Snow Holiday Travel Insurance
The most common mistake we see at AMPED is travellers locking in a snow holiday months out, then waiting until just before they fly to buy travel insurance. You can absolutely buy a policy later, and once it’s issued, your already-booked flights, accommodation and lift passes are covered for cancellation onwards. The catch is the gap. If something happens between paying for the trip and buying the policy (someone breaks a leg, gets sick, has a family emergency), that incident isn’t covered, and any cancellation costs tied to it stay yours to wear.
This guide walks through what every Kiwi traveller should know before a snow holiday, then introduces the two travel insurance partners we work with: Allianz for on-piste resort skiing, and CoverMore for off-piste, backcountry and heli-skiing trips.
Why Travel Insurance Is a Must Have for Snow Holidays
Three reasons travel insurance moves from “nice to have” to non-negotiable when skiing or snowboarding is involved.
1. Medical and evacuation costs overseas are eye-watering. A serious snow injury rarely stops at the ski patrol. A snowmobile or helicopter off the hill, an ambulance to the hospital, days of treatment, then potentially a medical flight home. Each leg of that journey adds zeros. ACC stops at the border, and reciprocal Medicare-style agreements don’t extend to Japan, Canada or the USA. Without insurance, every line of that bill is yours to settle.
2. A snow holiday is a big cancellation risk. By the time you’re ready to ski, you’ve usually paid for flights, accommodation, lift passes, lessons, transfers and equipment hire. Months of non-refundable bookings stacked into one departure date. One illness, broken bone or family emergency in the weeks before you fly and those deposits stay with the supplier. Cancellation cover is what gets you back to even, and it’s often the largest single claim people make.
3. Ski gear is expensive, and travel can be rough on it. Skis, boots, snowboards, helmets, technical outerwear, the kit adds up to thousands. On a snow holiday it spends time in airline holds, on transfer buses, in shared drying rooms and on roof racks. Bags get lost, edges get dinged, gear sometimes walks out of changing rooms. Equipment cover protects what you’ve paid for, and emergency hire reimbursement keeps you skiing if your bag is sitting in a baggage hall while you’re meant to be in Hakuba.
A word on credit card insurance. Premium credit cards often include complimentary travel cover, but it rarely stretches to a snow holiday. Most policies exclude snow sports outright, charge an add-on premium, or cap medical cover well below a real ski-country evacuation bill. Read the wording carefully before relying on it.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, disclose them. This is not optional. Both Allianz and CoverMore have clear processes for declaring and assessing conditions, and skipping the step can void your entire policy if a claim comes up later.
A few practical notes:
- Declare within 10 days of buying the policy. Both insurers expect a medical assessment to be completed within 10 days of the policy being issued. Don’t sit on it.
- Some conditions are auto-included. Both insurers automatically cover a long list of common conditions (asthma, controlled hypertension, treated diabetes within criteria, and many others). If your condition is on the list and you meet the criteria, you don’t need a separate assessment.
- Anything else needs an online assessment. Conditions outside the auto-include list require an online or phone declaration. For CoverMore, use their medical assessment portal. For Allianz, call their Customer Care Medical Assessments Team on 0800 100 124.
- Travelling against medical advice is excluded. If your doctor has told you not to fly, no insurer will cover claims linked to that condition.
If you’re not sure what counts as pre-existing, the simplest rule is: anything you take regular medication for, anything you’ve seen a specialist about, anything you’re awaiting test results or surgery on. When in doubt, declare it.
Family Policies and Children Under 21
Good news for ski families: on both Allianz and CoverMore, dependent children and grandchildren under 21 living at home are generally included on a family policy at no additional charge, provided they’re not in full-time employment, are financially dependent, and are named on the Certificate of Insurance.
CoverMore goes one step further: they allow one non-related child per adult policyholder as well, which is useful if you’re taking a friend’s kid along on the trip.
This is one of the largest hidden savings on family snow holiday policies, so always ask about a family policy rather than insuring each traveller separately.
Allianz Travel Insurance
AMPED works directly with Allianz to arrange travel insurance for our clients. Allianz is our go-to choice for resort-based, on-piste skiing and snowboarding: the kind of snow holiday where you’re skiing groomed runs, marked slopes, and inside the ski resort boundary.
Who Allianz suits
Travellers who want straightforward, well-known cover backed by a 24/7 emergency assistance line, whose skiing stays inside the resort ropes and doesn’t venture off-piste, into the backcountry or onto a heli.
What’s covered
- Overseas medical, hospital and emergency evacuation
- On-piste skiing and snowboarding within ski resort boundaries
- Snowmobiling within ski resort boundaries only
- Cancellation and travel disruption
- Lost, damaged or stolen baggage, including ski and snowboard equipment
- Rental vehicle excess
- Personal liability
A note on snowmobiling
Snowmobiling cover applies only within the boundaries of a recognised ski resort. The benefit covers injuries sustained by the insured person while participating in the activity. It does not extend to damage to the snowmobile or any other vehicle, or to injuries caused to other people or any resulting liability.
