We want to help you get out on the slopes this winter but we know there is a lot of confusion about how COVID and FCDO (UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office) travel warnings, impact travel insurance policies. So we have outlined a few tips on what to think about when finding the right cover for your holiday and some of the options available. 

First of all, an FCDO advisory against travel to a certain country doesn’t mean it’s off-limits, so many insurers will still provide you with cover if you’re holidaying in a country on the list – which is especially important for us skiers and snowboarders, who may require medical cover in the event of an accident on the slopes! 

There are many factors that you need to consider when arranging your ski/snowboard travel insurance, hot topics at the moment; “what happens if I travel to a country on the FCDO advisory list and injure myself?”, “am I covered if I catch COVID-19 whilst on holiday?”, “what happens if I need to cancel my holiday due to catching COVID-19”. 

Many travel insurers are responding to our needs, to help us get out to the slopes this winter – so if you’re worried about going away due to a lack of cover, we recommend having a read of the below and doing some research. It’s likely you’ll find a company that will give you the cover you need, which will give you the peace of mind to get back on the slopes this winter! 

Injuries or illness in a country on the FCDO advisory list

COVID or no COVID, we would always advise skiers and boarders to ensure they have an adequate ski/snowboard travel insurance policy, to cover them in the event they’re injured on the slopes or pick up an illness whilst away. It’s important to note that standard travel insurance often doesn’t cover activities like skiing or snowboarding, so always make sure you’re covered by your current provider or purchase a ski/snowboard specific policy, as this should then cover you for most of the situations you might encounter when on the slopes. 

Most good insurers are still providing medical cover if you travel to a country on the FCDO advisory list and pick up an injury or illness – which is great news for us ski/snowboard travellers!

Catching COVID-19 before or during your holiday

This is slightly more complicated as some insurers are offering a wide range of cover here, where as others have a lot of exclusions – so doing your research is very important! Purchasing a policy with the right insurer should give you plenty of confidence to book a holiday, without taking a huge financial risk. Our best advice is to shop around and see what different insurers are offering.

Key factors to consider:

• Will you be covered for reimbursement by your insurer if you need to cancel your holiday in the event you or one of your family catch COVID prior to your trip. 
• Will you be covered for any necessary medical and repatriation expenses if you catch COVID whilst on holiday – if the country you’re visiting is not on the FCDO advisory list, then some insurers are providing cover for this. It’s important to note that if a country is on the FCDO advisory list due to their current volumes of new COVID cases, then the vast majority of insurers will not provide you with cover for any medical costs/financial losses if you catch COVID whilst in that country.
• Will you have cover for additional accommodation costs if being treated for COVID means you need to extend your trip.

You can find more details on foreign travel advice here.

Insurers to speak to

Insure & Go and MPI Brokers appear to be offering COVID friendly policies which should cover many of the eventualities detailed above. 

We’re not insurance experts, so make sure you read the insurance policy carefully and if in doubt give the insurer a call. 

EU and Brexit

As it stands your EHIC card will not be valid post Brexit, this could obviously change depending on negotiations and travel insurers will be well aware of this, but we recommend double-checking this with your insurance provider.

If you are skiing in the French Alps you also have the option to purchase the Carre Neige which for €3 a day will provide you with some medical insurance and mountain rescue cover under one policy. You can find more information about the Carre Neige – here.

Not Professional Advice Disclaimer: We are not qualified insurance agents/brokers or professional risk managers, please use this blog post for general information purposes only. If you need specific advice on which insurance policy to purchase, please seek advice from a professional.