Insurance law

Travel health insurance and repatriation after the ski accident for visitors

Travel health insurance and repatriation after the ski accident: what the European Health Insurance Card covers and when only the private repatriation insurance pays.

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Mag. Christopher Angerer, Rechtsanwalt

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29 June 2026 · Mag. Christopher Angerer, Rechtsanwalt

Many winter sports guests travel from abroad to the Austrian ski resorts. After an accident the question quickly arises who pays for the treatment and a possible transport home. The answer depends on which insurance exists and where the guest comes from.

For visitors from the EU and the EEA the European Health Insurance Card covers the necessary treatment in the public health system. It does not apply, however, to the transport home and not to private treatment. Only a private travel health and repatriation insurance closes these gaps.

This post explains the cover provided by the European Health Insurance Card, the limits of the statutory benefit and the role of private repatriation insurance. How the costs are split in a rescue is shown by the post on the rescue costs by helicopter.

Insurance and cover

Who pays treatment and transport home after the ski accident?

Two short questions on the existing insurance and on the type of benefit place the cover.

You already know you want to send a request? Go directly to the contact form.

01 Question 1

What insurance exists for the trip?

Statutory health insurance covers only to a limited extent abroad. Private travel insurance closes the gaps.

All paths at a glance

Overview of all answers.

No private travel insurance, statutory cover is limited.

Without private travel insurance you carry a considerable risk. For visitors from the EU and the EEA the European Health Insurance Card covers the necessary treatment in the public health system on the same terms as for locals. The medically necessary transport home, however, is not covered by the statutory funds. After a ski accident these costs can be high.

Next steps: check existing insurance policies, keep the European Health Insurance Card ready and collect receipts for all costs.

Treatment in Austria, cover via card or travel policy.

The acute treatment after a ski accident is mostly covered. Visitors from the EU and the EEA receive the necessary care in the public system with the European Health Insurance Card. A private travel health insurance also covers a private doctor, a private clinic and additional payments. Keep all invoices and findings, because the reimbursement depends on them.

Next steps: inform the insurer quickly, secure all invoices and findings and apply for the reimbursement.

Transport home, as a rule only through private repatriation insurance.

The medically accompanied transport home is the most expensive consequence of a serious ski accident. The statutory funds and the European Health Insurance Card as a rule do not cover it. Only a private repatriation insurance pays for the transport, provided it is medically necessary and sensible. Coordinate the transport with the insurer in advance, because otherwise the assumption of costs can fail.

Next steps: obtain the insurer consent before transport, have the medical necessity confirmed and coordinate the organisation.

All recommendations at a glance

No private travel insurance, statutory cover is limited.

Next steps: check existing insurance policies, keep the European Health Insurance Card ready and collect receipts for all costs.

Treatment in Austria, cover via card or travel policy.

Next steps: inform the insurer quickly, secure all invoices and findings and apply for the reimbursement.

Transport home, as a rule only through private repatriation insurance.

Next steps: obtain the insurer consent before transport, have the medical necessity confirmed and coordinate the organisation.

European Health Insurance Card and its limits

Visitors from the EU and the EEA prove their insurance cover with the European Health Insurance Card. With it they receive in Austria the medically necessary treatment in the public health system on the same terms as locals who are insured by law. This covers the acute care after a ski accident, surgery and the inpatient stay.

The card has clear limits, however. It covers no transport home and no treatment outside the public system. Deductibles that locals also bear remain in place. Guests from states outside the EU and the EEA need their own travel health insurance anyway, because the card does not apply to them.

Private repatriation insurance for the transport home

The medically accompanied transport home is often the most expensive item after a serious ski accident. The statutory funds and the European Health Insurance Card as a rule do not cover it. This is where the value of a private repatriation insurance shows, which pays for the transport in case of medical necessity.

Decisive is the coordination with the insurer. The transport home should be approved in advance and confirmed by a doctor as necessary. Anyone who organises it without consent risks the assumption of costs. Also check the scope of the policy, because the conditions on medical necessity and on the accompanying staff differ.

Coordinate the transport home in advance. The European Health Insurance Card covers the treatment, but not the repatriation. Obtain the consent of the repatriation insurance before a transport home and have the medical necessity confirmed. This way you secure the assumption of costs.

Frequent questions

Insurance for visitors after the ski accident.

Does the European Health Insurance Card cover the ski accident? +

For the necessary treatment in the public system yes. Visitors from the EU and the EEA are treated like locals who are insured by law. The card does not cover the transport home and private benefits.

Who pays the transport home? +

As a rule only a private repatriation insurance. The statutory funds and the European Health Insurance Card mostly do not cover the transport home, which is why an own policy makes sense.

Do guests from states outside the EU need insurance? +

Yes. The European Health Insurance Card does not apply to them. They should take out a travel health and repatriation insurance before the trip, because otherwise high costs threaten.

What should the travel health insurance cover? +

Sensible are the treatment on site, the medically necessary transport home and the costs of the rescue. Pay attention to the scope of benefits and to the conditions on coordination with the insurer.

What to do if no insurance covers the loss? +

Then a claim for compensation against the party who caused the accident can come into play. Whoever caused the accident is liable under the general rules. A legal assessment clarifies which costs are reimbursed.