The Best Travel Insurance for Skiing (And Things to Consider When Choosing Your Policy)

Here’s what to look for when choosing a ski travel insurance plan, and our five recommended plans for leisure skiers. 

Best Travel Insurance: TIQ Travel Insurance | MSIG TravelEasy | Allianz Travel Insurance | Ergo TravelProtect | Singlife Travel Insurance | Sompo Travel Insurance | Tokio Marine Travel Insurance | Allied World Travel Insurance | Starr Travel Insurance | FWD Travel Insurance | AIG Travel Guard

Travel insurance offers coverage for travellers who require assistance during an emergency, or medical care (from COVID-19 or not) and attention. These benefits only apply if you were injured or fell ill during the course of conventional activities like shopping or sightseeing that do not carry elevated risks or danger. 

Sports activities such as skiing are considered high risk, due to the nature of the environment and the high speeds involved. Thus, skiing (and other adventure sports or other unique activities and experiences like it) are not covered by travel insurance policies by default.

However, recognising its popularity among holidaymakers, many insurers now include skiing in their travel insurance policies. This means you do not need to purchase a separate insurance policy for your skiing activities, or worse – go flying off the slopes without cover and hope for the best. 

Here’s everything explained about travel insurance for skiing, how it works, what limitations there may be, and what to look out for when choosing a plan. 

Table of contents:

• How does travel insurance for skiing work?
  • What adventurous sports cover means
• What to look out for when choosing a travel insurance plan for a ski trip?
  • Emergency evacuation cover
  • Overseas medical cover
  • Travel cancellation cover 
• The best travel insurance for skiing
  • Singlife Travel Insurance – Plus
  • Allied World Travel Protector Superior
  • FWD Premium
  • Tiq Travel – Entry 
  • Starr TraveLead Comprehensive (Bronze)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How does travel insurance for skiing work?

Here’s a rule of thumb when it comes to insurance policies: If it’s not listed, assume it’s not covered. 

Thus, you’ll want to make sure that your travel policy states that skiing activities are covered – along with the exact benefits and claims limits you are entitled to. 

You’ll usually find this information listed in a separate section such as Adventurous Sports Cover (or some variant, such as Extreme Sports, Leisure Sporting Activities, Winter Sports and Activities, etc),

Okay, so if skiing is included in the list of covered activities, that means you’re covered and good to go, right?

What adventurous sports cover means

Well, not exactly. Most travel insurance plans only cover skiing as a leisure activity, and not for competitive purposes, or at an advanced level that carries a higher level of risk. 

This may mean limitations on where you may ski, and how fast, or exclusions from certain zones meant for competitive or professional skiers only. If prize money is involved one way or another, your insurer will most certainly not cover your skiing trip. 

Therefore, it is a good idea to check your policy document for how your insurer defines “skiing” as well limitations and exclusions, if any. 

What to look out for when choosing a travel insurance plan for a ski trip?

Emergency evacuation cover

Emergency evacuation cover pays for the cost of removing you from danger in an emergency, and conveyance to safety or a medical facility. 

As skiing typically takes place on a snowy mountaintop, an evacuation would be a rather complicated affair. You might end up needing an airlift, for example, if you’re suspected to suffer spinal injuries. 

Such specialist emergency services won’t come cheap, which is why for ski trips, you’ll want to ensure you have sufficiently high cover in this area. 

This shouldn’t be too difficult though, as insurers typically offer up to several hundred thousands or even a million dollars’ worth of coverage. There are also many plans that have unlimited claims limits for this benefit. 

Overseas medical cover

Overseas medical cover is included by default, and is available in a wide array of sums assured. It’s better to err on the side of caution here and go for higher coverage.

This will allow you more financial resources to cope with high medical bills that may arise, if you suffer a serious injury. 

Be realistic – you’ll regret trying to save a few dollars by choosing lower coverage if your claims limits run out and you get stuck with a hefty hospital bill. 

