If you are one of the three million Britons heading to the slopes this winter, there's a one in seven chance that you will require medical care.
The odd tumble and a few bumps and bruises are par for the course on most skiing trips but an injury of real significance is likely to leave you with as much pain in your wallet as in your body.
Yet many of us will travel without cover leaving us to pay out extraordinary bills such as a whopping £20,000 to be airlifted to a hospital.
The cost of being airlifted to a hospital from a piste can stretch to as much as £20,000, while breaking a leg in Switzerland could cost you £25,000. Meanwhile, repatriation from the USA could sting you with a whopping £70,000 bill.
Despite the extraordinary charges and the fact that around one in seven of us is likely to require medical attention on the slopes, research from insurer esure suggests that around a quarter of us will take a skiing holiday with no cover at all this winter.
The reasons for this are open for debate: many of us simply believe that accidents won't happen to us, while others are put off by excessive prices for winter sports cover on policies available through travel agents.
However, winter sports travel insurance needn't cost you an arm and a leg. By shopping through the moneysupermarket.com travel insurance comparison tool, you can pick up comprehensive policies from stand-alone providers starting from around £25 depending on your destination.
Many travellers assume that they have adequate cover with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Certainly picking up an EHIC is worthwhile - it will provide you with state-provided medical treatment on the same basis as an insured person living within that country.
But it may not cover all of the treatment you expect to get free on the NHS, nor will it cover any of the additional aspects that you can get from travel insurance such as baggage, repatriation and cancellation cover.
So travel insurance should still be seen as an essential even if you are travelling within Europe and have an EHIC in hand.
It is also crucial to look beyond simply the price of the policies you take out and check to see exactly what you are covered for.
Many policies will not cover you in the event of piste closure - some state that the piste must be shut for at least 12 hours, if not 24 hours, before a claim can be made. You may not even be eligible for a claim if you arrive to discover grassy slopes - you should check the small print of each policy carefully to see exactly what's covered.
Also bear in mind that most insurers will not pay out if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Nevertheless there are plenty of comprehensive policies out there. American Express travel insurance is among the most comprehensive with a winter sports option for both on and off-piste skiing, ski equipment and piste closure. Swiftcover is also among the most consistently cheap travel insurers through our comparison tool.
Remember to take it easy on the slopes and ideally take a copy of your insurance terms and conditions with you on the trip so you can ensure you're covered for all events - especially if you plan to tackle any other sports as part of your holiday.
Without doubt you're going away to have fun - so secure the right travel insurance ahead of time so you can take to the slopes with peace of mind.
DISCLAIMER: Please note that any rates or deals mentioned in this article applied at the time of writing and may no longer be available/applicable today.
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