Winter holidays 2025: avoid ski accidents!

The winter holidays are back, and with them, the joys of skiing! But be careful, the euphoria of the first descents can quickly turn into a nightmare. Indeed, each new ski period is always prone to accidents. Here are some elements to understand why, and above all how to protect yourself well.

You too can have a problem one day on your favourite ski slopes!

Why so many accidents at the start of your stay?

Several factors contribute to this increase in risks at the start of your stay:

• Lack of physical preparation: after long weeks or even long months without skiing, our muscles and joints are no longer used to the effort. Result: increased fatigue which promotes falls and injuries.
• Excessive enthusiasm: we tend to overestimate our abilities and take unnecessary risks, especially when we are impatient to get back on the slopes.
• Variable snow conditions: increasingly due to climate change, snow cover is irregular and snow quality varies from one hour to another of the day. You can easily be surprised by a patch of ice or an area of soft snow.
• Crowds on the slopes: school holidays attract many skiers, which increases the risk of collision.

What are the most common injuries?

The most common skiing injuries are:

• Knee sprains (cruciate ligaments)
• Fractures (wrist, clavicle, tibia)
• Head trauma

These injuries can have serious consequences and require long months of rehabilitation.

Why take out ski insurance?

Specialized ski insurance offers you essential protection in the event of an accident:

• Assistance and rescue on the slopes: Emergency response, transport to a medical center, etc. Many traditional insurance policies exclude or cap reimbursements at ridiculous amounts.
• Coverage of medical costs: hospitalization, care, medications... Costs can quickly rise, and mutual insurance is not always sufficient.
• Reimbursement of ski pass and lessons: if you are unable to ski following an accident, specialized insurance will compensate you for “unused” services.
• Civil liability: civil liability insurance covers damage that you could cause to a third party; Please note, not all ski insurance solutions contain liability guarantee, but this guarantee is mandatory for skiing in Italy for example, including if the Italian resort is accessible from a French ski area (e.g. Montgenèvre, the Rosière).

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In conclusion, don't go skiing without appropriate insurance!

Prevention is better than cure. In the event of an accident, avoid the double penalty of interruption of stay AND associated costs. By taking out ski insurance, you can leave with peace of mind and fully enjoy your mountain vacation.