Ski holiday: Why subscribe to insurance?

Winter sports bring their lot of sensations but also risks. Subscribing to ski insurance is often a more prudent option in the face of the hazards.

Have you ever thought to subscribe to a Travel insurance during your reservation? It is often said that it is superfluous and that it could be covered by our assurances already in place. However, these are often subject to details or conditions that are not known and which ultimately prevent us from accessing them.

So why make an exception for your ski stay? Discover then what are the benefits to subscribe to ski insurance and why.

Ski holiday: a risk holiday

Ski holidays are often synonymous with pleasure, joy, leisure and happy memories. Yet we often forget that the practice of skiing and other sliding sports can be dangerous, whether expert or beginner.

Thus, there are many injuries each year. Mainly, these are falls, but we must realize that accidents are not only physical. For example, you could break or damage your equipment, rented or not. A derailing on a barely covered rock and there you are with three skis instead of two!

With slippery roads and repetitive passages of loaded cars and cars, road accidents are common in the mountain. They sometimes even cause very painful sponge jams blowing spirits...

Finally, your rental accommodation can book you some bad surprises... The scams are more and more numerous by the times that run, because demand is strong while supply is not so much. Or then, you're being pampered with beautiful spaces to finally accommodate you in a mouse hole...

The examples are numerous and as varied as there are snowflakes. Well, I'll tell you an infinity. This is the advantage of subscribing ski insurance: protecting you, your family and your friends.

How do we protect ourselves from risk?

The best prevention against accidents during holidays is first of all caution. Otherwise, for everything else, there is the option Travel insurance . Indeed, the latter allows you to travel the quiet mind, whether it is a holiday in the ski or in the sun, by the way!

Insurance is useful, because ultimately they protect you and your loved ones, but they also protect all the other protagonists of your trip.

A good ski insurance can protect you during a collision with another skier, if your leased equipment is stolen or degraded, or even ensure your accommodation. But also and above all, the ski insurance allows, according to the offer, to be insured in case of assistance and repatriation, in case of a serious accident or if there is a search (up to 1500 € per half hour of research...). This guarantee is also highly recommended because the fees that you then bear are usually very substantial. Snow insurance can cover them in part.

A collision and the other person flees or is not insured?

The Guarantee Fund for Obligatory Insurance (FGAO) compensates the injured on the slopes by other unidentified or uninsured persons. The FGAO’s field of intervention is wide. It supports non-responsive victims who were unable to receive compensation or compensation for any kind.

Attention to off-piste skiing

If you practice off-piste, be careful with you. In addition to putting yourself in danger, you sometimes run multiple risks. These risks can also be excluded from coverage by insurance. So be vigilant and learn about the terms of your insurance.

Undertake ski insurance: the steps to follow

Obviously, this article does not address those who are aware of their assurances and who know each of the terms and conditions of their insurance. These people are rare and we all know that. This is why it is necessary to systematically check the conditions for the application of insurance contracts before leaving on holiday.

Check if you're already covered

Some mandatory insurance may cover certain risks related to ski holidays. For example, there is first the Civil Accountability Obligatory (CSR). It will not cover you in the event of a collision type accident, but it will be able to inquire about the material or physical damage you might cause. Habitation Multi-risk insurance generally involves your RCO and your children if you have one. But the right thing to know is that some have the option to guarantee your rental against damage or flight.

If you pay your stay with your credit card, it can also be beneficial to you. Indeed, depending on the contract related to your card, there is sometimes a travel insurance. This may cover repatriation costs (often very high), baggage losses and flights, or offer compensation if there are any inconveniences in your accommodation or equipment. The whole thing is to hire these fees with this same credit card.

Then, among the insurances that are not mandatory, but recommended: Guarantee of Life Accidents (GAV) or individual insurance. They are able to take charge of the damage you suffer, if so much is that the offer subscribed integrates winter sports... Check it out, then. Finally, it is also important to have a mutual health. Many of them are responsible for some hospitalization costs, still and always depending on the offer. Their application field is variable.

When do I buy insurance?

The subscription of a ski insurance can be made at any time of the year or when purchasing a ski lift package, directly at the station. Of course, you can also contact your insurer and ask for a quote or a service in this respect. Depending on your preferences, you can benefit from a contract at the year, week, or even day.

All insurances do not have these types of formulas, so check in beforehand. In any case, guarantees such as rates are different from one insurance to another but generally, prices do not exceed € 30 per person per week for a “basic” benefit.

Choose the right insurance

If the ski insurance is not mandatory, it remains highly advised. Depending on your activities, insurance can be better than another. You can also estimate that you do not need full protection or the opposite. Accidents have come so quickly that we still advise you to opt for wide protection.

Whether you're constantly careful or regularly practice extreme sports or off-piste, the recommendation remains the same. The different levels of coverage offered by insurance cover you according to your needs and those around you. So make sure to read the conditions, which is included and excluded from your contract. In case of doubt, your insurer will be your best interlocutor.

That said, don’t forget to enjoy, a little altitude and breathe the fresh air of the mountain! After all, you need to know how to enjoy your ski holiday, right?