Ski and Snowboard Vacations: 6 Reasons to Get Travel Protection

One of the hottest destinations this winter is also one of the coldest – ski resorts! If your guests are among the thousands of American travelers planning a ski or snowboard vacation this winter, they'll want added protection for that vacation with travel protection from Generali.

The reasons why travel protection for winter sports is so important include:

• Help protect skis, snowboards and other equipment
• Coverage for emergency medical
• Medical evacuation benefit
• Trip cancellation and interruption protection, including coverage for lift tickets
• Rental Car Damage coverage
• Travel delays

Trip cancellation and interruption protection

Travelers can never know what’s going to happen – especially these days. Illness and injury, plus more mundane things like an extended school year due to unforeseen causes, can force travelers to cancel or interrupt a trip.

In addition, ski vacations often have a lot of prepaid expenses, including transportation, lodging, lift tickets, and even rental gear.

For those reasons, travel protection is a must for any ski trip this winter – even if it’s to a ski area that’s relatively close by.

Travelers should get travel protection with a wide range of covered reasons for cancellation, and one that covers cancellation at 100%. Plans that also have trip interruption with a wide range of covered reasons and more than 100% coverage will be the most beneficial if travelers have to go home early or depart on their trip later than scheduled.

Emergency medical coverage

A “broken leg on the ski slope” is not just a cliché. Accidents happen on ski and snowboard vacations, which is why it’s important for travelers to have travel protection with coverage for emergency medical expenses. Even when traveling in the US, travelers can’t be sure whether the local medical providers are in network, and travel medical coverage is especially vital for international winter sports vacations. Fortunately, Generali’s Guest Protect and Ski & Mountain Travel Protection plans include coverage for medical and emergency dental expenses if travelers get sick or injured during their trip.

Medical evacuation benefit

For a winter sports vacation, having medical evacuation coverage with high benefit limits goes hand-in-hand with emergency medical coverage.

Travelers are probably not going to break any legs sitting by the fire in the lounge. They're likely to have an accident somewhere on a snowy, steep mountain, and they very well might have to be evacuated. Medical evacuation coverage is a must for ski and snowboard vacations, and the more the better … like the $1 million in Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage in Generali’s Guest Protect and Ski & Mountain Travel Protection plans.

Travelers shouldn’t scrimp on medical-evac coverage – and with Generali, they don’t have to.

Coverage for skis and other equipment

Skis, snowboards, boots, and accessories are expensive. They’re difficult to transport and can be easily lost or damaged. Because of this, it’s important for travelers to have travel protection with coverage for winter sports equipment.

Generali’s Guest Protect Travel Protection includes Baggage coverage and the Ski & Mountain Travel Protection Plan incudes additional coverage for Sporting Equipment. If sporting equipment is damaged, lost or stolen during a trip, travel protection can provide reimbursement. Ski & Mountain Travel Protection also includes Sporting Equipment Delay coverage for delays of 24 hours or more. In case travelers make it to the slopes, but their gear doesn’t, they can rent what they need and get reimbursed.

(Travelers should keep receipts if they’re buying any new sporting equipment for their trip, in order to get the greatest amount of reimbursement for a loss. Items without receipts are reimbursed based upon 75% of the actual cash value at the time of the loss.)

Rental Car Damage coverage

Here’s a common scenario: A traveler plans a ski/snowboard vacation to a resort. They fly into the nearest airport and rent a car to reach the actual ski area.

Usually travelers either buy the rental company’s coverage or just cover the rental under their own auto policy. However, in the latter scenario, what happens if there's an accident with the rental car on the snowy, winding roads to the resort? The traveler's auto protection rates are likely to go up.

A better idea is the Rental Car Damage coverage that’s available with Generali's Guest Protect and Ski & Mountain Travel Protection plans. This coverage can help protect travelers and their auto policy.

Travel Delay coverage

It’s winter. Travelers are heading someplace snow-covered and slippery. What could go wrong?

Lots, actually. The same weather that’s going to make sure guests can ski in knee-deep powder can also shut down airports for multiple hours, making it impossible for travelers to actually get to the powder.

Travel Delay coverage from Generali won’t get travelers to the slopes any faster, but it can provide reimbursement for certain reasonable, additional expenses while travelers are delayed for 12 hours or longer. 

And, Generali’s 24/7 travel support can help make alternate arrangements that might actually expedite access to that fresh-fallen snow.

All these reasons and more make travel protection for a snowboarding or ski vacation a smart buy.

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