Off the piste · avalanche risk · rescue costs

Off-piste skiing and snowboarding and your insurance

As soon as you leave the marked piste, your cover changes. Many travel and accident policies exclude skiing and snowboarding in unpatrolled terrain.

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9.5 customer rating for a new policy
AFM licence 12016589
Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17

Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Off-piste skiën en snowboarden en uw verzekering.

The calculator and the quote form below are in Dutch. Prefer to do this in English? Email info@finassverzekert. nl or call 072 - 509 24 56 and we will take it from there.

Work out for yourself what it would cost.

We compare the offerings of several insurers
An adviser checks whether the cover suits your situation
We arrange the switch, including cancellation

Request a quote

A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.

In brief

The piste is marked, patrolled and protected against avalanches. Beyond it, none of that applies. Insurers draw that dividing line literally: the winter sports module covers skiing and snowboarding on open pistes, and places everything beyond it under mountain sports, one of the standard exclusions.

Two cost items mount up quickly after an accident off the piste: the search and rescue operation in unpatrolled terrain and the repatriation. These appear in the policy as separate sections with their own limits. It is quite possible for the hospital to be paid and the mountain rescue not.

Cover can sometimes be arranged, but subject to conditions: notify before departure, go with a qualified guide and carry the usual avalanche equipment. Closed terrain, or skiing despite an avalanche warning, remains excluded in all cases.

Cover
Points to note
Premium
Frequently asked questions
Quote

What is covered off the piste?

Three things determine your cover: the notification, the supervision and the terrain.

In advance

Notify it and have it accepted

What you do not declare is not covered.

Notify us before you leave
Surcharge or separate module
Ask for written confirmation

On site

Guide and equipment

Acceptance often depends on supervision and safety equipment.

Recognised guide or ski school
Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe
Following the avalanche bulletin

In an accident

Rescue and repatriation

Call the emergency assistance centre before you incur any costs.

Arranging a guarantee
Costs of mitigating the loss are a separate section
Keep the report and invoices

What is covered

Situation	Winter sports as standard	With extension
Medical costs after a fall on the slopes	Yes	Yes
Medical costs after a fall off the piste	No	Yes
Search, rescue and recovery costs in unpatrolled terrain	No	Yes
Permanent disability after an avalanche	No	Provided that
Skiing in a closed area or during an avalanche warning	No	No
Taking part in a freeride competition	No	Provided that

What is actually covered is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive in advance.

Where things go wrong in practice

Two points that determine whether your policy pays off the piste.

Just beside the piste is also off the piste

Insurers exclude as standard mountain sports off the beaten track, air sports, diving below your certified depth and speed contests. A line of powder ten metres beside the piste already falls under the first of these. A short cut through the trees between two pistes counts as well, and so does doing it just once.

Heliskiing and freeriding

Recklessness undermines even cover that has been accepted

Even where off-piste is included, Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code still applies: intent and deliberate recklessness are not covered. Ignoring a fence, entering a closed slope or setting off despite avalanche danger is judged in that light. Report an accident immediately as well (Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code).

What does your premium depend on?

Risk class of the sport: off-piste sits high
Guidance: a guide or your own group
Destination: the Alps, North America or further afield
Duration of the trip: a single week or the whole season
Sums insured: above all for rescue and disability
Recreational or in competition: freeride competitions are more expensive

Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.

How we arrange it

You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk and wishes.
We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.

Request a quote

9.5New policy

9.8Claims handling

Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.

View the reviews at NH1816 · all reviews on our site

Frequently asked questions

This is what people ask us most.

Does the winter sports module cover off-piste?

Often not. That module is written for open, patrolled pistes. Skiing in unpatrolled terrain falls under the mountain sports exclusion with many insurers and has to be reported and accepted separately.

Does a guide make a difference?

Often yes. Insurers that do include off-piste usually require a qualified guide and avalanche equipment as a condition. Without supervision it remains excluded. Have that condition confirmed in writing in advance.

Who pays for the search after an avalanche?

Only your insurer, if rescue costs appear in the policy and off-piste has been accepted. Without that cover, the deployment of rescuers and a helicopter is entirely at your own expense.

And if I ski in closed terrain?

Then there is no cover, not even with an extension. Ignoring a closed slope or an area under an avalanche warning is regarded as deliberate recklessness and falls under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.

Within Reisverzekering

Service

Are you leaving the piste?

Have it established before departure what cover you have. We find out which insurer accepts off-piste.

Request a quote

Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
Claim on the road? Emergency line 06 - 55 20 40 72.

About our service

Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.

You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.

This page was written and checked by an adviser at Finass Verzekert. Last updated on 15 August 2026.

The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.

Off-piste skiing and snowboarding and your insurance

In brief

What is covered off the piste?

Notify it and have it accepted

Guide and equipment

Rescue and repatriation

Where things go wrong in practice

Just beside the piste is also off the piste

Recklessness undermines even cover that has been accepted

What does your premium depend on?

How we arrange it

Frequently asked questions

Read more

Within Reisverzekering

Similar pages

Service

Are you leaving the piste?

About our service

Off-piste skiing and snowboarding and your insurance

In brief

What is covered off the piste?

Notify it and have it accepted

Guide and equipment

Rescue and repatriation

Where things go wrong in practice

Just beside the piste is also off the piste

Recklessness undermines even cover that has been accepted

What does your premium depend on?

How we arrange it

Frequently asked questions

Read more

Within Reisverzekering

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Are you leaving the piste?

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