With family ski holidays growing in popularity, insurance experts are warning parents not to underestimate the financial and medical risks of taking children onto the slopes.
New data shows UK online searches for “ski holidays with children” have increased by 75% year on year, as UK families increasingly head to European resorts during peak winter breaks. While skiing is widely seen as a fun and safe family activity, experts say many parents are overlooking the potential cost of accidents involving children, particularly when it comes to insurance gaps, medical treatment and mountain rescue.
Winter sports travel insurance specialists at Norton Insurance Brokers warn that children account for a significant proportion of ski-related injuries yet are often the most underinsured members of the family.
The common ski safety myths parents get wrong
Studies suggest that up to 40% of ski-related injuries involve children, with falls, collisions and head injuries among the most common incidents.
One of the biggest misconceptions, according to Norton’s experts, is that children are less likely to need medical treatment, leading some parents to skip winter sports cover or downgrade insurance for younger travellers. In reality, children are just as likely to fall ill or be injured on holiday and may require specialist care, supervision, or emergency evacuation.
There is also widespread misunderstanding around the protection offered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). While these cards allow access to state healthcare in EU countries, they do not cover private treatment, mountain rescue, air ambulance transfers or repatriation back to the UK.
What parents should check before heading to the slopes
Norton’s experts advise families to take a few key steps before travelling:
- Check insurance carefully: Make sure winter sports cover is explicitly included for every family member, including children. Check that medical, rescue and repatriation limits are high enough to reflect the real cost of treatment in alpine resorts, and that the policy covers a parent staying with an injured child if needed.
- Understand what isn’t covered: Off-piste skiing, unsupervised activity, inappropriate terrain or undeclared medical conditions can potentially invalidate cover. Parents should read policy exclusions carefully to avoid surprises if a claim is needed.
- Make helmets non-negotiable: Many insurance policies expect appropriate safety equipment to be worn at all times. Helmets significantly reduce the risk of serious head injury and may be required for claims to be valid, particularly for children.
- Have an emergency plan: Know the local emergency number, keep insurance documents and helpline details easily accessible, and understand what steps to take if an accident occurs, including contacting ski patrol and your insurer as soon as possible.
Mark Wilkinson, Managing Director at Norton Insurance Brokers warns: “When skiing with children, the biggest risk often isn’t the slope, it’s the small print. Parents frequently assume their kids are fully covered, only to discover gaps around ski school, supervision, equipment limits or mountain rescue when a claim is made.
Winter sports cover needs to be explicitly added, with medical and rescue limits that reflect the real cost of treatment in alpine resorts. Parents should also check that any pre-existing conditions are properly declared, and that the policy covers a parent staying with an injured child and repatriation if plans have to change.
Specialist family winter sports cover may cost a little more, but it can prevent a magical holiday turning into a very expensive lesson.”
To find out more about how to protect you and your family on a ski holiday, please visit: https://www.nortonib.