‘I broke my leg skiing – it cost £12k’

One skier of 40 years’ experience discovered the importance of cover – the painful way. Teresa Hunter investigates the costs

More than a million people will escape the British weather for Europe’s slopes this winter, but almost 17,000 will come home on crutches. Most will be lifted off the slopes by helicopter, with around 3,500 skiers requiring an air ambulance to get them back to the UK. Some 22 will die from their injuries, according to analysis for Telegraph Money by Direct Line, the insurer.

Yet thousands of skiers, of all ages, head off without adequate insurance, ignorant that if they get injured it could cost tens of thousands of pounds to get home, with medical bills on top.

Tom Bishop, head of travel insurance at Direct Line, said: “While the thought of speeding down a mountain side may be exhilarating, holidaymakers are far more likely to have an accident on the slopes than during their summer holiday.”

Travelling without insurance is foolhardy, especially given that prices for a week’s cover start at around £8.

Winter sports can be added to normal travel insurance, or you can buy a specific ski policy. Specialist cover is also available, which will offer the widest protection.

When buying insurance it is vital to read any exclusions carefully. For example, cheaper policies will almost certainly not pay for accidents as a result of skiing off-piste or end-of- trip races. Snowboarding, too, may be barred. These can be added on for an additional premium, or can be standard with more expensive policies.

Helmets are causing a new headache for insurers. While widely recommended as a safety measure, they are now compulsory by law in some resorts. Not wearing one can invalidate your insurance.

Fraser Wilcox, a spokesman for the Ski Club of Great Britain, said: “Our insurance requires policyholders to abide by the laws and regulations of the resorts in which they are skiing, so if they are required to wear a helmet and fail to do so, we might not pay up.

“The problem is that these laws and rules vary with age, sometimes they apply just to children, but sometimes adults too, and from resort to country, but the onus is on skiers to familiarise themselves with the local laws.”

Direct Line takes a lighter approach, saying it encourages helmets but would not necessarily penalise someone for not wearing one.

Mr Bishop said: “The majority of winter sports claims each year are a result of accidents on piste, and unfortunately several of these accidents result in fatalities. We strongly encourage the use of approved helmets when skiing or snowboarding.” Senior skiers should always check contracts for age cutoffs. Direct Line stops underwriting at 74. The Ski Club goes up to 75 for annual policies, but will issue single trip contracts up to the age of 80.

As with all insurance, it is vital to disclose any previous illnesses.

Most important is cover for medical care, and the cost of rescue from the mountain and getting home.

When Direct Life analysed its claims it found most accidents resulted in broken shin bones or torn ligaments. A European Health Insurance Card will meet some of the medical costs in a state hospital, however, many of the clinics around the resorts are private. It can cost £1,000 per night to stay in a European hospital, or £1,500 in intensive care. That figure soars to £10,000 a night in intensive care in the United States.

Rescue or repatriation means

‘A stretcher return costs £23,000 from Europe – or £65,000 from the US’