Skiers 'lax on insurance'

The three million Brits who are expected to jet off on skiing holidays this winter have been urged to remember the importance of being fully insured for the activities they are taking part in.

According to a survey by esure, a quarter of Brits on winter holidays this year will not be properly insured.

Of these people, five per cent mistakenly believe that they will be fully covered for medical care by their European health insurance card.

Over a quarter of British people wrongly think that all annual travel policies cover ski holidays as standard, according to esure.

Insurance is expected to be particularly important this year owing to the proportion of travellers considering extreme sports, with 17 per cent of survey respondents saying they would try out an activity such as ice-lake diving, off-piste snowboarding or tobogganing.

Jacky Brown, head of travel insurance at esure, said: "Any winter sports holiday comes with a certain element of risk. Whether on a nursey slope or a black run, accidents do happen and it's crucial to have medical cover to avoid footing a hefty bill.

"With the rise in high-adrenaline, adventure sports - such as heli-skiing and ice-lake diving - it's also important to check the insurance small print before booking."