18% of winter sports fanatics are cutting back on travel insurance
31 October 2008 / by Rachael Stiles
According to the results, almost a fifth of people polled said they would forgo travel insurance, despite the need for specialist winter sports travel insurance, in an attempt to cut the costs of their winter sports holiday. However, esure is warning that this could be a false economy.
And, as the credit crunch bites and looks set to morph into a recession, it is not just travel insurance that Brits are willing to cut back on in favour of the slopes.
According to the survey, 65 per cent of Brits would consider shortening their trip if it means saving money. In addition, almost half of people questioned said they would be willing to head for the Scottish ski slopes instead of the Alps or Rockies.
It seems that location is not as important as previously thought when it comes to skiing as more than half of those surveyed said they would happily choose lesser known slopes like those in Poland if it means saving money.
Commenting on the changing behaviour of the UK’s skiers and snowboarders and the impact this could have on insurance, head of travel insurance at esure, Mike Pickard, said: “With more skiers considering weekend breaks and trips to Scotland as household purses tighten, there may be a greater temptation to dismiss the need for travel insurance.
But any winter sports holiday – no matter how long the trip or how close to home – comes with a certain element of risk. It’s crucial to ensure you’re fully covered if you have an accident on the slopes.”
And, commenting on the new trend of snow sports fanatics travelling to less on-trend locations, Mr Pickard added: “The growing popularity of less-established winter resorts increases the importance for skiers to have suitable cover.
“Less well-known ski destinations such as Poland may be cheaper but medical facilities and rescue services are unlikely to match the standards of some established resorts.”
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