3.5 million Brits never take out travel insurance, says ABTA

ABTA has revealed that more than 3.5 million Brits, who have been on a winter sports holiday, have never taken out travel insurance to cover themselves for activities such as skiing and snowboarding.

With the winter sports season rapidly approaching, ABTA is encouraging holidaymakers to make sure they have the appropriate travel insurance policy in place before they go.

ABTA Members have reported more than 200 significant injuries amongst British holidaymakers in the past ski season, which include collisions and falls on the slopes – however, these figures represent just those cases reported by ABTA Members and the association believes the total number of incidents could be much higher.

The injuries reported are also not exclusive to skiing, with a number of incidents resulting from other activities including snowboarding, bum boarding and tobogganing.

“Without the appropriate travel insurance in place”

Nikki White, ABTA’s director of destinations and sustainability, said: “Nearly a third of winter sports holidaymakers are heading out to the slopes without the appropriate travel insurance in place, putting themselves at risk of costly medical bills if they have an accident while abroad.

“It’s really important that people take out an insurance policy that covers them for all the activities they plan to do on holiday, as well as getting themselves ski-fit beforehand, so they can focus on having an enjoyable and safe trip.”

Holidaymakers are encouraged to wear a helmet when taking part in winter sports activities and check their equipment fits properly to reduce the risk of injury. ABTA also urges them to check safety advice specific to the resort, including when and when not to go off-piste, as well as avalanche risk levels.