Ski holidays - Are you covered? See the minimum cover you need

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With the 2007/2008 ski and snowboard season here, thousands of winter sports thrill seekers are dusting off their kit in preparation for an adrenalin fuelled holiday of hurtling down the mountains.

Taking part in any winter sports without adequate winter sports travel insurance is a risk not worth taking.

Accidents, injuries and theft are all common perils. Hit the slopes without adequate winter sports travel insurance and your holiday could end up costing you thousands of pounds more than you had bargained for.

A good winter sports travel insurance policy should include a minimum of £2million for medical expenses. While European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will cover you for basic medical treatment while you are in all EU countries, it does have its limitations and should not be considered a substitute for winter sports travel insurance.

The cover you need

Services such as mountain rescue, ambulance transfer, repatriation, and out patient treatment are not included. In Europe a helicopter mountain rescue service costs around £1,500 and repatriation costs are likely to be around £4,000. These costs escalate further in America where repatriation can cost up to £35,000.

Besides covering your health and medical needs, your winter sport travel insurance policy should also cover your ski equipment, personal liability and piste closure. Ski equipment - boots, skis, clothing, ski pass - are all at risk of being stolen or damaged. Replacing these would certainly dent a whole in your holiday spending.

Personal liability cover is another important feature of your winter sports travel insurance policy. This covers you in the event of being sued for causing an accident on the slopes. Your policy should have a minimum cover of £1 million. Read the terms around piste closure carefully. Some policies will only pay out if all the pistes are closed.

Read the small print and check the exclusions. Most policies will not cover you for pre-existing medical conditions or any claim as result of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

What might not be included

Adrenalin fuelling activities, such as tobogganing, ice skating, snow-mobiling or heli-skiing may not be included in your standard winters sports travel insurance policy so check your cover before taking part.

If you already have an annual travel insurance policy check the small print carefully as you may have to pay extra to include winter sports.

Make sure you keep your winter sports travel insurance documents as well as a contact phone number to hand in case of emergency.

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