According to Insure and Go travel insurance, the current poor snow conditions in Europe have resulted in thousands of injuries on the slopes. The insurer estimates that for the period 1 December 2006 to 6 February 2007, the UK travel insurance industry will have seen around 11,000 medical claims, including broken bones, relating to skiing and snowboarding.

The insurer says that the number of Brits injured on the slopes will actually be much higher than this because not everyone who is injured will claim on their travel insurance, and also because it estimates that as many as 150,000 British skiers will not have travel insurance.

Perry Wilson from Insure and Go travel insurance says: ?Europe has seen one of the warmest winters on record which has meant that pistes have become more prone to rocks and ice, contributing to more injuries. It has also meant that many more skiers and snowboarders are tackling off-piste runs which are more difficult to manage and increase the chances of an injury occurring? especially if you are inexperienced.

?In addition to this, those resorts where there is good snow are becoming more crowded, increasing the chances of suffering an accident through collision.?

As a result of the poor skiing conditions, Insure and Go is advising skiers and snowboarders to take greater care. They should wear helmets and safety equipment when possible and make sure that they have travel insurance to cover them.

If you?re skiing or boarding in Europe Insure and Go advise that, while it?s a good idea to get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), people should not to rely on it as it won?t cover costs such as repatriation. Plus because the agreement varies from country to country, the cover it provides depends on where you are.

InsureandGo?s annual policies include winter sports cover automatically so they?re the perfect solution for those off to the slopes and also planning a break abroad in the summer. Kids under 18 are included free.