Unwary skiers hurt or lost on the slopes in Europe could find themselves being presented with an average bill for £16,000 if a search and rescue team is called out to help them in some countries.
According to information released by Complete Ski, part of travel insurer Columbus Direct, calling out the mountain search and rescue team can cost thousands of pounds. This can come as a very unwelcome surprise to many British skiers, who mistakenly believe these services are free as they are in the UK.
Complete Ski has produced a map showing the average costs for search and rescue operations. The company’s research shows that people are more likely to have to pick up the bill in Europe while in North America, the Coast Guard or National Park Services will pay for search and rescue operations.
Greg Lawson, Head of Retail for Columbus Direct Insurance said: “Most people would assume local emergency services, local government or even the FCO to cover you if you ever had to be rescued but, as our research shows, in most places this is not the case.”
“With half term upon us many British families will be choosing winter adventure holidays such as skiing or trekking. If you go off-piste while on holiday and require search and rescue, you could end up paying the bill. A rescue in the Swiss Alps can easily cost you around €19,000, while in Idaho they are allowed to charge up to US$4,000 for saving out-of-bounds skiers.”
Complete Ski found that, when it came to the different types of costs associated with search and rescue operations, air ambulance repatriation was by far the most expensive bill to pay, costing around £50,000.
General costs associated with search and rescue operations
| Continent | Helicopter (to operate) | Airlift to hospital | Repatriation | Helicopter evacuation | Air ambulance repatriation |
| North America | Up to £3,200 | Up to £12,000 | Up to £30,000 | Up to £2,600 | Up to £100,000 |
| Europe | Up to £2,100 per hour | Up to £2,500 | Up to £6,000 | Up to £9,000 | Up to £50,000 |
Lawson continued: “We urge travelers to make sure they understand the policy they are purchasing. The great majority of travel insurance policies will not provide cover for the more risky activities but some insurers can provide add-ons to an existing policy for any such activities.
Lastly, I would say if you make the decision to venture off-piste make sure you take someone with you and stay within the resort boundaries – unless you are with a qualified guide.”
Complete Ski offers some winter sports travel tips
– The biggest potential cost on any ski holiday is the cost of medical treatment if you have an accident or illness. We recommend that your policy has a winter sports section that specifically covers medical expenses and other specific sections of cover including lost lift pass, ski equipment, ski school classes and ski equipment.
– It is recommended that you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)for covering state hospital care but many resorts have private clinics that will not be covered by the EHIC and travel insurance is strongly recommended.
– Do look for a policy which also covers for piste rescue, whether ‘blood wagon’ or helicopter, in case you have a serious accident on the slopes.
– Take time to consider all the types of activities you will do on your ski/snowboarding holiday. For example, if you plan to go heli-skiing or even ice-skating, then these activities may require you to declare this so, if in doubt, always check with your insurer.
– Don’t consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Most policies have exclusion clauses if you are under the influence (as a guide, don’t drink more than you would if you were going to drive).
