Insurance for Snowsports Touring

Knowing what insurance covers what can be a confusing topic. Here are some FAQs to help you get the right insurances for your needs. It sets out:

• why you need insurance
• the different types of insurance available
• what cover you get as an IBSC member
• travel to the EU post-Brexit
• how to decide what activity level you need to insure for (e.g. ski touring vs ski mountaineering)
• geographical considerations
• some suggested providers with a comparison of their benefits & cover

DISCLAIMER:  INSURANCE DECISIONS ARE YOUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. THIS GUIDANCE IS FOR MEMBER INFORMATION ONLY.  IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN WHAT COVER BEST SUITS YOU, SPEAK TO AN INSURANCE BROKER.

Do I need insurance?

If you are going touring anywhere overseas then the answer is YES, you will need TRAVEL INSURANCE or PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE that covers off-piste skiing/touring etc. with or without a guide  and that covers rescue/repatriation and overseas medical expenses. Without it you could face a massive rescue and medical bill in the unfortunate event of an accident.

If you are only ever touring in the UK, then the answer is more nuanced and depends more on your personal circumstances (e.g. are you self employed where a loss of earnings after an accident could be a real problem). We are extremely fortunate in the UK that rescue is provided by voluntary Mountain Rescuers and the Government or specialist charities in the event of helicopter rescue and with medical costs met by the NHS.

What are the different types of insurance?

There are several types that meet different needs:

• TRAVEL INSURANCE.  This typically covers all aspects of overseas travel and can be for an individual trip or annual. This is usually an absolute essential for an overseas trip. You need to ensure that your provider covers the activities you plan to undertake (i.e. off-piste skiing/ski touring/ski mountaineering) and that is covers the part of the world you plan to go to.  It is important to note that the medical cover in these policies is usually only for emergency medical cover overseas and that if the insurer determines that your condition does not require emergency treatment then it is likely they will repatriate you to the UK for treatment on the NHS. When selecting a provider pay careful attention to both the scale of cover, any exclusions and who specifically will manage the rescue/repatriation/emergency medical cover (you may need to ask to find this out).  This is normally outsourced to specialist companies and the quality of service (i.e. communications with you, prompt payment of rescue bills) can vary significantly.
• LIFT PASS INSURANCE.  It’s common for ski resorts to offer insurance with their lift pass, often for a very nominal fee.  This will usually cover rescue by the resort’s ski patrol (amongst other things) within the patrolled area (so not in the backcountry or high mountains). If you have travel insurance that covers rescue, then there is no need for this additional insurance, although if you did end up needing rescue by ski patrol, you may find this insurance makes settling the bill a lot smoother.
• PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE. Personal accident insurance in the UK offers financial protection for individuals who suffer injury, disability, or death due to an accident, with tailored options available for sports participants—including those in ‘high-risk’ activities. These policies typically cover loss of income, medical expenses, and lump-sum payments for serious injuries. Providers such as SportsCover Direct and Sportsguard offer dedicated sports accident insurance that includes personal liability and income protection, covering over 500 activities. It’s essential to check whether your sport is classified as high-risk and ensure your policy explicitly includes it, especially if you’re traveling abroad. Having one of these policies can be a good idea if you do a lot of touring in the UK. (see below for more information on the Mountaineering Scotland personal accident insurance).
• PRIVATE MEDICAL INSURANCE. Unlike typical travel insurance, this will cover you for private medical treatment in the UK.  It complements NHS services by providing rapid access to diagnostics, specialist consultations, and treatments—especially valuable for sports injuries like ligament tears, fractures, or joint issues where there may be long NHS waiting lists or more limited treatment options. Depending on your age/lifestyle you may obtain the same cover for your needs from Personal Accident Insurance.
• CIVIL AND PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE. This covers you against legal claims made against you for negligence. As a member of IBSC you are covered by the Mountaineering Scotland policy. Examples of when you might face a claim for negligence may include:    –Damage you cause to people or property while out on the hill or at a climbing wall; – An accident that occurs while you are belaying a partner indoors or outdoors;  You share knowledge with a colleague or other person on the hill and a claim results from advice you have given.

Although there isn’t the same obvious benefit as with Travel and other insurances listed here, this cover provides vital protection to the club and its members and we could not function without it.