Travel cancellation cover 

There are two things to look for here. 

One, how much coverage you have in case you have to cancel your holiday, and two, whether you will be able to claim for unused ski bookings. Let’s discuss each of these one by one. 

Despite our best efforts, sometimes life gets in the way and we find ourselves having to cancel or postpone a much-awaited holiday. If you have to cancel for a covered reason or event – such as sickness or injury, or airport closures, etc., – you will be able to claim compensation from your travel insurance policy. 

This can help you recover the cost of unused plane tickets (whether partially or in full, depending on your plan’s limits) if you fail to obtain a refund from your carrier. 

Secondly, there’s a chance that your ski lodge may be closed due to inclement weather. If that happens, you won’t be able to do your skiing, and your operator may not offer a refund for weather-related closures. 

Once again, If your travel plan provides for it, you may be able to claim for your unused ski booking. But as always, when in doubt, just ask your insurer. 

The best travel insurance for skiing

Product	Key highlights	Premiums^	Apply
Singlife Travel Lite Apply Now	Overseas medical cover: S$2 million - S$100,000 for COVID-19 - S$250,000 for winter sports Personal accident: S$100,000 - S$50,000 for winter sports Cancellation cover: S$15,000 Bags and belongings: S$5,000 Emergency evacuation: S$2 million Repatriation of mortal remains: S$500,000	S$99.23 + S$14.09 (winter sports add-on)	Apply Now
Allied World Travel Protector Superior Apply Now	Overseas medical cover: S$500,000 - S$150,000 for COVID-19 Personal accident: S$250,000 Cancellation cover: S$10,000 - S$4,000 for COVID-19 Bags and belongings: S$5,000 Emergency evacuation: Unlimited - S$100,000 for COVID-19 Repatriation of mortal remains: Unlimited	S$70.95	Apply Now
FWD Premium Apply Now	Overseas medical cover: S$200,000 Personal accident: S$200,000 Cancellation cover: S$7,5000 Bags and belongings: S$3,000 Emergency evacuation and repatriation: Unlimited	S$45.54	Apply Now
Tiq Travel Entry Apply Now	Overseas medical cover: S$200,000 - Up to S$100,000 for COVID-19 Personal accident: S$150,000 Cancellation cover: S$5,000 Bags and belongings: S$2,000 Emergency evacuation and repatriation: Up to S$1 million (combined) - Up to S$200,000 for COVID-19	S$40.70	Apply Now
Starr TraveLead Comprehensive with COVID-19 Coverage (Bronze Plan) Apply Now	Overseas medical cover: S$200,000 - Up to S$15,000 for COVID-19 Personal accident: S$150,000 Cancellation cover: S$5,000 Bags and belongings: S$3,000 Emergency evacuation and repatriation: covered	S$42.90 + S$13.20 (Snow sports add-on)	Apply Now

^Source: SingSaver. Premiums shown for single trip, one adult, 10-day plan for Switzerland

Singlife Travel Insurance – Plus

Top of our list is Singlife Travel Insurance. Besides providing high coverage for overseas medical expenses and emergency evacuation, this policy also has two more favourable features.

One is the winter sports benefit, which is a paid add-on. This rider extends your plan’s personal accident coverage (sublimit of S$50,000), as well as overseas medical emergency expenses and evacuation benefits (aggregate of S$250,000) to your skiing activities, and also covers you against accidental loss or damage of winter sports equipment. 

Importantly, you’ll also be covered for loss of deposit due to ski track or piste closure, ski lift pass, and hire of winter sports equipment – which is what you’ll need to receive compensation in case your ski trip gets disrupted. 

Secondly, Singlife Travel Insurance comes with a Travel Cancellation for Any Reason Clause. Essentially, you are entitled to compensation if you have to cancel your travel plans for any reason. The only drawback is the clause is only available for Plus and Prestige plans, but the higher premiums may be worth it if you end up needing to exercise the clause. 

