Winter Sports Travel Insurance

Winter sports policies or extensions typically offer cover for activities such as skiing and snowboarding (on-piste), tobogganing, sleigh rides and ice-skating and the risks associated with participating in these types of activities.
However, at DOGTAG we are proud to specialise in providing cover for extreme winter sports. So, we also offer protection for activities including heli-skiing, ski blading, ski jumping, snow tubing, and snowboard cross – you get the picture! Simply let us know which activities you plan on taking part in and select the level of protection most suited to your trip. And if you can’t find the activity you want to take part in listed on our site, just give us a call and we’ll see what we can do.

At DOGTAG, we specialise in offering cover for most extreme winter sports which may not be covered as standard by other travel insurance providers. Simply let us know during the quote process which activities you plan to take part in during your winter sports getaway, and select the cover most suited to your trip. Easy.

Yes, in most cases! Having a medical condition that is well-managed and under control shouldn’t stop you from reaching that high on your next sporting venture, which is why we consider cover for most medical conditions.

Simply let us know about any medical conditions you have during the quote process. We’ll ask you a couple of questions to get a clearer picture of your overall health and then, where possible, offer suitable travel insurance based on your answers. If you’d prefer to speak to someone over the phone, just give our customer service team a call instead.

It is essential that you declare any medical conditions that you have, as failure to do so could lead to a claim being declined later down the line, should the condition be found to be linked to your claim.

The price of a winter sports travel insurance policy (or policy that includes cover for winter sports activities) will vary depending on the types of activities you plan on taking part in during your trip. For example, protection for the most daring winter sports activities, such as para-skiing (which falls under our ‘Extreme’ range), may cost more than standard on-piste skiing (which comes under our ‘Sport’ range) as there is more of a risk.  

Factors such as your age and overall health may also impact the price of a winter sports policy. However, it is essential to declare any medical conditions you have, as failure to do so could result in a claim being declined. Let’s be honest, winter sports-related injuries aren’t exactly cheap (we’re talking six figures in some cases) and, in this scenario, you could be left to foot the medical bill.

Winter sports travel insurance can cover most destinations across the globe. Where your specific policy covers you to travel will depend on the geographical area that you select when you take out your policy.

At DOGTAG, we offer eight different geographical locations which you can see broken down by country when you go through the quote process. When you select the destination that you wish to travel to, our quote journey will automatically select the destination group most suited to you.

However, if you plan on visiting more than one destination (and therefore need an annual multi trip policy) simply check which category (or categories) your planned trip destination(s) fall into and make sure your policy covers you for that group.

We know that sometimes plans change. So, if the country (or countries) you planned on visiting fall outside of the group you’ve selected, then give us a call and we can amend your cover. Please note, there may be an additional premium if the activity you’ve added on is more extreme or if the new destination falls into a different category, but we’ll let you know this upfront.

You should buy your winter sports travel insurance protection as soon as you have booked your trip. That way, should anything unexpected happen between buying your policy and your holiday starting, which causes you to have to cancel the trip, you’ll be covered, provided the reason you are cancelling is detailed in your policy.

Absolutely! Multi trip policies can offer better value for money if you plan on travelling more than twice a year to take part in winter sport activities. An annual multi-trip winter sports travel insurance policy can also save time in the long run, as you’ll only have to input your details and medical history once (unless something changes during the course of the year).

The best winter sports policy is entirely dependent on the trip you are taking and your individual needs. You should ensure the standard travel insurance cover, as well as the winter sports cover, is suitable. This includes, but is not limited to, making sure the cancellation limit is enough to cover the cost of your trip, you are happy with the personal possession cover limit and any existing medical conditions are covered. You may also want to look for a travel insurance policy that offers COVID cover, departure delay and missed flights, for example, if this is important to you.

You should also make sure the winter sports activities you will undertake on your trip are covered under the policy too. At DOGTAG, all you need to do is select the winter sport(s) activities you plan on taking part in, choose the policy most suited to your needs (make sure the policy you pick offers enough cancellation cover to match your getaway) and double check the winter sports policy extension has been selected before you checkout.

In a nutshell, the right cover for you will vary depending on what you want your trip to look like, what activities you plan on getting involved in, and how much your trip cost you.

Certainly, with DOGTAG it does! If you buy a policy with our winter sports policy extension upgrade then you’re automatically insured for skiing or snowboarding off-piste within your ski resort. This means that you can venture off the groomed trails and ski the huge powder areas between the runs. It even covers skiing between the trees within the resort area.

If you decide to explore outside the resort into unpatrolled areas (we define this as ‘Back Country’) then we have split ‘Back Country’ into two levels. For Back Country with a guide, as well as choosing the winter sports extension, you’ll also need to select ‘Sport+’ instead of ‘Sport’ as your activity cover level. For Back Country without a guide then you’ll need to select ‘Extreme’ as your activity cover level as well as the winter sports policy extension.

If you only plan on embarking on one trip, lasting less than 31 days, your best bet is a DOGTAG single trip policy with the winter sports extension added-on.

However, if you’re planning to take multiple trips over a 12-month period, then an annual multi trip policy (with a winter sports extension) may be more suitable. With an annual multi-trip policy, you can take an unlimited number of trips, totalling 31 days per trip.

At DOGTAG, we’re advocates when it comes to health and safety. So, when it comes to participating in winter sports activities, there are a number of easy ways to reduce your chances of having an accident or getting injured which we have included below.

Use a helmet – All DOGTAG policies require you to wear a helmet. When you’re travelling at rapid speeds, your chances of having an accident increase. Therefore, wearing a helmet offers you extra protection in the event that you collide and hurt yourself. What’s more, your insurance may not cover you if you decide to head off up the mountain without the necessary safety equipment – so something to bear in mind!

Follow the rules – Rules are made on the slopes for a reason. As such, any laws you see need to be followed at all times – otherwise you risk not being insured should rule-breaking later lead to a claim.

Tell a friend – Whatever route you’re headed for, make sure to let someone know where you’re going. In the event that something was to happen while you were out on the slopes, at least somebody knows your whereabouts and can send help, if needed.

¹Coronavirus cover includes cover if you need to cancel within 14 days of your trip or curtail your trip early as a result of a positive COVID test, and cover for medical expenses related to a coronavirus diagnosis during your trip. Any further cover can be purchased within the optional COVID-19 Extension. More information can be found here.