Sainsbury's travel insurance urges skiers to get cover

Wednesday, 17 December 2008 11:39

Skiers are being urged to take out travel insurance before hitting the slopes after Sainsbury's discovered insurance claims from winter sports travellers had soared.

The insurer, which provides its own travel policies, analysed medical expenses paid on winter sports-related claims and found they had increased by 25 per cent between 2006 and 2007.

And between 2007 and 2008, they continued to rise by 11 per cent.

It has prompted Sainsbury's to promote its own travel insurance policy and also to remind skiers to obtain their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Sam Marrs, Sainsbury's Travel Insurance Manager, said: "Your EHIC will only provide you with access to the same state-provided healthcare as a resident of the country you are visiting so it should not be solely relied upon.

"You need travel insurance to pay for any private medical treatment or, for example, to be airlifted from the slopes or repatriated back home."

Marrs said an air ambulance in the USA or Canada can cost as much as £60,000.

And it was skiers scaling and descending the snow-covered inclines of the USA and Canada who managed to accumulate the highest claims this year.

The average value of travel insurance claims linked to winter sports injuries in those countries in 2008 were £2,991. Germany and Austria followed with £1,211 and £1,023.

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