What’s winter sports insurance?
Winter sports insurance (or winter sports cover) financially protects you and your equipment if anything goes wrong on your skiing or winter sports holiday.
As well as the cover from your core travel insurance, you’ll also have protection for things like lost or damaged gear, piste closure and costs for hired equipment you’re too ill or injured to use.
If you’re going on a winter sports trip, you need to add this specialist cover when buying your regular travel insurance policy. You won’t be covered without it.
What does winter sports insurance cover?
As well as everything your standard travel insurance policy covers, our winter sports add-on will cover you for the following events.
Remember policy limits and exclusions apply, so always check your policy book.
Lost, stolen or damaged ski equipment
If your ski equipment is lost, stolen or accidentally damaged during your trip, you can claim up to your policy limits (single article limits apply).
Piste closure
A set payout if the slopes are closed for more than 24 hours due to bad weather or lack of snow.
Ski pack cover for illness or injury
A safety net if you're too ill or injured to use hired ski equipment, ski school classes or any lift passes.
Delays caused by avalanche
If your arrival at or departure from your resort is delayed for more than 12 hours by an avalanche, we'll pay towards the cost of additional travel and accommodation costs.
Replacement equipment hire
If your equipment is lost, stolen or damaged, we’ll pay towards replacement equipment hire so you can keep skiing.
What isn’t covered?
There are some situations which we don’t cover. For a full list of exclusions, check your policy book.
Off-piste activities
We won't cover any claim that happened due to off-piste activities such as skiing or snowboarding, away from recognised paths or outside the resort boundaries and if not accompanied by a qualified guide or instructor.
Wear and tear to equipment
We don't cover damage to your winter sports equipment that was the result of general wear and tear over time.
Careless behaviour
If your claim was due to you acting deliberately malicious, careless, or neglectful, we won't cover your claim.
Unattended items
Unless your equipment was stored in a ski rack between 10am and 8pm, or properly secured (for instance, in a ski locker), we don’t cover any damage to items that were left unattended.
Do I need winter sports insurance?
Standard travel insurance policies usually don’t cover winter sports.
This means you'll need to buy a winter sports add-on to make sure your travel insurance covers you for skiing, snowboarding or other winter sports.
If you go on a winter sports holiday without having the right cover in place, your travel insurance policy will become invalid and you won't be able to make a claim – even if it’s for something completely unrelated to your winter sport, like lost baggage, trip cancellation, or any medical costs.
Do I need annual or single trip winter sports cover?
If you’re only planning a one-off ski trip, our single trip insurance with the winter sports add-on will probably suit you.
If you intend to go on multiple winter sports holidays, our annual Travel insurance with the winter sports add-on may suit you better.
This would cover you for every holiday you take in a year, up to 31 days per trip. But bear in mind you can only do a maximum of 21 days of winter sports throughout the year during your policy term.
Choose from three levels of cover
You can choose from three levels of cover to suit your budget and needs.
| Admiral | Admiral Gold |
Admiral Platinum |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Lost, stolen or damaged ski equipment | £500 per day (£100 excess) |
£750 per day (£75 excess) |
£1,000 per day (£50 excess) |
| Piste closure | £20 per day (Max £200) |
£20 per day (Max £200) |
£20 per day (Max £200) |
| Ski pack cover for illness or injury | £500 per day (Max £250 per week) |
£500 per day (Max £250 per week) |
£500 per day (Max £250 per week) |
| Delays caused by avalanche | £200 per day | £300 per day | £450 per day |
| Replacement equipment hire | £25 per day (Max £250) |
£25 per day (Max £250) |
£25 per day (Max £250) |
Single article limits for my winter sports equipment
We've covered our cover limits for your ski equipment above - but it's important to note that single article limits apply. But what does this mean?
We have a £250 single article limit.
This means that if you're a Platinum customer (meaning you have a £1,000 limit), and you need to claim for two bits of equipment worth £250 and £300, for example, the maximum amount you can receive is £500.
It's important to note you'll also need to pay an excess.
Which winter sports are covered?
Our Winter Sports Insurance covers:
- cross country skiing
- dry slope skiing
- snowboarding
- glacier walking/trekking
- husky sledge driving
- ice hockey
- mono-skiing
- snowmobiles
- sledging
- snowshoeing
- tobogganing
If you want to take part in an activity not on the list, please call us on 0333 234 9913 to discuss your options.
Will I need to pay an excess if I make a claim?
If you need to make a claim, you may need to pay an excess. This depends on what you're making a claim for, as not every type of claim you make on your winter sports cover includes an excess fee.
Under our winter sports cover, you won't need to pay an excess if you claim for:
- unused ski pack cover (hired ski equipment, ski school fees or lift passes)
- piste closure for more than 24 hours
- delays caused by avalanche
If you claim for anything other than those three situations, you'll need to pay an excess. The amount of excess you pay depends on which level of cover you have.
It's important to remember that excess is charged for each person claiming, and for each incident being claimed on.
Check out our excess limits below.
| Admiral | Admiral Gold |
Admiral Platinum |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Excess | £100 | £75 | £50 |
How to add winter sports cover to my policy
If you're a new customer, you can add winter sports to your travel insurance when getting a quote.
If you're an existing customer, you can add it to your policy in your travel portal or by giving us a call.
What destinations are covered?
Europe
Off to hotspots like Val D'Isere or Zermatt? This falls under our European cover.
America and Canada
Head to skiing destinations like Aspen or Whistler with our worldwide cover.
Japan
Looking further afield to destinations like Taseko in Japan? Our worldwide cover will protect you.
We never cover areas where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) have advised against travelling to.
Pre-existing conditions and winter sports
If you’ve got a pre-existing condition and want to get winter sports cover with us, you must declare it.
If you don’t tell us about your pre-existing conditions or give us incorrect information, your policy may be invalid, and we may refuse all or part of any claim you make.
Your pre-existing conditions won’t be covered unless you’ve:
- Declared them all on your policy
- Received written confirmation that we’ll cover your medical condition
- Paid any additional premium in full
The MoneyHelper directory
If you need cover for more serious medical conditions, MoneyHelper may be able to help you find specialist travel insurance through their medical directory.
If you want to get in touch with them, you can call them on 0800 138 7777 or find their medical directory online. (Monday to Friday 8:00-18:00, closed on Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays.)
Useful guides
Your questions answered
We're sure you'll love our great products but maybe you have a few questions. You can find answers in this section.
Are there any age restrictions for ski insurance?
We don’t offer the upgrade to anyone over 75 years old for trips within Europe and over 70 years old for trips outside of Europe.
Am I covered to ski or snowboard off-piste?
You can go off-piste as long as you:
- go with a qualified guide or instructor
- remain on recognised paths
- stay within resort boundaries
Does winter sports cover me anywhere in the world?
Admiral Travel Insurance covers the UK, Europe and Worldwide - but there are places that we don't cover.
Your travel insurance won't cover you if you visit somewhere the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises not to.
Information from the FCDO can be found on the government website, or by calling 020 7008 1500.
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Need to make a claim?
Head to our travel insurance page or our travel FAQs hub to find out more about your cover, making a claim, and everything in between.
Getting the most out of your trip
Going anywhere nice?
Off to one of the destinations below? Take a look at our guides for some hints and tips on what you need to remember.
Travel insurance that suits you
Whether you're travelling solo, with your family, or with a little one on the way, read our guides to make sure our cover is right for you.
Travel Insurance upgrades
Whether you want the adrenaline rush of a skiing holiday, or fancy taking to the seas on a cruise, you'll need to add extra cover to your policy.