Ski Mountaineering Travel Insurance

DOGTAG was founded by people who are no strangers to the rigours and challenges of skiing in remote places. So how do we define ski mountaineering as opposed to any other form of ‘off-piste’ skiing? Here, we want to help make it clear what exactly ski mountaineering entails and make sure you know what cover you need to travel safely! Remember – for this activity you will need to complete our referral form before proceeding with your quote.

Some of the cover available to you:

At DOGTAG, all of our single and annual multi-trip policies include cover for events that may happen during any holiday, for example, lost or damaged luggage, emergency medical costs and trip cancellation. More specifically the policies we offer include:

• 24/7 emergency medical assistance team
• Covid cover available
• Up to £10 million medical expenses, including bringing you home if it is medically necessary
• Cancellation cover
• Cover for your personal belongings
• Cover for your equipment and your apparel included within the relevant optional extension
• Policies developed by enthusiasts in the sports we cover – we don’t just insure it, we actually do it!

What’s the difference between Ski Mountaineering and Ski Touring?

Ski mountaineering is like a big brother to ski touring. Ski mountaineering takes place higher up in the mountains, therefore posing a higher risk if anything were to go wrong and potentially would require additional help such as mountain rescue if medically necessary. (Which is why we need additional information prior to confirming cover!)

While not for the faint hearted, the ski mountaineers’ aim is to climb, usually to the summit of a mountain, and then off-piste ski back down. Off-piste skiing requires going off trail and finding your own route. A tremendously difficult task in itself. Whilst ski mountaineering requires both the skills of mountain climbing and skiing off-piste, often across high and remote terrain.

The motivation to reach these unexplored areas has an understandable appeal to the thrill seekers amongst us. As inviting as it may be, it requires a lot of skill as well as requiring a range of equipment including crampons, ice axes and ropes, whilst also carrying skis!

Why do I need specific cover for Ski Mountaineering?

Typically, ski mountaineering travel insurance will cover holiday cancellation (due to reasons listed in your policy wording) and lost, damaged or stolen equipment, lost ski passes and piste closures.

Ski mountaineering is classed as one of the highest risk winter sports and because of this we need you to complete our referral form before we can confirm cover. Once cover is confirmed, if you’re planning on taking part in other winter sports on your holiday that are found on our activity list then you will also be covered for those.

It is super important for you to make sure you are fully covered when taking part in a high-risk activity like ski mountaineering. This is because of the high cost of medical care and assistance that could be needed if anything were to happen. Along with resources like mountain rescue (if medically necessary) that could be needed when high in the mountains. Sounds expensive right? So, make sure to take out the correct cover and leave the rest to us!

Can I buy Ski Mountaineering cover with a pre-existing medical condition?

Yes, at least in most cases! We don’t believe having a medical condition should prevent you from ski mountaineering. If it’s not hindering your safety then we can get you on your next mountaineering adventure!

Be sure to let us know about any medication you take and any medical conditions you have during the quote process. We’ll ask you a couple of questions to get a clearer picture of your overall health and then, where possible, offer suitable travel insurance options based on your answers. If you’d prefer to speak to someone over the phone, just give our customer service team a call instead.

It is essential that you declare any medical conditions that you have, as failure to do so could lead to a claim being declined later down the line, should the condition be found to be linked to your claim.

How much does Ski Mountaineering travel insurance cost?

The price of ski mountaineering may cost more than other forms of skiing, like off-piste or ski touring. This is due to it being one of the highest risk sports and therefore the price reflects the cost of medical assistance that may be needed.

Other key factors including your age and health could change the price of your ski mountaineering insurance. It is essential to declare all your medical conditions because medical bills aren’t cheap and you don’t want to be digging into your own pocket should an accident happen.

What destinations does Ski Mountaineering travel insurance cover?

Ski mountaineering travel insurance can cover travel to most places around the world! When you take out your policy you will be able to select where it specifically covers.

At DOGTAG, simply select the destination that you wish to travel to and our quote journey will automatically select the destination group most suited to you.

However, if you plan on visiting more than one destination (and therefore need an annual multi trip policy) simply click here to check which geographical zone(s) your planned trip destination(s) fall into to make sure your policy covers you for that zone.

We know that sometimes plans change. So, if the country (or countries) you planned on visiting fall outside of the zone you’ve selected, then give us a call and we can amend your cover.

Please note, there may be an additional premium if your new destination falls into a different zone, but we’ll let you know this upfront.

When should I buy Ski Mountaineering travel insurance?

Ideally buying your ski mountaineering travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday is best, and is most beneficial to you. This way, if something were to happen before you went on holiday and you needed to cancel the trip, you would be covered, providing the reason for cancelling is covered by your policy – you can check your policy wording here.

Remember – you aren’t covered for cancellation until you have purchased travel insurance, so will benefit you to purchase as soon as your holiday is booked. Single trip policies will cover you for cancellation from the date of purchase, and Annual Multi Trip policies from the start date of the policy.

What level of cover do I need for Ski Mountaineering?

We consider ski mountaineering as one of the highest risk sports and therefore we must take precautions for the hopefully unrequired medical care if something were to happen. To make sure you are covered for all the assistance that could be needed be sure to declare any conditions.

You will need to complete this referral form before we can confirm cover for Ski mountaineering.

To see the other sports we can cover and the levels they fall under, please click here.

Can I buy an Annual Multi Trip for Ski Mountaineering?

A multi trip policy can offer you better value for money when travelling to more than one destination. It also can save you the hassle of getting a new quote before each trip, because as we all know buying travel insurance isn’t the most fun purchase to make.  However, as Ski Mountaineering is a referral only activity, we recommend you fill in our form first to ensure you are covered.

If you need to change or amend your policy the customer service team can help you with updating it! You can contact them easily on live chat by clicking here or using our contact us page.

What equipment do I need for Ski Mountaineering?

It is essential to make sure you have the correct equipment when taking on a risky sport like ski mountaineering. Equipment needed can include;

• Skis
• Ski touring poles
• Ski touring bindings
• Ski touring boots
• Ski skins
• Ski crampons
• Harness
• Rucksack
• Ski helmet
• Avalanche shovel
• Avalanche transceiver

And more!

Be sure to do your own thorough research and stock up on everything you need. You can check the limits we will cover equipment for in your policy wordings here.

• Coronavirus cover includes cover if you need to cancel within 14 days of your trip or curtail your trip early as a result of a positive COVID test, and cover for medical expenses related to a coronavirus diagnosis during your trip. Any further cover can be purchased within the optional COVID-19 Extension. More information can be found here.