This snow trip mistake could cost you thousands
Key takeaways
- Standard travel insurance doesn't cover snow sports. Skiing and snowboarding are almost always a paid add-on.
- Snow-specific excesses, on-piste-only restrictions and age limits differ significantly between insurers.
- What’s next: Before you hit the slopes, check your policy covers where and how you'll actually ski.
It’s officially peak snow season, and if you’re heading to the slopes soon, there’s one thing you need to know before you clip into skis.
Ski and snowboarding travel insurance is almost always a paid add-on, meaning purchasing a standard policy won’t cover you.
Insurers treat snow sports as a separate risk category, which means standard policies typically exclude skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports entirely.
By purchasing a “snow sports pack” or adding snow cover onto your policy, only then will you receive cover for medical expenses, gear cover, refunds on unused lift passes and lessons and piste closure.
The 4 ski travel insurance traps to check for
- A hidden excess. Many insurers apply a separate, higher excess to snow sports claims on top of your standard excess, which in some cases, can't be reduced or removed. Others double the standard excess for winter sports claims. The cheapest premium isn't always the cheapest claim, so check the snow-specific excess before comparing on price alone.
- On-piste means on-piste. Base-level snow cover generally only applies to skiing and snowboarding on marked, groomed runs within resort boundaries. Off-piste riding and heli-skiing usually require a higher tier of cover.
- The domestic gap. Domestic policies never cover medical costs in Australia. That’s when Medicare and private health insurance will come into play. Domestic ski cover protects your gear, lift passes and accommodation, but evacuation cover can be limited to getting you from the slopes to the resort's base area.
- Age limits. Eligibility for snow cover cuts off at different ages depending on the insurer, ranging from 69 into the mid-70s. If you're an older skier or snowboarder, this alone can decide which insurer you can use.
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How to pay less for your ski travel insurance
The best ski travel insurance is the one that covers the runs you'll actually take, with an excess you can live with if things go wrong. Depending on the policy you select, you might also be able to snag a sweet discount.
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