Click here to read the Allianz Policy Wording
Get a Quote and Buy Directly
CoverMore Travel Insurance
CoverMore is the partner we use for trips that go beyond resort-based skiing: backcountry days, off-piste skiing, heli-skiing, and anything else that sits outside standard travel insurance.
Who CoverMore suits
Skiers and snowboarders heading off the groomed runs, into the backcountry or onto a heli. Anyone whose trip involves activities or terrain that a typical policy excludes.
Snow Sports covers on-piste skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling, plus cross-country skiing. Suitable for resort-based holidays.
Snow Sports + is the one that matters for adventure trips. It includes:
- Heli-skiing and heli-boarding when on a guided tour with a licensed tour operator
- Skiing or snowboarding outside piste boundaries provided you are not going against local advice or warnings
- Snowmobiling outside piste boundaries when on a guided tour
- All the standard Snow Sports inclusions
Both add-ons require you to be skiing in a non-professional capacity and not racing.
Adventure is the add-on for higher-risk activities not on the standard list. It includes:
- Combat sports like kickboxing, boxing and martial arts
- Outdoor rock climbing with ropes and guides, up to 2,000 metres above sea level
- Scuba diving between 30 and 50 metres with an accredited dive marshal, instructor or guide
Requires non-professional participation.
What’s covered
- Overseas medical, hospital and emergency evacuation
- On-piste and off-piste skiing and snowboarding, including heli-skiing with a licensed guided tour operator
- Cancellation and travel disruption
- Lost, damaged or stolen baggage, including ski and snowboard equipment
- Rental vehicle excess
- Personal liability
A note on snowmobiling
Under both Snow Sports tiers, personal liability cover does not apply to snowmobiling. Damage to the snowmobile or injury to other people remains your responsibility.
A note on cruise cover
If your trip includes a multi-night ocean or sea cruise outside New Zealand Coastal Waters, Cruise Cover needs to be added at the quote stage. It extends the policy to include on-board medical, sea sickness, missed ports and cabin confinement.
A note on motorcycle and moped hire
The standard CoverMore policy includes motorcycle and moped hire automatically for engines up to 250cc, provided you hold a valid New Zealand motorcycle rider’s licence or motor vehicle driver’s licence, wear a helmet, and aren’t racing or riding motocross. Larger bikes require additional cover at the quote stage.
Get a CoverMore quote
If any of the above applies to your trip, give us a call and we’ll arrange the right cover.
Click here to read the CoverMore Policy Wording
Let AMPED Sort It
Travel insurance is one of the easiest things to get wrong on a snow holiday. We’ve spent years pairing clients with the right cover for the trip they’re actually doing, and we’re happy to walk through your options before you book.
Whether your trip is a resort-based family week or includes off-piste, backcountry or heli-skiing, we’ll match it with the right policy and get it quoted at the right time.
Insurance FAQs
When should I buy my travel insurance?
A: Book your travel insurance as soon as possible. Once you’ve paid for any non-refundable part of the trip, cancellation cover only takes effect from the day the policy is issued. Anything that happens between booking the trip and buying the policy isn’t covered, so the earlier you sort it, the smaller the gap.
How do I claim if something happens while I'm overseas?
A: Call the 24/7 emergency assistance number on your Certificate of Insurance as soon as possible. They will guide you on next steps for medical, evacuation, or cancellation claims. Keep all receipts, reports and documents. Non-emergency claims can be lodged online once you’re home.
Can I cancel my policy after I've bought it?
A: Yes, within the policy’s cooling-off period, provided you haven’t travelled, made a claim or intend to claim. The exact length is shown on your Certificate of Insurance. After the cooling-off period, premiums are generally non-refundable. Ask us when buying if you want the specifics for your policy.
Is there an age limit on travel insurance?
A: Both Allianz and CoverMore offer cover across a wide age range, though pricing increases with age and certain benefits or add-ons may have upper limits. If you have older travellers in your party, get in touch early and we’ll match the right policy to their age and needs.
Does ACC cover me if I'm injured skiing overseas?
A: No. ACC only covers injuries that happen in New Zealand. Treatment, evacuation and repatriation from an overseas ski accident sit on you unless travel insurance is in place. This is one of the biggest gaps Kiwis don’t realise they have when they travel abroad.
Is travel insurance worth it for a short trip?
A: Yes. The biggest financial exposure on a snow holiday is usually medical evacuation or cancellation, which exists from day one regardless of trip length. A four-day trip to Whistler or Hokkaido carries the same evacuation risk per ski day as a three-week journey across multiple resorts.
What if I'm injured in NZ before my flight overseas?
A: ACC handles the medical side of NZ-based injuries. Your travel insurance handles the trip cancellation, provided the injury isn’t related to a pre-existing condition. Get a medical report, contact us as soon as you can, and we’ll help you lodge the cancellation claim.
