Not shelling out for travel insurance for a city break in Europe is a risk. However for those heading to the piste for their winter breaks, such a risk is not worth taking.

If you're planning a ski trip, there are certain factors you must consider when arranging insurance.

Skiing holidays can be expensive, and finding affordable travel insurance is essential to such trips in order to avoid extra costs should you encounter any difficulties.

For those who spend more time on the slopes, such as resort employees, annual travel insurance could prove to be the cheaper option, and it's advisable to check with your insurer to arrange extra cover before your trip.

Be aware, however, that different insurers offer different packages for certain activities during your trip - such as skiing and tobogganing.

If you're a little more adventurous on the slopes, more extreme activities - such as heli-skiing and zorbing (rolling downhill in a transparent sphere) - will be slightly more expensive to insure against, and the range of features available differs between insurance companies.

Some features may not be as straightforward as they seem, there are some areas of cover which you will need to double check before heading for the slopes. For example, piste closure will usually be covered by such policies - but only if all the slopes at the resort are affected.

Ensure that you take your insurance documentation with you in case of emergencies, this will ensure that your policy details are easily available should anything happen.

When you consider that many services such as mountain rescue and medical helicopters are expensive to operate, travelling to such destinations without suitable insurance can be very risky.

Whilst that cheap travel insurance quote may look tempting, it may contain policy exclusions which may affect your claim - such as differing prices based on the age of your ski equipment and the time frame in which any equipment damage or theft is reported.

Check with your current insurers as to whether they offer an additional 'winter sports cover' for a small fee. This process could save you money as such policies can usually be arranged for the duration of your trip.