Nearly one in seven people do not take out any insurance when they go skiing or snowboarding, according to a new survey.
This research from Aviva comes despite nearly half (46 per cent) of those interviewed admitting that they have been involved in an accident or near-miss while abroad on a winter sports holiday. This resulted in three-quarters of them needing emergency medical treatment paid for by their insurance.
Over a third (36 per cent) wrongly believe that they are covered if they have a European Health Insurance Card, and one in ten (11 per cent) said they forgot to purchase any travel insurance for their trip.
The research revealed that many people are unaware of the actual cost of emergency medical treatment. The average winter sports claim last year was £740, which is considerably more than the £492 that the average uninsured respondent said they could afford to pay.
Heather Smith, director of Aviva general insurance, said: “Even if you consider yourself to be a competent skier remember that mishaps can happen to anyone.”
She said: “It is worth taking the time to make sure you have the right insurance when you book up your winter holiday.”