Single-trip policies lack ski cover

New research from UK-based research company Defaqto has found that 13 per cent of single-trip travel insurance policies surveyed do not offer any type of cover for winter sports, while any coverage that is provided varies wildly between such products. Mandy Aitchison has the details of the survey

Defaqto’s research looked in depth at 342 single-trip travel insurance policies available on the UK market, and judged that ‘the level of cover provided for key features of winter sports insurance vary widely from policy to policy’. For example, Defaqto found that 80 per cent of the policies surveyed provide less than £1,000 worth of cover for the loss or theft of sporting equipment such as skis, boots and poles – which can easily add up to the insured amount. In addition, some policies didn’t cover any equipment loss or theft, leaving the insured potentially out of pocket. Regarding hired equipment, the research showed that more than half of the available policies provided less than £500 of cover for loss or theft, while some provided no cover at all for hired equipment. Coverage for lost ski passes was also patchy, with 12 per cent of policies offering no protection; 31 per cent offering £200 or less; and 24 per cent offering £500 or more to cover a replacement pass. Only eight per cent of policies provided cover of £50 or more per day for piste closure; 56 per cent provided cover of £20 or less, while five per cent offered no cover at all. When it came to avalanches, just 16 per cent of policies offered cover of £500 or more should an avalanche leave the policyholder needing to find alternative accommodation.

Mike Powell, insurance expert at Defaqto, said that the figures collated by the company highlight the need for consumers to focus on features above cover when choosing travel insurance.