Ski and Snowboard Vacations: 6 Reasons to Get Travel Insurance

One of the hottest destinations this winter is also one of the coldest – ski resorts! If you’re one of the thousands of American travelers who are planning a domestic or international ski or snowboard vacation this winter, be sure to have added protection for that vacation with travel insurance for ski travel from Generali.

The reasons why travel insurance for winter sports is so important include:

Specialized added protection for skis, snowboards and other equipment
Coverage for emergency medical
Medical evacuation benefit
Trip cancellation and interruption protection, including coverage for your lift tickets
Rental Car Damage coverage
Travel delays

Let's get into the details of winter sports travel insurance:

Trip cancellation and interruption protection

You never know what’s going to happen with your travels – especially these days. Illness and injury, plus more mundane things like an extended school year due to unforeseen causes, can force you to cancel or interrupt a trip.

In addition, ski vacations often have a lot of prepaid expenses, including transportation, lodging, lift tickets, and even rental gear.

For those reasons, travel insurance is a must for any ski trip you’re planning this winter – even if it’s to a ski area that’s relatively close by.

Be sure to choose a plan with a wide range of covered reasons for cancellation, and one that covers cancellation at 100% and trip interruption with at least 125% coverage – like the travel insurance plans from Generali.

Also read: How Travel Insurance can Help in Case of Sickness, Weather and More

Emergency medical coverage

A “broken leg on the ski slope” is not just a cliché. Accidents happen on ski and snowboard vacations, which is why it’s important to have travel insurance with coverage for emergency medical expenses. Even when traveling in the US, you can’t be sure whether the local medical providers are in your plan’s network, and travel medical coverage is especially vital for international winter sports vacations.

Also read: 6 Travel Safety Tips that Could Help Protect Your Trip from Disaster

Medical evacuation benefit

For a winter sports vacation, having medical evacuation coverage with high benefit limits goes hand-in-hand with emergency medical coverage.

You’re probably not going to break a leg sitting by the fire in the lounge. You’re likely to have an accident somewhere on a snowy, steep mountain, and you very well might have to be evacuated. Medical evacuation coverage is a must for ski and snowboard vacations, and the more the better … like the $1 million in Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage in Generali’s Premium plan.

You shouldn’t scrimp on medical-evac coverage – and with Generali, you don’t have to.

Also read: Get Emergency Medical Assistance with Your Travel Insurance

Specialized added protection for skis and other equipment

Skis, snowboards, boots, and accessories are expensive. They’re difficult to transport and can be easily lost or damaged. Because of this, it’s important to choose travel insurance with specialized coverage for winter sports equipment.

Generali’s Premium and Preferred plans come with Sporting Equipment coverage. If your sporting equipment is damaged, lost or stolen during your trip, this coverage can reimburse you. The two plans also include Sporting Equipment Delay coverage. In case you make it to the slopes, but your gear doesn’t, you can rent what you need and get reimbursed.*

Pro Tip: Remember to keep receipts if you’re buying any new sporting equipment for your trip, in order to get the greatest amount of reimbursement for your loss. Items without receipts are reimbursed based upon 75% of the actual cash value at the time of the loss.

Also read: 6 Tips For Flying With Skis and Snowboards

I go to France for skiing every year for a month and always feel super safe carrying Generali. I use them for every trip just because that one time, when it happened, they were there for me 100%.

Fred R. from New York

Rental Car Damage coverage

Here’s a common scenario: You’ve planned a ski/snowboard vacation to a resort. You fly into the nearest airport and rent a car to take you to the actual ski area.

Usually you either buy the rental company’s coverage or just cover the rental under your own auto policy. However, in the latter scenario, what happens if you have an accident with your rental car on the snowy, winding roads that take you to the resort? Your auto insurance rates are likely to go up.

A better idea is the Rental Car Damage coverage that’s available with Generali travel insurance. This optional, add-on coverage can help protect you and your auto policy.

Also read: Why Travel Insurance Makes Sense for a Road Trip

Travel Delay coverage

It’s winter. You’re heading to someplace snow-covered and slippery. What could go wrong?

Lots, actually. The same weather that’s going to make sure you can ski in knee-deep powder can also shut down airports for multiple hours, making it impossible for you to actually get to the powder.

Travel Delay coverage from Generali won’t get you to the slopes any faster, but it can reimburse you for certain reasonable, additional expenses while you are delayed (for the specified time in your plan).

And, Generali’s 24/7 travel assistance line can help you make alternate arrangements that might actually expedite your access to that fresh-fallen snow.

All these reasons and more make travel insurance for a snowboarding or ski vacation a smart buy. If you’re hitting the slopes this winter, take along a Generali travel insurance plan. Get a quote today.