Travel Insurance and Sports Cover for a Ski Holiday: What Should You Look Out For?
Insurance is not a legal requirement for skiing in Turkey, but it matters: under its general terms, standard personal accident insurance keeps sports on snow and ice excluded unless otherwise agreed, so you need to have skiing or winter sports cover added to your policy. A ski pass does not always include insurance: the Erciyes ski pass offers no insurance cover, whereas in Bansko mountain insurance is included in the ski pass price. Abroad, a Schengen visa requires travel health insurance with cover of at least €30,000. If you are buying a winter activity holiday package, check separately which insurance policies are included.
“I have personal accident insurance, it covers skiing too.”
Under the General Conditions for Personal Accident Insurance, sports on snow and ice are excluded unless otherwise agreed.
“I bought a ski pass, so I am insured.”
Erciyes A.Ş. states that the ski pass does not include insurance and that everyone should take out their own insurance. In Bansko, mountain insurance is included in the ski pass, but its cover is limited.
“It is a package tour, everything is included.”
The insurance in packages is usually accommodation and transport insurance; you should ask separately about cover for ski accidents.
Skiing in Turkey
Insurance is not a legal requirement at ski resorts in Turkey. But it is important to have cover for risks such as treatment costs, transport off the slopes and inability to work after an accident. Your options:
Adding winter sports cover to personal accident insurance: The exclusion in the general terms can be lifted with a special condition in the policy. Ask the insurer clearly whether there is “ski and snowboard cover”.
Travel health insurance that covers winter sports: Some companies add winter sports cover to domestic and international travel health policies.
Your private health insurance: Check whether it covers ski accidents and whether it includes transport from the slopes to hospital.
Abroad: Schengen and the example of Bansko
Bulgaria is in the Schengen area, and Turkish citizens with a burgundy passport need a visa. According to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visa application requires travel health insurance valid throughout the Schengen area with cover of at least €30,000, covering emergency treatment and repatriation.
In Bansko, according to the operator’s general terms, mountain insurance is included in the ski pass price. However, according to a Bulgarian insurer, this insurance covers only first aid on the slopes and transport to a medical centre, during lift operating hours; in Bulgaria, mountain rescue is not funded by the state. So make sure your travel health insurance covers winter sports.
You may need insurance in visa-free countries too: According to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from 1 January 2026 Georgia requires health and accident insurance at entry covering the length of stay, with cover of at least 30,000 GEL. For visa-free ski destinations, see our guide Visa-Free Ski Holiday Destinations.
7 questions to ask about your policy
Are skiing and snowboarding explicitly covered? Check for a “dangerous sports” or “winter sports” exclusion.
Is off-piste skiing covered? Most policies cover only marked, open runs.
Rescue and transport: Is the cost of transport from the slopes to a medical centre, and to hospital if needed, included?
Treatment limit: Abroad, at least €30,000 (Schengen requirement).
Repatriation: The cost of returning home after treatment.
Third-party liability: Damage caused if you collide with someone on the slopes. The tenth of the FIS rules for conduct requires everyone involved in an accident to exchange their personal details; liability is a real issue.
Exclusions: Alcohol can be a reason for exclusion. KFV, the Austrian road safety institute, warns that someone who skis under the influence may lose insurance cover in the event of an accident.
International travel health insurance, skier insurance
On the domestic programmes, the insurance included in the package covers accommodation and transport; we recommend that you check your own policy for ski accident cover. On the Bansko programme, travel health and skier insurance are included in the package.
Beyond insurance: a safe day
Insurance softens the consequences of an accident; what prevents the accident is the right behaviour: wearing a helmet (compulsory in Erciyes), choosing runs that suit your level, stopping when you are tired and following the rules on the slopes. On an activity holiday where you ski with a group, the group leader sets the meeting points and return times, and there is someone with you if something goes wrong; this is one of the reasons Doğadayız programmes are designed as a social adventure holiday. For all budget items, see our guide What Makes Up the Price of a Ski Holiday?.
Doğadayız Packages
Doğadayız packages for your level
Winter activity holidays with accommodation, ski pass and equipment included, shared with a group.
The easiest way to learn to ski: a winter activity holiday
An activity holiday puts a sport at the heart of your trip: transport, accommodation and meals are planned, so you can focus on learning on the slopes. On Doğadayız winter activity holidays, accommodation, ski pass and ski or snowboard equipment are included in every package; course packages include basic lessons with instructors affiliated with the Turkish Ski Federation, while experience packages let you practise on the slopes at your own level.
What makes the programme different is the group: sharing the slopes with people at a similar level, dinners and nights out together, and a group leader by your side at all times. Solo travellers become part of this social adventure holiday from day one. That is why we describe our programmes as a social adventure holiday.
There is no legal requirement in Turkey, but it is recommended. Abroad, a Schengen visa requires travel health insurance with cover of at least €30,000.
Does personal accident insurance cover skiing?
Usually not. Under the General Conditions for Personal Accident Insurance, sports on snow and ice are excluded unless otherwise agreed. You need to have skiing or winter sports cover added to your policy.
Does a ski pass replace insurance?
Not always. In Erciyes, the ski pass does not include insurance. In Bansko, mountain insurance is included in the ski pass price, but its cover is limited to first aid on the slopes and transport to a medical centre.
Is insurance included in Doğadayız packages?
Hotel accommodation and passenger seat accident insurance are included on the Erciyes and Sarıkamış programmes, and international travel health and skier insurance on the Bansko programme. On the domestic programmes, we recommend checking your own policy for ski accident cover.
The price of a ski holiday is made up of nine items: travel, accommodation, food, ski pass, equipment rental, lessons, hotel–slope transfers, insurance and clothing. The biggest items are usually accommodation and travel; the ski pass and lessons are the items that vary most from resort to resort. In the 2025–26 season, for example, a day pass cost 1,300 TL in Palandöken and €59 in Bansko; in Erciyes the ski pass is ride-based (30 rides for 3,000 TL). A winter activity holiday package bundles most of these items into a single price; when comparing, you need to check what is included.
Two packages that both say “lessons included” may not be the same thing. When comparing, check ten points: (1) how many hours a day and how many days of lessons, (2) group size, (3) the instructor's Turkish Ski Federation certificate, (4) whether the ski pass is unlimited or ride-based, (5) which equipment is included, (6) transfers between hotel and slopes, (7) the accommodation's distance from the slopes and meals, (8) insurance, (9) cancellation and date change terms, (10) a group leader and a social programme. Comparing these points in a single table shows what the price of a winter activity holiday really covers.
The easiest way to plan your first ski holiday is to get the order right: assess your level → choose the resort → allow at least 2–3 days on the slopes → pick dates with the mid-year school holiday crowds in mind → plan lessons, equipment, ski pass and accommodation together → get your clothing ready → check safety and insurance. For someone who has never skied, a resort with a large training area (e.g. Erciyes) and lessons with an instructor are essential. A winter activity holiday that brings all these pieces together in one package is the way to make the fewest mistakes on your first trip.
