MPI Brokers - Italian move on ski hosting highlights importance of leaders’ insurance

Thursday 20 November, 2014

Italian move on ski hosting highlights importance of leaders’ insurance

News that an area of Italy has become the second in Europe to ban ski hosting – prompting two leading tour operators to withdraw the service at Italian resorts – focuses attention on holidaymakers acting as leaders and highlights the importance of insurance for them.

Last winter, MPI Brokers introduced cover for this in all its policies.

Michael Pettifer, MPI Managing Director, told PlanetSKI: “In theory, the person leading the group may be liable should an accident occur. We have special cover for this eventuality within our ski policy.”

PlanetSKI reports that the Ski School Association in Piemonte has warned UK tour operators that ski hosts would be prosecuted if they took groups of holidaymakers round the slopes this winter. No new regulations have been introduced, but the Ski School Association has apparently decided to enforce existing rules.

Operators Inghams and Crystal reportedly decided to end the service across the whole of Italy to avoid any confusion or possible legal action. Crystal has said it will help its guests ski together and its staff will be at the bottom of the lifts each morning to offer advice to guests.

The Italian move follows the ban introduced in France last year. This year, some tour operators have decided to appoint ‘ski ambassadors’ to manage groups of guests – without skiing with them. A ‘leader’ is selected from within each group.

Michael Pettifer says: “There is no question – people must act within the law of the land. But people should not accept unpaid ski leadership roles unless they have reasonable experience and insurance.”