Note that cancellations due to reasons not listed in the policy are claimable up to 50% of the cost of your travel tickets, accommodations, and entertainment bookings.

Allied World Travel Protector Superior

Allied World Travel Protector travel insurance covers adventurous activities and sports such as scuba diving, trekking and of course, skiing, making it a shoo-in on the shortlist of insurance options for your ski holiday. 

Additionally, this plan offers good coverage with high claims limits at an attractive premium, providing great value for money. 

This plan provides unlimited cover for emergency evacuation and repatriation. It also gives you up to S$500,000 in overseas medical cover, up to S$10,000 for travel cancellation, and up to S$5,000 for bags and belongings. 

FWD Premium

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly travel insurance plan for your overseas ski trip, give FWD Premium a look. 

This plan includes adventurous sports cover by default, so you don’t have to pay extra to be covered against injury or illness arising from your skiing activities. 

You’ll need to adhere to certain rules though, such as only participating in the sport under a licensed commercial operator, not flouting any safety rules and regulations, and not competing in a professional capacity or with expectation of prizes or financial incentives. 

You also have the option to purchase the Sports Equipment Protector rider for up to S$2,000 in coverage for your sporting equipment, as well as for equipment rental (up to S$100 per day). 

Tiq Travel – Entry 

Non-competitive winter sports are covered by Tiq Travel insurance plans, so as long as you’re skiing purely for fun and not as part of any competition, performance or contest, you may consider getting this plan for your ski trip. 

Tiq Travel – Entry strikes a good balance between budget-friendliness and reasonably high coverage. For a low premium, this plan offers S$200,000 in overseas medical cover (S$100,000 for COVID-19), S$150,000 in personal accident benefits, and up to S$1 million for emergency evacuation and repatriation. 

Travel inconveniences are covered at up to S$5,000 for cancellations, and up to S$2,000 for bags and belongings. If you’re bringing your own skiing equipment, you may want to add on the Sports Equipment rider for up to S$500 in coverage. Higher coverage can be obtained in the higher tiers of this plan. 

Starr TraveLead Comprehensive (Bronze)

Starr TraveLead Comprehensive offers a snow sports add-on that compensates you for financial losses if your skiing activities are disrupted or denied. 

For instance, if you fall ill and become medically unfit to carry on your skiing, you can claim up to S$500 in missed booking fees for ski lift passes, tuition costs or snow sports equipment hire. 

There’s also up to S$850 benefits for snow piste closures at a rate of S$85 per day, and up to S$500 for lost or damaged personal ski equipment and accessories. 

Besides these skiing-related benefits, you will also receive overseas medical cover of S$200,000 and personal accident cover of S$150,000. Emergency evacuation and repatriation is provided under Star Global Emergency Assistance. 

As for travel inconveniences, this plan offers S$5,000 coverage for travel cancellations and S$3,000 for bags and belongings. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What insurance do you need for skiing?

When embarking on a ski trip, we recommend paying attention to these insurance benefits in your travel plan: Emergency evacuation, overseas medical expenses and travel cancellation, including coverage for missed bookings, piste closures, ski lift passes and fees. 

Additional cover for personal skiing equipment may also prove useful.

2. Does travel insurance cover ski holidays?

3. Do you need insurance to ski in Switzerland?

You are not legally required to have travel insurance to ski in Switzerland, although some ski providers may require you to have coverage or sign up for a plan before participating. 

At the time of writing, Singaporeans may enter Switzerland without having travel insurance, as only travellers who require a Schengen visa must have a policy for entry. Nevertheless, given that travel insurance plans to Switzerland are affordable and offer reasonably high coverage, it is advisable to purchase a plan instead of going without. 

4. How much does travel insurance to Switzerland cost?

From our estimations, a single-trip, 10-day travel insurance plan for one adult may cost between S$40 to S$70.