The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued a
reminder to holidaymakers to take care on the slopes this winter.
New research shows that one in five travellers
are not taking out insurance, and the costs of an accident on the slopes can be
huge. This figure rises to a quarter of 15-24 year olds.
Every year there are numerous incidents where
families are faced with huge medical bills following an accident on the slopes.
This is often because people have not taken out travel insurance, or have not
read the small print of their policy. The costs of an accident on the slopes
can be significant. A fractured leg in the United States could land you with a
medical bill of up to £40,000. A knee injury in Austria could set you back
£8000. Not getting covered beforehand is just not worth the risk.
Lynda St Cooke from the Foreign Office says, “We
strongly advise anyone hitting the slopes this winter to take out comprehensive
travel. Check the small print – most insurance policies will not cover you if
you are under the influence of alcohol or venture off-piste. If you are unlucky
enough to have an accident and you are not covered, you could find yourself
thousands of pounds out of pocket.”
