Brits taking extreme sport risk

A large portion of Brits would participate in an extreme sport abroad, in the knowledge that they weren’t covered for the activity under their travel insurance deal.

Research published by esure says 17 per cent of adults in the UK would get involved in adrenaline-based pastimes such as tobogganing, off-piste snowboarding and even ice lake diving, without having the appropriate cover.

According to esure head of travel insurance Jacky Brown, it is not worth holiday-makers heading to the slopes taking their chances.

She said: "Any winter sports holiday comes with a certain element of risk.

"Whether on a nursery slope or a black run, accidents do happen and it’s crucial to have medical cover to avoid footing a hefty bill."

It was found that 27 per cent believe that all annual travel policies cover skiing as standard - which is not the case.

Another worrying statistic from the esure study is that 5 per cent of those quizzed were under the impression that a European Health Insurance form would fully cover them while skiing abroad.