Naturally travellers should be covered for emergency medical assistance and emergency expenses while travelling overseas, but what about snow and travel insurance in Australia?

Compare to Get the Best Cover for You

Ski insurance and travel insurance for Australia should include fairly comprehensive benefits. The snowfields might be just up the road, but the risks and the uncertain weather conditions are the same no matter where you ski.

Travel insurance to the snow needs to include cancellation fees and lost deposits not only protecting against bad weather closure but also to ensure you are refunded any pre-paid holiday expenses, accommodation or ski hire should you fall sick or have an injury prior to travel. At the very least snow travel cover should also include:

· Piste closure and avalanche and bad weather closure as well as equipment hire

· Emergency rescue, including helicopter rescue, plus cover for any additional expenses you may incur due to injury or illness such additional accommodation

· Ski Pack, a name given to the cover that refunds any unused accommodation, lift passes and ski hire should your holiday be cut short due to injury or illness.

A number of companies don’t include ski insurance as standard in their policies. It’s worth checking first, through Australian company, 1 Cover – as they do. You’ll also find it difficult to find companies that insure professional or competition skiers. If you need a professional ski and snowboard travel insurance company, Australia based, Ski-Insurance.com.au, specialises in this area.

Even companies that do include ski insurance will rarely touch sports such as bobsledding, luges or heli-skiing and some companies also stipulate how far off-piste you can go without a professional guide.

Professional and Competition Cover

In order to compete you will need a competition license, available through the Ski and Snowboard Association. But first, you need to show evidence you have taken out an appropriate level of ski insurance – referred to as Pro Ski insurance – before you will be granted your licence.

For Frequent Snow Goers, Annual Cover is Cheapest

With the snow fields of Falls Creek and Hotham, Mt Bulla, Thredbo and Perisher virtually on our doorstep, many Australians head to the snow several times in the season.

Statistics suggest around one in four still travel without cover, an unnecessary risk when it’s possible to purchase cheap annual travel insurance direct. Australia is also within easy distance of the New Zealand snowfields, with travel across the Tasman affordable and easy. Annual travel insurance, Australia – New Zealand, is also cheap protection, which leaves no traveller with an excuse for leaving home unprotected!