• OTHER INSURANCES.  There are other products such as Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection etc.  Being a ski tourer/ski mountaineer may affect your eligibility or premiums for some of the normal retail insurance offerings and BMC/Mountaineering Scotland have partnered with Summit Financial Services to offer cover tailored for mountaineers and ski tourers.

What cover do I get as a member of IBSC?

Every registered member of IBSC is covered by Mountaineering Scotland members insurance.  This provides two types of cover:

• COMBINED CIVIL AND PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE. This covers you against legal claims made against you for negligence. Details can be found here;
• PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE.  This provides a basic ‘no-fault’ compensation for Individual members of Mountaineering Scotland up to the age of 80 and resident in the UK or Republic of Ireland who are injured whilst participating in a ‘mountaineering activity’ – which includes snowsports touring – anywhere in the world (includes direct travel to and from the activity within the UK only). Importantly it includes £10K of medical cover and £10K of rehabilitation cover as well as £500 of physiotherapy treatment. However, it does not include things that other more comprehensive personal accident policies can include such as loss of earnings cover.  Currently this is limited to individual MScot members only, but it is anticipated to cover club affiliated members from January 2026. If this change occurs as expected, members will be informed. Details of the policy can be found here. 

What about travel to the EU?

It is a condition of some Travel Insurance that if your trip is to the EU that you have a GHIC/EHIC card.

UK residents can access reciprocal healthcare in the EU using a valid UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or, in some cases, a UK-issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). These cards allow access to state healthcare on the same terms as local residents.

Apply for your card via the NHS website. Give plenty of time (at least 3 weeks before your departure date). Each family member needs their own card.

The card will give you access to medically necessary state healthcare during temporary stays. The rreatment may be free or require payment equivalent to what a local resident would pay.

Limitations. GHIC/EHIC does not cover private healthcare, repatriation, or mountain rescue. It’s not a substitute for travel insurance. 

What activity should you cover?

Depending on your insurer you may need to be very clear about the kind of activity you are planning  e.g.:

• lift-served off-piste,
• ski touring; or
• split-boarding; or
• ski mountaineering; and
• with; or
• without a guide.

The key thing is to work out if your trip is going to be ‘ski touring’ or will also include an element of ‘ski mountaineering’. Determining this is based on factors such as the objectives (e.g. ascent of peaks) and the planned use of mountaineering  equipment such as ice axe and boot crampons, ropes and harnesses. Something that involves boot-packing up a steep slope may very well be classed as ski mountaineering even if not roped (we would do so in the club). If it’s not clear from the trip programme, ask your guide or trip operator and if in doubt, err on the side of caution and obtain the higher level of cover.

For example if you were going to take SnowCard insurnace, for all of the club’s international trips you would want their ‘Extreme Adventure’ level as this covers ‘Ski mountaineering – alpine ascents using mountaineering equipment (European destinations only)’ which is what most closely matches what you can expect on parts of these trips. Even if the mountaineering element is only a small part of the overall trip, if you are going to need axe and crampons, then you will need this higher level of activity cover.

Does my destination matter?

Yes. Some policies have specific geographical exclusions. Some may be limited to Europe whereas others are worldwide.  In some countries rescue services are provided by the state free of charge (as in the UK).  The important thing is to ensure that the travel insurance you are thinking of buying will cover you for that activity in that country.

Who are the best travel insurance providers?

This is perhaps the most common question asked by club members. In the view of IBSC, the two best all-round providers in the UK are:

• BMC
• SnowCard

Both have excellent cover and positive customer feedback. As a member of IBSC you are entitled to obtain BMC insurance without having to further join the BMC.

Another popular, and less costly option is:

• Austrian Alpine Club.  This is a more basic cover, with limited medical and search and rescue cover. The cover can however be boosted with an optional supplementary cover.

The following table summarises key benefits for each provider (as of November 2025):

What about price?

The cost will vary considerably between insurers, location and activity and this makes it hard to offer general comparisons. Of the three providers mentioned above, BMC is usually the most expensive ‘gold standard’ cover, with SnowCard a bit cheaper and then AAC coming in the lowest, but with the most basic cover of the three (top ups are available at an extra cost). 

There are other travel insurance providers and there are a range of personal accident and private medical insurance providers.  With any insurance the key is to pay close attention to what is insured and the terms of the policy.  When it comes to medical insurance matters such as the cover for pre-existing conditions can be essential and if in doubt seek advice from an insurance broker.

IBSC, November 2025