Ski holidays are worth the money. But it can get really expensive if something happens on the slopes. Which insurance companies will then step in?
Accommodation, equipment, ski pass: There are many expenses involved on a winter holiday. It's a trip that costs money. What shouldn't be overlooked are the expenses that can arise if something happens on the slopes. Nobody wants that, and yet you are better protected against it.
According to experts, the following policies are important:
Personal liability insurance, foreign travel health insurance, accident insurance
Why they can be useful in detail and what you should pay attention to. A brief overview of good insurance for your winter vacation:
Personal liability: If there is a crash on the slopes
On the ski slopes, all it takes is inattention and it's not just your own health that is at risk: in collisions, others can also be injured – which has financial consequences if you are subsequently confronted with claims for damages.
That's why private liability insurance is essential with a view to winter holidays, according to the Association of Insured Persons (BdV).
Another advantage: Anyone who was injured by another skier through no fault of their own may also have been affected by their liability police. If the other person is not insured, your own insurance may cover the damage. Requirement according to the BdV: Cover for bad debts is stipulated in the contract.
By the way: According to the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV), it is mandatory to have personal liability insurance on Italian slopes – this applies to the South Tyrolean ski areas, for example. Otherwise you risk a fine of up to 150 euros and the withdrawal of your ski pass.
It is advisable to obtain relevant proof from your liability insurer in good time before your holiday. The GDV has a sample form online. If you don't have a police force or are unsure whether they cover winter sports, you can book them on a daily basis with the larger ones – for a corresponding surcharge.
International travel insurance: If treatment becomes expensive
Anyone who is legally insured and goes on winter vacation in EU countries is covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which can usually be found on the back of the health insurance chip card – this also applies to Norway and Switzerland, among others.
However, you will then be paid for the medical care you receive under statutory insurance in the respective country. The European Consumer Center (EVZ) points this out. Means: You may still have to pay extra.
And: Medical repatriation to Germany is never covered by statutory policies, the BdV continues. This can result in five-figure sums that you may end up with.
International travel health insurance protects against extra costs for on-site care and possible return transport costs. The policies are really worth it, especially since there are very good tariffs for division for under ten euros a year, and for families for under 20 euros.
It is important, among other things, that the police pay for repatriation if it makes medical sense and not only if it is medically necessary. According to the BdV, taking out a police policy also makes sense for those with private insurance.
Accident insurance: Not just for long-term consequences
What if the person falls so badly that the person suffers permanent damage? In one case, for example, private accident insurance covers renovation work on the apartment and, if necessary, pays transitional benefits and rent.
And it can also incur rescue costs that are not borne by other police officers. If you want to insure this, you should set the amount at least 25,000 euros, advises the BdV.
Because: As with medical care, the scope of services for rescue costs is also determined by foreign law, explains the GDV. In Austria, for example, rescue costs in the event of skiing accidents are usually not paid at all. If you are not insured, you would then be left with the cost of a helicopter mission, on average around 3,500 euros according to the association. In Switzerland, too, extra costs quickly arise for helicopter rescues.
Private accident insurance comes into play if you have rescue costs covered. International travel health insurance also pays depending on the contract, according to the GDV.
Good to know: In Germany, statutory and private health insurers pay for air rescue from the slopes if you are seriously injured. However, searches in open terrain for avalanches are generally not included in the insurance, according to the GDV. Even those with private insurance are left with some of the costs. Private accident insurance can provide protection here.
And what about ski insurance?
In addition, it must be ensured that winter sports enthusiasts do not have their equipment – whether borrowed or bought – from the Brandenburg Consumer Center's point of view. The loss of someone else's or your own skis is usually manageable and therefore not a threat to your existence.
What's more, you may already be insured: depending on the contract, damage to rented skis may be covered by private liability insurance. If your own skis are stolen from the ski cellar, your household contents insurance may kick in if you have one. It may be worthwhile to check the insurance documents for this purpose.
GDV: Sample form with link to document
