There are many different companies offering you insurance and some of the policies can, on the face of it, look very attractive, but closer research can be both disturbing and revealing. Some insurers, for example, do not include off piste cover. But sometimes you may not have a choice especially during times of poor visibility. There are files full of stories of people who fell and injured themselves after finding themselves in the wrong terrain. Insurance packages should cover at least 2m of medical expenses, according to the Consumers Association, repatriation, liability cover of at least 1m, plus missed or delayed departure and loss of ski pass.
Many policies appear at face value to be similar but the small print and exclusions often differ.
Other activities such as heliskiing, racing, snowmobiling are generally not covered on the standard policy so specialist guidance is recommended. Robert Atlee of Manchester lost an argument with a tree in Breckenridge last season which resulted in a 40,000 total bill. Without the right insurance he would have had to sell or remortgaged his house. In the US, courts have long made big awards to anyone making such claims. Now the practice has reached European slopes.