Press release -
1 in 3 Brits have been injured while skiing….and it hurts even more because they don’t have insurance!
More than one third (36%) of British skiers have sustained an injury on the slopes, and risk costly medical bills as almost half (48%) admit to having no insurance.* Almost one fifth (19%) have even sustained serious injuries including broken bones, fractured bones, pulled ligaments or tendons, sprains and concussions whilst 19% got away with cuts and bruises.
Whilst it is no secret that skiing and snowboarding comes with some risk of injury, costs may come as more of a shock. Treatments at a walk in clinic would typically cost in region of £500-1000 and the cost of a helicopter rescue to hospital can reach £2,500.
The survey[1] commissioned by Post Office Insurance of 4,544 GB adults found that winter sports holidaymakers over 55-s and under 24’s are most guilty of being reckless when it comes to their insurance. Only 38 per cent of older skier’s and 37 per cent of young people who have ever been on a winter sports holiday say they purchased insurance for their most recent winter sports holiday.
The survey also revealed that the Scottish are the most accident prone, with 9% admitting they have suffered a broken bone on the slopes. Yet, the Scots are also the least likely to purchase insurance (66%) in comparison to their English counterparts (55%)*.
A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) card covers some free and reduced costs but these vary by country and those without insurance could find themselves heavily out of pocket on the slopes if they have failed to prepare.
Holidaymakers assume they are covered for winter sports as part of their travel insurance – but it is often not the case, meaning thousands of people could be heading to the slopes without any cover. Many aren’t aware it is a costly business if you have an accident on the slopes and don’t have the right insurance to cover your medical bills.
Managing Director of Post Office Insurance, Rob Clarkson, says: “At Post Office we want to ensure our customers are adequately prepared for their winter sports holiday including knowing how they can avoid risk and misfortune while there. If people are mistakenly assuming that an EHIC card gives sufficient cover, the cost could be high if you do have an accident. It’s also important for people to explore what their insurance policy covers especially if for example they are planning to go off-piste outside of resort boundaries.”
As part of its #SkiSafe campaign, Post Office Insurance is offering holidaymakers transparent advice, available at any time on their website, letting skiers know what measures they can take to avoid injury and what to look out for when buying insurance for a break on, and off, the slopes.
Dylan Burke, Ski Instructor and Head of Ski at Ongosa says “As with everything, preparation is key and that definitely applies to ski holidays. It is not just insurance that people fail to acknowledge properly either. The joy of skiing is you don’t need to be at peak fitness to enjoy it. However, just a few weeks of relevant exercise will massively increase your enjoyment on the slopes and reduce chance of injury.”
But what is adequate preparation? GP and medical broadcasterDr Hilary Jones comments: “The types of injuries we see are predominantly preventable through some simple preparation. Before hitting the slopes, skiers can wear appropriate clothing and should avoid skiing right after a tipple to help protect themselves and ensure they stay fighting fit for their whole break. Whilst we all want to make the most of our holidays, it is important that if skiers do find themselves injured for any reason, they do not delay seeking medical attention and risk making their injuries worse.”
For more tips and advice on skiing safe visit; https://www.postoffice.co.uk/travel-insurance/ski/ski-safe
[1] Survey of 4,544 GB adults was conducted by YouGov between the 16th and 19th February 2018 - of which a sample of 809 were winter sports holidaymakers
* Percentage calculated from a total of 809 winter sports holiday makers of which (43%) and (9%) said they did not know or could not recall.
* Percentage calculated from a total of 61 Scottish winter sports holiday makers of which (33%) and (1%) said they did not know or could not recall. Equally, percentage calculated from a total of 702 English winter sports holiday makers of which (44%) and (1%) said they did not know or could not recall.
About the Post Office
Post Office Limited has an unrivalled national network of over 11,600 branches across the UK, more than all the high street banks combined, and sits at the heart of many communities across the country.
It provides around 170 different services and products spanning financial services including savings, insurance, loans, mortgages and credit cards. Post Office also offers Government services, telephony, foreign currency, travel insurance and mail services.
99.7% of people live within three miles of their nearest Post Office outlet. For many rural communities the Post Office is the only retail outlet. Post Offices remain highly valued and trusted and are the focal point for many communities. For more information, visit www.postoffice.co.uk.
