No one heads off on their annual skiing holiday expecting to break an arm or a leg - or worse - but every year some people are unlucky and have an accident of some kind while taking part in winter sports.

In fact it has been stated that one in every 14 people who have been on holiday and had a go at one or more sports taking place on snow have received an injury of some kind.

While we all head off to the slopes assuming we'll be fine, it's estimated that some ten thousand Britons every single year are not so lucky. The most notable example of this during 2009 was the death of actress Natasha Richardson.

Of course, injuries can vary in severity. Very few will be life-threatening and most will require little or no treatment at all. For example, a mild muscle strain would not hamper your ability to go about your daily life once you arrive back home.

Obviously the most important thing is to minimise the chances of having an accident in the first place. For example, always be sure you wear a crash helmet and the correct clothing. Using the right equipment is also essential, and you should make sure it is in correct working order and isn't damaged in any way before you start using it.

If you do all this and you do still have an accident, the most important thing is to get yourself checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible. This is particularly true if you bang your head. Natasha Richardson showed no signs of any injury until an hour or so after her fall. If she'd been checked out immediately the situation may have had a different outcome.

Of course, although most accidents are very minor, if your accident was more serious it could result in you not being able to work, when you get back home. Since not everyone is lucky enough to get sick pay, this could leave you struggling to pay your bills. If you have savings you might manage to get by, but if you don't you could run into financial trouble as a result. And if your injury was life-changing - such as a spinal injury for example - you'll have long term considerations to bear in mind.

Income protection cover could help to cover you if you're unable to work as a result of a winter sports injury. It won't cure your injuries but it can make coping with them easier than it would be otherwise.

This article has been written for information and interest purposes only. The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author only, and should not be construed as advice or used to make financial decisions. Expert financial advice should always be sought and any links contained within this article are included for information purposes only.

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