Best Ski Travel Insurance Plans
These adventure sport policies offer some of the most comprehensive skiing and snowboarding travel insurance coverage on the market. They provide protection for your gear as well as covering medical treatment for sports-related injuries, accidental death, and dismemberment.
See a complete breakdown of these plans, and other popular plans geared towards winter travel, in our full review of the Best Adventure Travel Insurance Companies of 2026.
What is Winter Sports Travel Insurance?
Not all travel insurance policies automatically cover skiing, snowboarding, or other winter sports. Winter Sports Travel Insurance refers to policies that include specific Sports & Activities benefits that can offer coverage for high-risk winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, and more.
Specialized winter sports insurance can reimburse you for medical treatment if you're injured on the slopes or assist in medically evacuating you from remote ski resorts.
Many comprehensive policies can also provide reimbursement for damage to your ski gear or snowboarding equipment, prepaid expenses like lift tickets, ski rentals, airfare, and lodging if you're forced to cancel your ski trip due to an injury, illness, severe winter storm, or other covered reason.
Some riskier forms of skiing or snowboarding, like heli skiing, may be covered by fewer policies, but there are still plenty of options to choose from. Squaremouth currently offers 20+ policies that can cover skiing or snowboarding to some extent.
Here are a few of the different types of winter activities that can be covered by adventure travel insurance:
- Downhill Skiing & Snowboarding
- Backcountry skiing (with or without a guide)
- Cross-country skiing
- Heli skiing or snowboarding
- Mogus skiing
- Recreational skiing or snowboarding
- Terrain park (skiing or snowboarding)
- Ski Jumping
- Do I Need Travel Medical Insurance for a Ski Trip?
- What Does Ski or Snowboard Travel Insurance Cover?
- What Is Not Covered by Snowboarding and Ski Travel Insurance?
- How Much Does Snowboarding & Ski Insurance Cost?
- Where Can I Buy Travel Insurance for My Ski Trip?
- Is Ski Insurance Worth It?
- FAQs: Winter Sports Travel Insurance
- Related Articles
Do I Need Travel Medical Insurance for a Ski Trip?
Skiing and snowboarding are inherently high-risk activities, and even experienced athletes can suffer accidents on the slopes that require immediate medical attention.
Within the United States, your regular health insurance may cover you for sports-related injuries. However, if you're traveling outside the U.S., your regular health insurance will likely not be accepted by local medical facilities. Having the proper travel medical coverage in place that can cover you for sport-related injuries is key to staying protected.
Keep in mind that international medical care can be costly, especially if an emergency evacuation is needed to transport you to the closest adequate medical facility.
Ski travel insurance can cover unexpected medical expenses so that you're not stuck with a massive bill after taking a fall. Your provider's 24/7 emergency assistance team can also help refer care, coordinate evacuations, and help you navigate foreign healthcare systems.
That said, snowboarding and ski insurance coverage goes far beyond simply offering medical coverage and provides several added benefits worth considering.
How Common Are Snowboard and Ski-related Injuries?
The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) reported that this past 2024/2025 ski season saw 63 catastrophic injuries, which is considerably higher than the ten-year average of 44 per year. While this represents only 1.02 injuries per million visitors, it's still a number worth considering when deciding whether or not to opt for ski insurance.
The most commonly reported causes of catastrophic ski and snowboard-related injuries include excess speed, losing control, and collisions with trees.
Regarding international travel, for this year’s 2025/2026 ski season, the European Avalanche Warning Service has already recorded 20 skiers affected by avalanches resulting in 11 total fatalities, as of January 14th, 2026.
Historically low snowfall in recent years means less pistes are open, and denser crowds. Additionally, a lack of snow can lead to packed, icier conditions, which make for harder impacts if you fall.
While relatively uncommon, these numbers show why most travel insurers exclude skiing and snowboarding from standard coverage. Nevertheless, specialized plans are available.
To see exact pricing for your trip, try our travel insurance comparison tool. Simply enter your trip details to see all available plans and prices. Start a Quote
What Does Ski & Snowboard Travel Insurance Cover?
