Jim Twardowski
Photo: Michal Marcol
If your winter plans include a skip trip, don’t forget to arrange for travel insurance in the event of an accident or medical emergency. However, unless you are into extreme sports such as helisking, mountaineering or skydiving, you probably don’t need to spend extra on a policy’s optional hazardous sports upgrade according to Squaremouth.com, a site for comparing and buying travel insurance. “Most standard travel insurance policies cover someone while they are skiing or snowboarding,” explains Sarah Byrne, Marketing Manager at Squaremouth.
“It’s common for travelers to question whether or not they need the additional coverage,” says Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth. “Although most travelers will not need it, it’s always important to read the fine print to know exactly what the policy will cover.”
Consumers should review a policy and pay close attention to the General Exclusions section. If skiing or snowboarding is not listed, travelers do not need to buy the upgrade. If additional coverage is needed, the Hazardous Sports benefit provides coverage for evacuation to a hospital and medical treatment if injured while playing an extreme sport. “If you have a policy that excludes skiing and you didn’t select the Hazardous Sports option, a travel insurance provider will deny the claim, leaving you responsible for all medical bills,” advises Byrne.
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Travelers, who plan to participate in a sporting competition, should be aware that coverage is most likely not available. This can include anyone from kids signing up for a weekend ski competition to a professional snowboarder. “Even though the sporting event may not be considered a hazardous sports, most travel insurance providers will not cover these athletes,” says Byrne.
You can buy a travel insurance policy up until the day before you travel. However, travelers who need Pre-Existing Medical coverage or Cancel for Any Reason coverage will want to buy a policy within 14-30 days from making the first deposit on the trip.
Jim Twardowski, RN, is a travel writer based in New Orleans.
