Travel Insurance for Snowboarding: What to Check Before the Season

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Two of my best friends and I once went camping and snowboarding in the Colorado mountains. We showered in glacier fed rivers and one night the temperature dropped to minus 13°C just as our heater ran out of gas. It was freezing and it was brilliant. I wrote about it in 7 crazy adventures I would never have had without being a digital nomad.

I have also snowboarded in the French Alps while developing a brand. Both trips taught me the same thing. Mountains are wonderful, and they are expensive places to get hurt. So before you book your winter, make sure your travel insurance actually covers snowboarding.

Why snowboarders need to read the small print

Many travel policies only cover winter sports if you add them, or pay more. Others cover the slopes but not the places snowboarders love most. The time to find out is before you buy your lift pass, not in a clinic at the bottom of the mountain.

What to check in your policy

1. Snowboarding and skiing are named as covered. Look for winter sports in the sports and activities section.
2. Where you ride. Most policies cover marked runs. Off piste riding, backcountry and heliskiing are common exclusions.
3. Mountain rescue. Getting you off the mountain is often a separate cost from the hospital. Check whether your policy pays for it, and ask the resort how rescue is charged.
4. The country. Medical care in the USA and Canada is very expensive, so many policies limit cover there or charge more for it.
5. Helmet rules. Some policies ask for one. Wear one either way.
6. Your kit. Health insurance pays for you, not your board, boots or lift pass.
7. Competitions and coaching. Racing and paid work as an instructor are often excluded.

How Genki Traveler covers snowboarding

I use Genki for my own cover. Under the current Genki Traveler insurance conditions:

• Skiing and snowboarding are covered on marked trails and designated areas.
• Off piste riding, heliskiing and heli snowboarding are not covered.
• Search and rescue is excluded. Ambulance transport to the nearest suitable hospital is covered in a medical emergency.
• Professional sports, where you are regularly paid, are not covered.
• Up to 6 prescribed physiotherapy sessions are covered per case, and emergency dental care after an accident is covered up to €1,000 per case.
• In the USA and Canada, cover depends on the region you choose. With the limited option, you are only covered for medical emergencies that start within 7 days of arriving there. The full worldwide option removes that limit.
• In the USA you pay the first €100 of each visit to an emergency room or urgent care centre, unless it leads to a hospital stay.

So Genki works for resort riding, not backcountry trips. If that is how you ride, you can check the price for your age on Genki for the region you need.

UK riders in Europe

A UK Global Health Insurance Card gives you access to state healthcare in the EU. The NHS is clear that it does not replace travel insurance and does not cover ski or mountain rescue, private clinics or getting you home. Carry it, but do not rely on it.

Tips for a safer season

• Check the avalanche forecast before you leave the marked runs, even for a short section. In Europe, avalanches.org links to every national warning service.
• Warm up and stop before you are exhausted. The last run of the day is a classic for injuries.
• Know the signs of frostbite. The NHS frostbite guide explains what to look for.
• Save the resort emergency number and your insurer’s assistance contact on your phone.

Ride hard, ride covered

A good winter is about fresh snow, good friends and getting home in one piece. If something does go wrong, follow my guide on what to do if you get sick or injured abroad. Already travelling without cover? Read whether you can buy travel insurance when you are already abroad. And if your winter turns into a whole year away, read my guide to gap year travel insurance.

Photo by Joshua Reddekopp on Unsplash.