Winter Sport Travel Insurance

If you prefer snowboarding to sunbathing, then most insurers will happily sell you winter sport travel insurance either as an add-on to a standard travel insurance policy or as a stand-alone package. It's important to ensure that you get specific winter sport travel insurance rather than rely on a standard travel policy.

A typical winter sport travel insurance policy will cover the same things as a normal insurance policy, with a few key additions: if there isn't any snow or the slopes are closed because of an avalanche, they'll pay compensation. Most policies also provide cover for any specialist equipment, for example if you use your own skis.

The reason winter sport travel insurance isn't included as standard with general travel insurance policies is because people on summer sun holidays generally don't chuck themselves off the side of a mountain. As a result, most standard policies don't include the right kind of cover – and in some cases, if you need to claim they won't pay out. If you're heading for the slopes, the right cover is essential.

Winter sport travel insurance does cost more, but the premiums aren't too scary. On average, winter sports cover will cost around three times that of a standard single-trip travel policy.