Ski Season in France Insurance - Carte Neige | Ski Insurance

If you are going to France for a season then it is important that you have adequate insurance (SKI SEASONAIRE).

In addition what is really helpful is purchasing Carte Neige for the Season and also ensure that you have your EHIC card too.

Carte Neige is a French based insurance and can be purchased at the ticket office or in a lot of cases at the Bureau de tourism in the resort. The main thing it covers is rescue and transport off the mountain if you are on or off piste. Even if you already have ski insurance which does cover mountain rescue, it is still advantageous to have Carte Neige as if you carry it with your ski pass the rescuers will instantly recognize it as opposed to you having to contact your insurance company and getting them to guarantee payment etc. It costs no more than 3 Euros per day and you can get it for the season for less then 50 euros. It will pay for the rescue and some doctors bills and prescriptions that you need to purchase at the resort. NB : make sure get your claim in within 5 to 7 days though as otherwise it will be refused.

More information can be found at www.atscaf.fr ( make sure you translate the page . )

Also not that if you lose your ski pass all you need to do is present your Carte Neige at the ticket office and your pass will be replaced immediately. It is therefore prudent to take a copy of your Carte Neige and keep it somewhere safe at your ski chalet and carry the original with you with your ski pass on the slopes.

Again though it must be noted that this local insurance is primarily for mountain rescue, it will not cover substantial medical bills and repatriation or your equipment etc

Another insurance available at resort level is Carre Neige.

EHIC

Again this is useful to have but will only cover your medical costs in a public French hospital and as most ski resorts are private health clinics /facilities the doctor may reject it straight away as cover. Should your accident be bad and you are unable to get to a hospital then you are stuck so make sure you get fully comprehensive ski insurance