Mountain Sports Insurance

Info Assursport

Everything You Need to Know About Mountain Sports Insurance

Whether it’s summer or winter, your "thing" is the slopes and the hills... those you race down at full speed on skis or climb to discover stunning views at high altitudes. Mountain sports have millions of enthusiasts in France: skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, hiking, climbing... Many of you cannot imagine spending a year without walking through the lush or snowy alpine meadows. But did you know that mountain sports accidents are the most common sports accidents? In France, nearly 140,000 people are injured each year during the ski season, not to mention the hiking accidents in the summer! To face these risks and the costs they can incur for mountain sports enthusiasts, specific insurance plans exist.
Insuring Yourself for Mountain Sports: More Important Than Ever!
The numbers are here to prove it, mountain sports involve significant risks. While we naturally think of ski and snowboard falls (and avalanche-related accidents), we must also keep in mind the accidents that can occur in climbing, mountaineering, or hiking. In 2010, the French National Institute for Public Health Surveillance published a study on the deadliest sports in France, and mountain sports topped this grim list. With nearly 100 deaths in the year studied, mountain sports pay a heavy toll: mountaineering leads the way, followed by ski touring, and hiking on foot. As surprising as it may seem, summer mountain hiking also regularly leads to fatalities, typically due to falls. Of course, these numbers remain small compared to the vast number of people practicing these sports, but they are just the tip of the iceberg when considering the many injuries related to mountain sports. Taking precautions and having good insurance in case of an accident therefore seems essential.

What Does Mountain Sports Insurance Cover?
One of the most important aspects of mountain sports insurance is coverage for search and rescue costs, as well as medical interventions related to an accident. The "search and rescue" aspect is particularly crucial: whether it’s a fall in winter at the top of the slopes or in off-piste areas linked to ski resorts, or a fall during summer hiking or mountain biking, significant search costs can be incurred and billed to you... Think, for instance, of the cost of mobilizing a helicopter. With good mountain sports insurance, you also have civil liability coverage that will protect you if you’re responsible for an accident that causes bodily and material damage while practicing the sport. At AssurSport, our plan also includes repatriation, a death or disability benefit, as well as reimbursement on a pro-rata basis for unused ski passes or shortened vacation rentals.

Good to know: AssurSport offers an individual contract for less than 50 euros per year, but if you prefer to insure yourself for a shorter period (e.g., the time you spend on a winter sports trip), you can also opt for daily payment. Another advantage: AssurSport provides a family contract, if you want to insure yourself and your children.