MPI has been providing skiers with cover for skiing and snowboarding both on and off piste (with or without a guide) for many years. In fact, MD Michael Pettifer, who has skied since the age of 9, is a BASI Instructor and Ski Club of Great Britain Representative and has always covered off piste at MPI and his previous companies.

Does your ski and snowboard insurance cover 'freestyle' in snow parks? Many don't, but MPI’s does.

Many ski insurance providers will not allow you to insure children without also covering an adult, but MPI does.

Ever wondered if you are insured for leaving your equipment outside a restaurant on the slopes? Our research shows many policies do not cover skis left unattended and one underwriter even suggested we should take skis into the restaurant to keep them safe. There's no need for this with MPI insurance – we've got it covered.

All insurance policies have an excess, which is an amount deducted from your loss. At MPI we make sure this is kept to a minimum as we deduct only one excess per event, per person, regardless of how many sections you claim under. Most insurance providers deduct the excess per section.

Ever thought what would happen if you can't access your hotel or chalet? For example, this could be caused by an avalanche, power failure, fire or even a flood. You will find in the booking conditions with your travel company a clause that excludes their liability in the event of force majeure, of which this is an example. Many travel insurance providers don't cover this as they think this is the travel companies’ responsibility, but MPI does.

This is often a misunderstood part of the cover as many believe it to cover the cost of returning home early on medical grounds. That would fall under the medical section and is called repatriation.

Curtailment provides for the loss of your holiday if you are injured or fall sick during the trip. In order for the insurance to be triggered you would need to return home, with medical clearance, and under most policies the loss is calculated from the date you return home.

You may then claim a pro rata loss of the cost of the trip and will usually have the flight costs deducted from that calculation. With MPI the cover is considerably wider as we start the pro-rata calculation from the day you go into hospital, and include the whole cost of the trip, including fights, ski pass and ski school.

Many policies exclude any form of ski or snowboard racing. Most resorts now have a permanent slalom available for holidaymakers to test their time and a ski and snowboard cross course where they can race against friends.

At MPI this kind of local racing is covered. MPI also includes more adventurous racing or competition and, amongst others, insures the Kandahar Ski Club, which invented downhill and slalom racing.

Key things to consider with a family policy is that usually the children have to travel with at least one of the adults, but at MPI they are covered to travel independently, for example on a school trip or staying with friends abroad. Also with most policies everyone has to be related, this is not the case with MPI.

This is a key consideration when choosing insurance, along with emergency medical expenses it is the most important part of a wintersports policy – cover for injuring third parties. Most polices have similar clauses, but there are two to watch out for.

Firstly, it must cover any damage you may cause due to your negligence (a mistake) to temporary holiday accommodation and if you are the lead name your liability for the actions of your party. Secondly, some policies will not accept a claim where this has been brought by a travelling companion claiming against you. With MPI both of these things are covered.

• Tobogganing and Skiddoing *
• Local Ski Racing and Heli Skiing **
• Snow Park and Langlauf
• Cross country skiing
• Ski Touring

*no liability cover **incidental to the trip

• Off piste skiing and snowboarding (with or without a guide)
• Medical expenses up to £5 million
• 24-hour Emergency Medical Assistance
• Mountain rescue including helicopter rescue
• Repatriation to home in the UK or local hospital
• Equipment loss or damage
• Personal liability – including damage to holiday accommodation
• In-house claims

• Family policies - Discounted rates
• Book online and save 10%
• Lower rates for travel to France
• Children can travel independently
• Ski Insurance card with every wintersports policy
• Couples rates