Illinois Injury Law Blog

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys know that with the winter season, many Illinois families take weekend recreational getaways to the mountains for skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. In other cases, a premise liability injury or car accident can bring the issue of insurance coverage to the forefront.

Along with the Illinois Department of Insurance Director Michael T. McRaith, we remind families that the time to review health, home, renter and car insurance policies for appropriate coverage is before you are involved in an Illinois injury accident.

McRaith advises policyholders that “whether you enjoy snowboarding or are traveling to a warm destination during the winter season, be sure to check your insurance policies to ensure you understand your coverage and have the right protections in place.” Our Illinois injury lawyer couldn’t agree more.

The IDI recommends that before hitting those recreational winter sports, double check your health insurance coverage and homeowner policies to know what coverage limits and deductibles you need to consider and what to do in the event you are injured while out-of-town.

Keep in mind that recreational gear is generally only covered up to a certain limit that may or may not be sufficient to completely replace your equipment. With that said, a recent article in the Chicago Tribune serves as a reminder that not all ski accidents happen at resorts. Just last week a backcountry skier was rescued by Rocky Mountain National Park rangers after the 55-year-old skier fell nearly 1,000 down a mountain.

As for snowmobiles, the Illinois General Assembly reminds Illinois snowmobile enthusiasts that as of April, 2011, amendments to the Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act go into effect. Mandatory liability insurance is among the requirements. Just in 2009, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources reports, there were 37 reported Illinois snowmobile accidents, one fatal.

Allstate Insurance provides the following tips for snowmobilers:

~ Know your terrain. Avoid crossing frozen bodies of water where you know there is no guarantee the icy surface will hold the weight of your ride.

~ Stow away a basic toolkit for emergency repairs. Be familiar enough with your machine to know how to make simple fixes.

~ Have a travel plan and ride with a buddy if you can. Tell someone where you are going, how long you plan to ride and when to expect you back.

Finally, the best way to avoid a travel disaster – from weather delays canceling your flight to an unexpected hospital stay – is to carry travel insurance. AOL Travel reports that can find domestic or international annual travel insurance that will cover everything “from acts of God to acts of terrorism” and can be invaluable to make last-minute rescheduling less nightmarish.