Travel insurance vital for skiing breaks

Though the cost of skiing holidays may be rising, travellers are warned to make sure that they have adequate cover.

Carrying an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), the E-111 replacement, entitles UK nationals to state-provided medical treatment during temporary visits to EU countries and Switzerland either free of charge or at reduced cost.

However, not all ski resorts have state-owned medical facilities, and an EHIC card would not cover ancillary costs such as an air-ambulance rescue, extended hotel stays, amended flight plans, or medical repatriation.

Churchill Insurance have listed a warning about travel insurance together with a list of the potential costs of common skiing injuries.

Rescue or retrieval from the piste could cost between £500 and £2,000, while the cost of hospital consultation or admission might cost in the region of £1,500. A 4-5 day stay in hospital might cost £4,500. Surgery on a fractured limb may start at £5,000.

A fractured arm, Churchill suggests, might cost up to £10,000 in total, while a serious back or neck injury that required emergency surgery could cost up to £40,000 if an air ambulance to the UK was required.

In light of these figures, insurance becomes a vital added cost to that of a holiday to prevent serious financial burdens on top of the unfortunate case of injury.

Could Which4U help you to find the right travel insurance for your winter break this year? Why not check out our insurance tables to offer yourself peace of mind?

Emma North