Skiing becomes even more risky - for your pocket

Given that skiing is essentially just sliding down a hill while trying to remain upright, it's hardly surprising that is an insurer's worst nightmare. But for those who don't feel the whole endeavour involves enough risk, there has been a new trend to add even more of a thrill to your winter sports - wearing a gadget worth a small fortune while you do it.

One in ten skiers now travels with their GoPro, in order to capture their exploits on film. Men are more likely than women to wear them, and those aged 25-34 are particularly likely to ski with one on.

This accident was filmed by a skier wearing a GoPro. We get a lesson in how easy it is to hit the snow when his friend falls over early on in the clip - making the cameraman laugh uproariously. Then we get a lesson in Karma as he overcooks it, fails to land properly, and ends up in a snowdrift.

The GoPro survives this particular tumble, but plenty more are not so lucky.

Pricey luggage

It's not the only pricey piece of equipment skiers hit the slopes with: a new survey by the Chartered Insurance Institute has revealed that British skiers will take a combined £15 billion worth of luggage with them - and men are the worst offenders - carrying an average of £1,423 of luggage.

Along with the GoPro, one in six now takes their own skis, one in ten takes a snowboard, and one in three will take designer skiwear and accessories with them. The Institute highlights that more than a third of people hit the slopes without adequate travel insurance, so could end up with a huge bill if something went awry.

It warns anyone hitting the slopes - especially those who insist on taking expensive luggage - that standard travel insurance does not include cover for winter sports, and needs to be added to annual cover or bought separately. This means that if you needed to claim on your insurance for medical assistance or for lost luggage on a skiing holiday, standard travel insurance would be unlikely to pay out.

The Institute says that insurers have seen a hike in thefts of small high value items like this in recent years - because they are easy to steal and sell on, and because so many of us are travelling with them. It points out that when you fly with technology, you are only covered for it if it's with you on the plane - so don't check it into the hold.

It adds: "The personal possessions (PP) cover limit on a travel insurance policy will often be relatively low but you may have PP cover on your home insurance policy too, which is likely to be higher. If anything happens to your tech while away, check your home insurance policy as you may be better off claiming on that."

Before you travel, it's worth thinking carefully whether you need all the usual gadgetry with you - and whether your life will really be enriched with a bunch of videos of you falling over. If you do choose to take it, it's essential that you make sure the right insurance is in place - to cover mishaps for both you and your GoPro.