Great snow conditions: Check your ski insurance before you head off-piste.

2012 looks set to be one of the best ski seasons for snow conditions in a number of years - great news for ski and snow board enthusiasts.

Some ski resorts have even complained of having ‘too much snow'. Zermatt was cut off for a number of days, preventing skiers departing or arriving, perhaps not such a bad thing to be stuck in a ski resort with great snow conditions! Val d'Isere enforced a lock-in on one evening due to the risk of avanlanche and snow falling from roofs.

Although there has been a break in snow fall over the last week or so the sheer amount that fell throughout the 2nd half of December and 1st week in January means that there is a great base for this ski season, plus more heavy snow is expected again across most of the Alps this weekend.

All this snow and fresh powder makes it even more tempting for skiers and snowboarders to venture off-piste. But before you do decide to ski off-piste you should check whether your ski insurance provides cover.

Ski insurance from Insurewithease.com provides cover for the following activities:

• Cross country skiing
• Curling
• Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding
• Iceskating
• Off-piste skiing and snowboarding is covered providing you are skiing within the boundaries of a recognised resort area designed for public use, and are not skiing in areas marked out of bounds or hazardous by the piste authorities.

If you have checked that your ski insurance provides cover and you do decide to take advantage of this year's great snow conditions and ski off-piste, it is important to take care. Even if you are only skiing off-piste by the edge of a marked run, you still need be very careful, if there is fresh snow around you never know what is underneath. Unless you are experienced it is safest to stick to the piste or go with a professional guide.

Whether you are skiing on or off-piste it is very important you keep your wits about you when you are in the mountains. Take notice of relevant signs and notices around the resort and on the mountain. The resort authorities will generally post the latest information about the current avalanche risk and weather conditions at the main lift stations - you should read these and take note.

For more information about staying safe in the mountains read our ski safety check list from the FCO.

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