Alternative cover must be equal or superior

Ski holiday insurance is expensive and compulsory: you do not have to buy the policy included as part of the ski operators package, but you have to provide an alternative that is equal or superior to the one on offer.

For anyone taking more than one holiday abroad in a given year, the price of ski insurance - about double the usual insurance for the same period - is not only pricey but poor value as well. Two adults and two children travelling to the US for a week's charter holiday skiing can expect to pay up to £70 each with one child per adult insured free. Should you end up in France or Spain on a summer charter you can expect to pay at least half as much again, with a total annual insurance cost of £210 for just two weeks cover. Keep in mind that this cover is extended only to activities organised by the tour operator. If you are travelling independently (especially to the US) or if you go off on your own while on a charter and are injured or fall ill, the liability and costs are your own. For that reason alone, you should probably consider taking out separate, stand-alone cover.

AMEV Insurance is one of the few insurers who offers a stand-alone, annual travel insurance policy which can cover an individual for £125, the individual and spouse for £150 and an entire family with no limit on the number of children up to age 18 covered for £175. If one of your annual holidays is a skiing one, the company will apply an additional once-off £25 charge. (If you happen to take a ski package, most operators will sell you piste-only cover, which provides a safeguard, should there be no snow for about an extra £5).

Under the standard annual/multi-trip policy, you can travel up to 180 days in any one annual period but no single trip must be longer than 30 days. Medical expenses and personal liability worth up to £1 million is standard (though for a small extra sum this can be increased); personal accident cover amounts to £15,000 and there is a hospital benefit worth up to £500 (i.e. £20 for every 24 hours spent in hospital. Cancellation and curtailment cover is worth up to £3,000 and the loss or theft of personal baggage is covered up to £1,200. There is also £5,000 worth of legal expenses cover, and refunds up to £400 in the event of a departure of connection. As with the other insurers, there is an applied excess - in this case £40 for every refundable claim. AMEV restricts cover to people aged 65 and under. For more information about the AMEV Annual Travel Policy, call (01) 2832488.