Summer holidays are fairly easy to find with so many tour operators all striving to be different and provide you with the best possible deal at the greatest hotel location on planet earth and you are aren’t spoilt for choice when it comes to destinations either, but winter holidays are just that little more difficult to plan, execute and enjoy.
We’ve all heard about the summer holidays where you turn up to a half finished hotel, rats in your bathroom and the swimming pool consists of an inflatable 4 foot dingy with some water in it, yet few have heard about the misery that faces some people who get unlucky on winter holidays.
At least with a summer holiday, you still have the sun, but usually a skiing holiday will involve something considerably colder and when it all goes wrong, you won’t even have the sunshine and warmth to fall back on. Yes, ok, you could just take out travel insurance to cover the most popular things that could wrong, but its more likely it wont be insuring against bad weather, so making sure you pick the right destination becomes your number 1 priority.
Get it wrong and you may be facing a week of blizzards, unable to venture out on the slopes and that winter sports and ski insurance you took out won’t be bailing you out either. What happens if you turn an ankle or worse, break a limb? There is some good news on this, most travel insurance will cover you for these things and although you might be ending your holiday early, at least you wont be forking out for medical care, so its really important to take extra care, rest often and dont get too cocky.
You may well be tempted to take on more than you can cope with, but don’t, especially if you are new to it. And as hard as it is, dont be goaded by your friends in to something you arent comfortable with, it might not be nice, but its better for your limbs if you decline.
If you are off somewhere slightly warmer during our winter months and intend to be backpacking in Asia, mountaineering in the USA or perhaps bungee jumping in Australia then whatever you do, make sure you take out specialist adventure travel insurance.
Unlike other standard travel insurance, it will help cover you for things like bungee jumping or rock climbing and you will have the peace of mind you and your family need to be able to go out and enjoy things without worry.