Winter sports insurance is made to cover accidents and injuries while skiing and snowboarding, but it can also provide coverage for your equipment and travel itinerary.
Winter sports travel insurance plans are specifically built to include Sports & Activities coverage excluded by many standard travel insurance plans.
Here is a closer look at what ski insurance can cover:
Emergency Medical coverage can pay for costs incurred in the event of an illness or injury, such as hospital bills and doctor visits, if you become injured or ill during your trip. This includes accidents like fracturing a wrist while breaking a fall, spraining an ankle on a ski slope, dislocating a shoulder after a collision, or experiencing frostbite due to extreme temperatures. We recommend plans with at least $100,000 in Emergency Medical coverage.
This benefit can cover the cost of emergency medical evacuation services to the nearest adequate medical facility. This could include being airlifted by helicopter or transported by snowmobile to a nearby hospital for care.
Consider medevac policies that offer at least $250,000 in evacuation coverage, especially if you'll be skiing in remote alpine areas or resorts with limited medical facilities. Helicopter rescues and mountain evacuations can be extremely expensive, with the CDC reporting they can sometimes cost more than $100,000.
Trip Cancellation protection provides reimbursement for up to 100% of your prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses if you need to cancel your ski trip. Most commonly, this includes coverage for flights and hotels. However, ski travel insurance can also cover sports fees like lift tickets, guided lessons, and equipment rentals.
Common covered cancellation reasons include unexpected illness, injury, or severe weather that shuts down travel in your area or destination.
Make sure the plan offers enough Trip Cancellation protection to cover all of your travel expenses, including those specific to skiing or snowboarding.
Inclement Weather coverage provides reimbursement for unused trip expenses if you need to cancel your trip or cut it short due to severe weather at your destination. This is included within most travel insurance plans within the Trip Cancellation benefit.
This coverage can provide reimbursement if your personal skis, snowboard, boots, poles, or other sports equipment is lost, stolen, damaged, or delayed during a covered trip.
Search and Rescue Coverage can pay for an organized search and rescue operation if you get lost or become stranded while skiing, snowboarding, or participating in another covered winter sport. That said, this coverage is not offered on all plans, so if this is important for your trip, be sure to read the fine print to confirm coverage.
If you're forced to end your trip early due to a covered reason, Trip Interruption coverage can reimburse you for unused travel expenses like lodging reservations, transportation expenses, rental fees, and more. Some plans may also reimburse additional costs incurred to make new travel arrangements back home.
If you experience a significant flight delay during your trip, your Travel Delay coverage can reimburse meal and accommodation expenses while you await your new departure time. A commonly covered delay scenario during winter seasons is snowstorms or icy conditions at your destination that cease flight operations for an extended period of time.
To see exact pricing for your trip, try our travel insurance comparison tool. Simply enter your trip details to see all available plans and prices. Start a Quote
What Is Not Covered by Snowboarding and Ski Travel Insurance?
Even the most robust winter sport travel insurance policies are not all-encompassing. All travel insurance policies feature exclusions that outline the expenses, events, and scenarios that are not eligible for reimbursement in the event of a claim.
While these exclusions vary by provider, most skiing and snowboarding travel insurance plans have specific exclusion criteria for the following:
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Drug and alcohol use: Travel insurance will not reimburse you for injuries, illness, and other disruptions resulting from drug or alcohol use.
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Extreme winter sports: In a similar vein, other related winter sports like ice climbing or terrain park competitions require additional coverage or more specialized protection. Ensure you search for all sports activities you plan to do to ensure they aren’t excluded from your travel insurance coverage.
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Forecasted Weather Events: Weather-related coverage is excluded when a severe weather event was forecasted or named before buying your travel insurance policy. To ensure you are covered, buy a policy early before weather events are forecasted.
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Pre-existing medical conditions: Some policies exclude coverage relating to a medical condition you had before you bought your policy. To avoid this, look for plans that offer a pre-existing conditions waiver.
