Broken legs are the most common injuries on the slopes, but where the accident takes place can make a huge difference to the medical bill, according to new research released today.
- Norwich Union reveals the cost of broken legs can vary dramatically from country to country
Broken legs are the most common injuries on the slopes, but where the accident takes place can make a huge difference to the medical bill, according to new research released today.
The USA is by far the most expensive ski destination to fracture a leg, setting uninsured ski enthusiasts back a whopping Ł20,000, while in Canada it comes to Ł13,000.
In Europe Switzerland comes out top. Breaking a leg there will cost around Ł6,000. Meanwhile a broken leg in Italy, where the 2006 Winter Olympics are currently taking place, comes in at Ł4,000.
Norwich Union has compiled a list of the top five most expensive winter sports destinations for injuries such as broken legs:
‘Don't break a leg here’ Top 5
| Country | Average cost of a broken leg |
| 1. USA | Ł20,000 |
| 2. Canada | Ł13,000 |
| 3. Switzerland | Ł6,000 |
| 4. Austria | Ł5,000 |
| 5. Italy and France | Ł4,000 |
(Norwich Union claims statistics 2006)
Dawn McMullan, travel product manager, at Norwich Union said: "With all eyes on the Turin Winter Olympics, there's an increased interest in winter sports and people should remember to take out travel insurance with winter sports optional cover before hitting the slopes."
While other favourite ski destinations can come in cheaper, ultimately, says Norwich Union, it's not just about the medical bills.
Dawn McMullan, added: "People want peace of mind when they're on holiday - they need to know that they'll be looked after in case of an accident. If you do happen to break a leg or incur any other sort of injury, it's stressful enough having to go to hospital, worry about your health and change all your holiday plans without having to think about the financial aspect of your injury."
Ski enthusiasts travelling to the slopes of the EU can now benefit from the recently introduced European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) but Norwich Union advises caution to holidaymakers who rely on it to cover them for an accident.
"People should bear in mind that the level of cover provided by the EHIC card depends on the country visited and may not cover all treatment costs and services like mountain rescue and repatriation. The EHIC should be seen as complementary to travel insurance, not as an alternative”, said McMullan.
And while the Olympic athletes in Turin will no doubt make it down the pistes without too many problems, uninsured ski enthusiasts could expect to pay a fair amount for injuries on the slopes of Italy, as the following table compiled by Norwich Union shows:
Average cost of ski injuries in Italy
| Injury | Average cost in medical bills |
| Broken leg | Ł5,000 |
| Broken ankle | Ł700 |
| Broken pelvis | Ł7,250 |
| Broken nose | Ł370 |
(Norwich Union claims statistics 2006)
Unless otherwise specified, all data has been provided by CEGA group
-ends-
Media contacts:
Emilie Lien at Lexis PR on 020 7908 6421 or 07956 106 987
Rebecca Holmes at Norwich Union Press Office on 01603 354 346 / 07800 690731
Adam Cracknell at Norwich Union Press Office on 01603 684916 / 07800 699517
Notes to editors:
Norwich Union Travel Insurance
- Premium Examples for Individual cover as at February 2006:
- Annual (Europe) no baggage cover = Ł42.82 / Annual Worldwide, (including USA and Canada) no baggage cover = Ł58.35
- Annual (Europe) with winter sports cover, no baggage = Ł54.70.
Norwich Union Travel Service
- Available to all Norwich Union Direct travel insurance customers, providing a travel booking service with a price match promise for hotel and flight bookings from expert travel consultants. Also provides extras such as car hire, airport car parking and commission free travel money
- Annual travel insurance customers get additional benefits including:
- 7.5% discount off the lowest high street prices for holiday and flight bookings
- discounts of up to 60% on more than 20,000 hotels through an online booking service
- access to a holiday planner service
- free card protection cover.
About Norwich Union Insurance
- Norwich Union is the UK's largest insurer with a market share of around 14%
- With a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses, Norwich Union insures:
- one in five households
- one in seven motor vehicles
- more than 800,000 businesses - Norwich Union products are available through a variety of distribution channels including brokers, corporate partners such as banks and building societies and Norwich Union Direct
- Aviva, Norwich Union’s parent company, announced its acquisition of the RAC in 2005. The acquisition brings together the RAC's powerful brand and customer base with the expertise of Norwich Union Insurance – a market leader in motor insurance
- Norwich Union's news releases and a selection of images are available on the Aviva internet press centre at www.aviva.com/media.