Single-trip travel insurance policies neglect winter sports

13% of single trip travel insurance policies do not offer any cover for winter sports, accordingly to Defaqto, and where it is offered, the type of cover varies widely between policies.

Consumers planning a winter-sports based trip in the coming months are advised to look closely at the details of different travel insurance policies to ensure that they are adequately covered.

Defaqto's analysis of existing winter sports travel insurance policies has found significant variation in the cover they offer.

80% of policies, they found, offer less than £1,000 for the theft of loss of equipment. A small number of policies provide no cover at all. Over half of policies provide less than £500 of cover for hired equipment, while 6% of policies provide no cover at all.

Where the piste has to close, for severe conditions or fatalities, 56% of policies provide cover of £20 or less per day, while 5% offer no cover for this. 43% of policies have a maximum limit of £200 or less.

While 16% of policies offer good cover of £500 or more if natural disasters (avalanche) strike, a third of policies offer £200 or less. 20% of policies offer no avalanche cover.

Mike Powell, Defaqto's Insight Analyst for General Insurance, said:

"We have found wide-ranging variation across single trip travel insurance policies in terms of the winter sports-related cover they offer.

"To ensure they get the right type and level of cover for their trip, people need to focus first and foremost on pinpointing the features they need from a travel insurance policy and identifying the options that provide that cover. Although important, price should not be the primary basis for comparison - after all, buying the cheapest cover available could end up being the most expensive option if it doesn't provide adequate cover for someone's holiday or their possessions."

Why not visit Which4U’s travel insurance section to see our easy-compare options?

Emma North