All downhill for skier missing small print: Too much snow and not enough cover on Alpine holiday

JACKIE LONG'S skiing holiday was ruined because of the snow: there was too much. It ended up costing her hundreds of pounds, which her insurance policy failed to cover.

Miss Long, a recruitment consultant, booked a week in a chalet in Val d'Isere, France, in December last year. She took out skiing insurance cover with Thomas Cook.

The Sunday-to-Sunday cover cost more than pounds 30. The policy covered medical expenses, personal injury and property loss and damage. The policy also contained a section dealing with missed departures, including delays caused by avalanches or landslips.

At the end of the holiday, Miss Long and her two friends arranged a lift from the resort to Geneva airport in a private car. However, in that week there were severe snowfalls and avalanches.

Miss Long said: 'The appalling and unprecedented weather conditions resulted in a very serious delay. It was simply impossible to get off the mountains. We eventually arrived at Geneva airport over 15 hours late. The flight had already departed and the next possible direct flight to London was over 24 hours away.

'I was expected back at work the following day and so I had no alternative but to take a flight to London via Paris. It cost over pounds 300. Yet it was probably the cheapest option in the circumstances given the price of hotels in Geneva.'

After her return to the UK, Miss Long wrote to her insurers in an attempt to recover the extra expense incurred.

Francis Charsley Limited, Thomas Cook's claims service, pointed out that the right to recover additional transport and accommodation expenses under the Missed Departure section did not provide cover for the return journey to Britain.

Likewise, expenses recoverable 'due to the cancellation or postponement of public transport scheduled service as a direct result of either avalanche or landslide' only covered the outward journey to the resort.

Miss Long said: 'I am deeply disappointed. I assumed that if cover was provided under a policy, it would apply to journeys in either direction.'

There are several different kinds of standard insurance policy. Any skier should consider what type of cover is required. For those who ski several times a year it may be appropriate to obtain season- long or all-year travel insurance, which can work out cheaper over the year and dispenses with the need to obtain cover before every trip.

Skiers should also ensure that the cover meets their needs. Some policies provide insufficient personal baggage cover. A limit of pounds 300 is unlikely to be sufficient to cover the cost of replacing an expensive ski outfit and boots, let alone the cost of the skis. Delayed baggage is just as capable of ruining a holiday as lost baggage. It is advisable to check how long baggage must go astray before compensation is available to buy replacements.

As Miss Long discovered, some cancellation and delay cover is insufficient.

It is important to ensure that medical cover has a high enough ceiling.

Careful attention should be paid to how the policy deals with skiing off-piste. Some policies exclude cover or impose conditions on when such skiing is permitted.

Claims have to be made in good time. Time limits are usually imposed, and late claims are normally time-barred.

Thefts of property or damage to it, must also usually be reported to the authorities within strict limitation periods. Where possible receipts should be obtained to support any insurance policy claims.

(Photograph omitted)