The high season of skiing accidents will soon be here – and a specific age group is at the top of the statistics
Ski slopes are where winter holiday dangers lie. A skier typically injures their knee or wrist, and injuries are most often sustained by 10–14-year-olds, Pohjola Insurance statistics show.
The ski season in Finland’s ski resorts typically starts in October and lasts until May. Things happen on the slopes throughout the season, but there is an annual peak in personal injuries in downhill skiing and snowboarding in March.
Most skiing and snowboarding accidents happen to 10–14-year-old children. The probability of accidents also decreases with age. The accident rate for men is slightly higher than for women.
“Skills improve, and accidents decrease with age and experience – and skiers also perhaps generate an attitude of healthy caution. It is also the parents’ responsibility to ensure that children and young people ski on slopes appropriate to their skills, are considerate of other skiers and wear protective gear,” says Atte Erkamo who is in charge of personal insurance for personal customers at Pohjola Insurance.
Knee and wrist injuries are typical on ski slopes
According to Pohjola Insurance statistics, a skier usually injures their knee, wrist or shoulder. Knee injuries account for approximately a third of the accidents that occur to skiers.
Other injuries are less common, although many skiers also sustain injuries to the head area, back, fingers and legs. Skiing accidents may also cause longer-term harm. More than 13 per cent of the covered skiing accidents require physiotherapy, often for extended periods.
“A typical situation is a poor landing after a jump, which results in the skier landing on their wrist or twisting their knee. To a certain extent, skiers also collide with each other, trees or fences around the slope,” says Erkamo.
The average compensation amount in skiing accidents is over 1,000 euros. If the injury requires surgery, the price tag is higher: the average compensation for surgery is nearly 5,200 euros.
Erkamo recommends that skiers ensure that their insurance policy covers their hobby’s risks.
“For example, off-piste skiing, or skiing outside marked slopes, requires an extension to one’s travel or health insurance. A person skiing abroad should also make sure that their insurance covers ambulance helicopter flights if necessary. Helicopter transport from the slope to a hospital may cost several thousand euros in Central Europe, and a flight to Finland tens of thousands of euros.”
Media enquiries:
OP Financial Group Communications, tel. 010 252 8719, viestinta@op.fi
Pohjola Insurance is Finland’s leading non-life insurer with a total of 2.5 million private and corporate customers. It provides an extensive range of non-life insurance services to private, corporate and institutional clients. Pohjola Insurance is part of OP Financial Group which is Finland's largest financial services group.