Australians Urged to Seek Cover this Snow Season

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A lot of standard travel insurance policies don’t protect you when you’re skiing or snowboarding, so it’s important to find a policy that specifically covers winter sports,

(PRWEB) June 26, 2010

Thousands of Australian skiers and snowboarders are taking unnecessary risks in the snow by failing to carry adequate insurance, according to Australia’s leading online travel insurance provider Travel Insurance Direct.

Travel Insurance Direct General Manager Ian Jackson said while the vast majority of Australia’s 610,000 skiers and 230,000 snowboarders would enjoy an incident-free season this year, the high cost of snow sports meant it was important to be properly insured.

“A lot of standard travel insurance policies don’t protect you when you’re skiing or snowboarding, so it’s important to find a policy that specifically covers winter sports,” Mr Jackson said. “Never assume your annual policy or credit card gives you protection.”

Travel Insurance Direct provides comprehensive cover specifically for Australian skiers and snowboarders. Standard policies cover all the needs of regular travel insurance, plus a range of snow-related issues like damage or loss of gear, bad weather disruption, forced cancellation of prepaid items like lift passes and lessons, and offshore injuries and medical expenses.

Mr Jackson said skiers and snowboarders often carried equipment worth thousands of dollars, which could be protected with a policy costing as little as $60 a week.

“Even rental gear can cost you many hundreds of dollars if you lose or damage anything, so it’s worth ensuring you’re adequately covered,” Mr Jackson said.

Travel Insurance Direct has suggested tips to avoid loss and damage to ski and snowboard gear:

•     Avoid leaving gear unattended or out of sight for prolonged periods. Carefully note the location of skis and snowboards when left in racks
•     Label skis and snowboards to prevent them being taken from racks or lodge store rooms by mistake
•     Use leg ropes when snowboarding to prevent board loss or injury to others
•     Don’t allow poles to hang down while aboard chair lifts. Keep poles up and pointing forward
•     Avoid obstacles and watch for rocks and grass patches to prevent ski and snowboard damage
•     Don’t kick boots against bindings to remove snow and ice, use poles gently
•     Ski safely and observe the Australian Alpine Responsibility Code which can be downloaded from snowsafe.org.au.

Mr Jackson said Travel Insurance Direct also covered the excess charged by car hire companies in the event of an accident or damage, however it was important for drivers to take care in alpine areas.

Drivers should ensure snow chains are carried and properly fitted when required by National Parks and road authorities. The Kosciuszko National Park website offers advice for driving in the snow.

Travel Insurance Direct is Australia’s number one online travel insurer and offers comprehensive cover for less than the cost of most policies sold in travel agencies. Snow insurance is available from $39 for a week of skiing & boarding in New Zealand. Popular TID products include holiday insurance, annual insurance, insurance for cruises and laptop & ipad travel insurance.

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