And if you become one of the three hundred thousand who get injured whilst skiing each year, the cost of treatment and getting home can be prohibitive. Simply getting an injured skier off an Alpine slope can cost 10,000 pounds.



That's why it's so vital to make sure you have a good comprehensive insurance policy. So here are five ways to make sure you stay safe this skiing season.

Firstly, never go skiing without adequate insurance cover. Under reciprocal arrangements provided by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you may be entitled to some free emergency medical treatment. But this only covers certain countries and provision will differ from country to country. So it's a god idea to work on the principle that if you are going to need medical help, you're going to have to pay for it.

If you already hold an EHIC card, make that its expiry date remains valid at the time you're on holiday. By March 2010 over 3 million EHIC cards will have expired. So anyone travelling with an out-of-date medical card is putting themselves at risk as they will not qualify for free basic medical care. To renew your EHIC card or obtain a card, phone 0845 606 2030 or log on to the NHS website. For more information call the EHIC help line on 0845 605 0707. The EHIC organisation also strongly advises you to buy comprehensive insurance.

Another good tip is to beware of the tour operators' insurance cover. If you arrange your trip via a tour operator or travel agent, don't automatically sign up for its insurance policy. You'll undoubtedly come under some pressure to do this but we can assure you that you'll find cheaper protection on the internet. You can buy standalone protection just for one skiing holiday, although many travellers have an annual travel policy covering all overseas trips. If you do have an annual policy, do make sure that yours covers winter sports. A cut-price policy, which may be adequate for two weeks on the beach, may be far more restricted when it comes to a week on the piste.

And we know it's a bind but do read the policy's small print before you leave. Particularly watch out for the exclusions. These are the risks your insurer won't cover such as ski races, tobogganing, snowboarding, and mountain trekking. Many policies will only insure you for off-piste skiing in limited circumstances, such as when you are with a qualified guide. And make sure you have special cover for your ski equipment. Not all policies will pay to hire equipment if your equipment is lost or damaged enroute.

You'll also need comprehensive insurance to cover your lift pass, not only if it's lost, but also if you are injured and not fit to use it. Some insurers will add this type of cover for an additional premium.

Remember, with a skiing holiday your baggage cover is even more important, because if it arrives late you lose precious skiing time. The same applies to your pass, especially when these can cost hundreds of pounds.