UKH

I am going skiing for the first time in years (9 I think) I have never had any form of insurance in previous trips, should I have any this time?

Is there any legal requirement to have insurance now? 

Any recommendations for ski insurance?

Where are you going?

Italy

You can add on insurance when buying your lift pass for a few euros per day which covers for any accidents on the slopes.

No requirement but do it (and make sure your EHIC is valid).

Not sure if slope side insurance would cover repatriation.

Having had to claim on it for the first time ever, I was very glad I'd spent the tiny proportion of the holiday cost on insurance. I went with Ski Club but they ballsed the payments up and it took forever to sort out. Might have been a one off though.

Don't rely on the Ehic in big French ski resorts. 

Large sign in the medical centre NO EHIC. They're all private.

No legal requirements. If you’re happy to self insure that’s fine, several thousand pounds for piste evacuation, hospital treatment and getting you home. Several tens or hundreds of thousand pounds if you are found (whether true or not) of crashing into another skier and injuring them. Frankly going skiing without insurance is totally bonkers.

There’s lots of options for on piste skiing but don’t just pick the cheapest. For anything off piste I don’t think you can beat the BMC

You’re a total idiot if you don’t take out insurance - the potential costs are enormous and it’s cheap. 

Lots of options for on piste only, ski club is decent value for off piste, BMC is expensive as covers alpine mountaineering.

Snowcard are good, with different levels of cover depending on what sort of activity you will be doing, and you can also adjust the level of cover for cancellation, personal belongings etc.   They have always quoted a bit cheaper for me than the BMC for snowsports cover.

Don't go without insurance.  

Also be aware that insurances may not cover you for tobogganning/sledging unless done as a) an organised activity or b) on an official toboggan run/piste.

I went skiing recently for first time in 30 years (Austria), Ski Club of GB was easy to arrange and had good cover (inc. some type of climbing, but below level of my resort unless I paid extra). Probably your policy will want you to phone them ASAP in event of an accident if you cannot get to an EHIC accepting hospital or else they may not accept responsibility.

Incidentally once I reach 80 I'd get free lift pass at that resort (worth hundreds of pounds....but I'd think insurance premium for an octogenarian might surpass that).   

My brother in law fell from a lift last year when it set off while he was standing up brushing snow off his seat. He fell about 30ft and landed face down in a stream. He fractured his jaw and suffered deep cuts to his head. He was evacuated by helicopter. Luckily he has made a full recovery, but the bill for the helicopter was substantial. He was very glad he had insurance.