Standard travel insurance handles lost luggage and flight cancellations well, but before heading to a ski resort it's worth rereading your policy one more time — many basic packages don't cover winter sports at all, or require a separate add-on for it.
📋 What a standard policy covers — and doesn't
- Basic packages usually cover illness, flight delays and lost luggage — but not injuries from skiing or snowboarding
- Off-piste skiing is almost always excluded, even if you have basic sports coverage
- Damage to or theft of gear (skis, boots) is a separate line item rarely included in a basic package
🚁 Why the evacuation limit matters
A helicopter rescue in the Alps can cost several thousand euros — a basic policy's evacuation limit (often capped around $6,000-9,000) may not fully cover that, especially on difficult terrain or in bad weather.
✅ What to add to your policy
- A winter sports add-on — covers on-piste skiing/snowboarding injuries
- Separate off-piste coverage, if you're planning to ski outside marked trails
- A medical and evacuation limit of at least $30,000-50,000 for an Alpine resort
- Equipment insurance, if you're bringing your own skis or snowboard
💶 Cost and where to buy
A winter sports add-on typically adds about $8-18 to a basic policy for a week-long trip — a small cost next to what an uninsured evacuation or surgery would run. For general guidance, see the full travel insurance guide.
Read the exclusions section before you buy — plenty of cheap policies exclude "sporting activities" entirely, even when they're marketed as "travel insurance."
💡 Practical tips
- Buy insurance as soon as you book your ticket — some policies cover trip cancellation due to injury too
- For Alpine resorts near Salzburg or Geneva, check that the specific resort falls within your policy's geographic zone
- Get an eSIM for a snowy destination in case you need to call an assistance hotline
Use Travel365's price calendar when comparing flights — Alpine routes are usually priciest in January-February and cheaper in early December.
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