge or a bob sleigh? Check what is and what is not covered. If in doubt speak to your insurers before you go.” She added: “If you are taking out a new policy see if there is anything you can do to reduce the cost of the premium. Some policies now give a reduced premium if you wear a helmet whilst skiing or snowboarding. Apart from the great saving in price that could afford you, it could save your life!”