03/16/2026
Backcountry skiing and insurance… two things that are often hard to make work together. 🎿
Many insurance carriers consider backcountry skiing a high-risk activity, which means life or disability policies are often issued with a backcountry skiing exclusion. If you’re injured or die while touring, the policy may not pay.
So what can you do?
✔ Plan ahead. It’s always best to put insurance in place before regularly participating in higher-risk activities.
✔ Consider accident-only options. If you’ve already been issued an exclusion (or can’t get traditional coverage), accident-only policies can sometimes provide protection.
✔ Don’t forget travel insurance. If you’re heading out on a ski trip, TuGo offers a Ski Sports & Activities Rider that’s essential for ski travel.
✔ Specialty insurers can help fill the gap.
Example: A 49-year-old family business owner had $3M in life insurance, but with a backcountry skiing exclusion.
A specialty insurer was able to provide $3M of accidental death coverage specifically for backcountry skiing exposure (10 days per year).
Similar solutions can sometimes help address disability insurance gaps as well.
These policies are often shorter term and higher premium, but for people who spend time in the mountains, they can be an important way to close the coverage gap.
If you spend time in the backcountry, it’s worth making sure your insurance actually follows you there.
