Ski Holiday Insurance

Injury is probably the last thing on your mind when you're ripping up the slopes, but a little preparation can save you a lot of heartache.

If you're unfortunate enough to come a cropper on the ski hill this season, put in the preparation now and you'll have a much easier ride when it comes to injury dilemmas.

The snowsports injury - it's a rite of passage for any hard core snow junkie. My first (and, touch wood, only) snowboarding injury happened very early on in my riding days. And to be honest, I'm glad it happened then, because the blood wagon, heli ride and short spell in hospital taught me a lot about being prepared.

BE WELL COVERED

The Holy Grail of pre-holiday prep is getting good insurance. Don't skimp on it. Before you buy a policy, check it covers you for everything, including off-piste and snowparks. Medical, air ambulance cover and personal liability should be at least £2 million. If you're in Europe, an E111 entitles you to reciprocal state medical cover and negates any excesses on your insurance, but it won't cover repatriation, personal liability, private medical costs or physiotherapy, so separate insurance is essential, especially in Switzerland, and of course in North America (try being told your treatment is about to cost you thousands of dollars when you're drifting in and out of consciousness and you'll see why insurance is so vital).

If you do take a tumble, get someone to cross their skis higher up the mountain to warn others, and alert ski patrol. Always carry proof of insurance on you, tell your friends where it is and make sure someone knows to show it to ski patrol immediately. This should ease your passage off the mountain and you won't have to pay up front.

You and your party should know in advance who to call for 24-hour assistance and should ring as soon as possible. It's also a good idea to carry a credit card and to leave copies of your insurance with a friend at home, just in case.

If the accident is someone else's fault, you'll benefit from independent witness statements (not just from your mates, who may be perceived as biased) so ensure someone in your group carries a pen and paper. If you injure someone else, never admit liability. Exchange details by all means but admitting liability could prejudice your defence.

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

But the biggest injury dilemma comes after the initial drama when you're weighing up your treatment options. Should you fl y home to get fixed where you know the language, will get continuity of treatment and may feel more comfortable, or should you stay and get patched up by local medics used to dealing with ski injuries?

Some injuries travel better than others, so it depends on what you've done. After basic treatment, injuries to the upper limbs, like sprains and dislocations, travel fine. 'Provided you haven't damaged nerves or blood vessels, you should be safe to travel,' says ski injury specialist Dr David Hughes. 'Even minor fractures to the fingers, thumb or wrist, once stabilised, shouldn't stop you from travelling home for treatment.'

But if your fracture is serious or you've damaged nerves or blood vessels, you'll need emergency treatment before you can fly. 'Always ask questions,' advises Hughes. 'You need to understand the rationale for decisions about timing and where you get treatment. Satisfy yourself that the person treating you has experience with your condition.'

Lower limb injuries are more awkward. If your injury causes your knee or lower leg to swell, delay flying home if the flight is longer than two hours. 'Any swelling severe enough to cause a limp will increase your risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), even without flying,' warns Hughes. 'Combining the two can be a recipe for disaster.'


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