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Illegal & Illicit acts: Travel insurance will not cover injuries, accidents, or other scenarios resulting from unlawful acts committed by the insured, family member, or traveling companion.
View your policy's Certificate of Insurance for a full list of travel insurance exclusions.
How Much Does Snowboarding & Ski Insurance Cost?
Comprehensive travel insurance for winter sports costs $27 per day on average. These policies typically include strong protection against trip cancellations, medical emergencies, medical evacuations, and lost or delayed ski gear.
This is based on adventure-specific travel insurance sales through Squaremouth in the past 12 months. Adventure plans cost an average of $408, with an average trip length of 15 days.
Like other types of comprehensive travel insurance, the cost of winter sports insurance is based on several risk factors, such as your age, destination, trip length, and non-refundable travel expenses.
Not all winter sports travel insurance plans are comprehensive. Travelers who don't need trip cost protection can choose travel medical insurance, a less expensive form of coverage that does not cover cancellations, for just $5 per day.
Where Can I Buy Travel Insurance for My Ski Trip?
There are multiple ways you can purchase travel insurance for a ski or snowboard trip, including directly from a provider, from a comparison site, and through a travel supplier. Regardless of which method you choose, we recommend obtaining at least two to three quotes from different providers to ensure you're getting the best value for your money.
Through a Travel Insurance Comparison Site
Comparison sites, like Squaremouth, make it easy for skiers and snowboarders to compare quotes from the nation's top travel insurance providers in one place. You can quickly filter results to only show plans that cover winter sports, making it easier to find the best policy for your trip and budget. Best of all, these websites offer the same prices as buying from a travel insurance provider directly.
Direct from a Travel Insurance Provider
Whether it's from a recommendation from a friend or a suggestion from an article, it's possible that you already know the travel insurance company you plan to use for your ski trip. Many providers, like Tin Leg and Battleface, let you purchase coverage directly from their website or mobile app.
Through an Airline or Tour Operator
Airlines, ski resorts, and tour operators sometimes offer travel protection when booking a trip. While convenient, these plans are often more expensive and may provide less coverage than policies purchased through other sources. If you choose this route, be sure the policy specifically covers skiing and snowboarding, including any off-piste or backcountry riding you plan to do.
Is Ski Insurance Worth It?
Yes, anytime your trip involves a high-risk sport, it's important to have the right coverage. Steep terrain, high speeds, and unpredictable weather conditions increase the chances of injury, evacuations, and other potentially costly disruptions.
Given their affordable pricing, winter sports travel insurance plans can offer valuable peace of mind and financial protection if your trip doesn't go as planned. The best ski and snowboard travel insurance policies are comprehensive, covering everything from a broken leg on the slopes to a flight delay that keeps you from enjoying the fresh snow.
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FAQs: Winter Sports Travel Insurance
If you're injured while skiing or snowboarding, your travel insurance can help cover the cost of transporting you to the nearest medical facility and reimburse you for the medical expenses related to your injury. For coverage to apply, you must purchase a policy that includes the Sports & Activities travel insurance benefit.
If you're overseas, a hospital may require upfront payment to provide treatment. Some travel insurance providers can provide payment on your behalf, so there are no delays in getting the care you need. If this is important for you, look for plans with Primary medical coverage.
No, not all winter sports are excluded from coverage. Recreation sports like tubing, sledding, curling, ice skating, and snowmobiling on marked trails are sometimes covered by standard travel insurance.
Winter sports that involve higher risk, such as skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing, often require specialized coverage due to the increased chance of getting injured during your trip.
Coverage for off-piste skiing and snowboarding varies by plan. Many providers classify off-piste skiing and snowboarding as a "dangerous activity" or "extreme sport." For that reason, there may be few options available when looking for coverage for trips that involve off-marked trails.
Most winter sports travel insurance plans will protect your skis, snowboard, or other winter sports equipment for the duration of your trip, including during transit. If your equipment is delayed en route to your destination, your travel insurance policy can cover the cost for rental gear while you wait for your belongings to arrive.
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