A family of four booking a ski holiday this February could lose £5,300 if weather disrupts their trip. Most won’t see a penny back.
That’s because 87% of the 1.8 million British skiers and snowboarders hitting the slopes this season lack specialist winter sports insurance, according to new data from SportsCover Direct. The collective exposure? £2.1 billion across the winter season, or roughly £160 million per week in potential losses.
The figures arrive as Storm Goretti tore through northern Europe in early January, grounding flights and shutting down transport networks. A polar vortex is forecast to hit the continent this month, threatening further chaos. Yet the typical UK skier remains £1,326 out of pocket if disruption strikes—and most haven’t protected themselves.
Not all ski destinations carry equal risk, though. SportsCover Direct analysed 17 European countries, scoring them on snow reliability, temperature volatility and storm exposure. The results reveal stark differences in where travellers face the greatest chance of cancellations.
The Czech Republic tops the disruption index with a score of 90 out of 100, driven by average wind speeds of 46.4km/h—fast enough to shutter lifts and strand skiers mid-mountain. Slovakia follows at 71.4, hampered by mild average temperatures of 0.95°C and scant precipitation of 176.85mm during January through March. When it’s too warm and too dry, snow becomes a gamble.
Finland ranks third at 67.8, buffeted by winds averaging 27.9km/h and plagued by wild temperature swings from -23.1°C to 2.6°C. Those freeze-thaw cycles wreak havoc on snow stability, creating conditions that can shut resorts or turn slopes dangerous.
Bulgaria (67.2) and Andorra (65.2) round out the top five riskiest destinations.
France, by contrast, emerges as the safest bet.
With a risk score of just 10, the country’s established resorts benefit from gentle average wind speeds of 6.35km/h, stable temperatures ranging from -8.7°C to 12.35°C, and heavy precipitation of 668.7mm—ideal for consistent snowfall. Slovenia (33.5) and Sweden (44.5) claim second and third place among the most reliable destinations.
The rankings matter because weather volatility has intensified sharply. A NASA study revealed that extreme weather events have surged in intensity over the past five years at a rate researchers hadn’t anticipated. Nearly seven in ten skiers now worry about snowfall reliability before booking, whilst three in ten actively review recent snow conditions—a 50% jump compared to the previous year, according to research from Club Med.
Yet concern hasn’t translated into action. Only 13% of winter sports travellers hold specialist policies, leaving 1.5 million Britons exposed.
Chris Trotman, Underwriting Manager at SportsCover Direct, acknowledged the scale of the vulnerability. “Winter sports trips are highly rewarding but by their nature they’re also unpredictable,” he said. “Our winter travel disruption index shows where delays or cancellations are most likely to raise awareness of the potential risks so travellers can safeguard their trips accordingly. However, even the ‘safest’ destinations aren’t without risk and the number of travellers leaving themselves uninsured is significant, with potentially astronomical financial implications if a trip is cancelled.”
The gap between standard travel insurance and specialist winter sports cover often catches people off guard. “Opting for specialist winter sports insurance is only becoming more and more crucial with changing weather conditions globally,” Trotman explained. “What many people don’t realise is that standard holiday insurance policies often don’t cover all elements of a winter sports holiday, so whilst you may be covered in terms of lost baggage or medical bills, things like activity fees and ski equipment may not be.”
The consequences play out differently depending on the policy. “For example, if your resort is forced to close because of lack of snow or a natural disaster, such as an avalanche, with a specialist policy you would be covered for additional expenses to move to another resort or receive compensation if that’s not possible,” Trotman said. “Taking out a specialist winter sports insurance policy gives you the peace of mind of being fully protected if the worst were to happen.”
SportsCover Direct compiled the index by examining average winter temperatures, precipitation levels, temperature ranges and wind speeds across two seasons—December 2023 through March 2024, and December 2024 through March 2025. Each country was represented by its most established resort commonly used by UK travellers.
The firm calculated potential losses by estimating the average cost of a late-season winter sports trip across the 17 destinations, factoring in flights, accommodation, lift passes and equipment hire based on data from Skyscanner, Booking.com and resort websites. Multiplying that figure by the 1.5 million uninsured travellers produced the £2.1 billion estimate.
Timing adds urgency. February’s predicted polar vortex threatens to compound disruption already caused by Storm Goretti’s rampage through the continent. Travellers who checked snow forecasts but skipped specialist insurance may find themselves watching their holidays evaporate—along with thousands of pounds.
Whether the remaining weeks of the season deliver reliable conditions or further chaos, one figure remains constant: 1.5 million British skiers are gambling without a safety net.
