Skiers or snowboarders who injure themselves on the slopes can pay up to 500 per cent more for treatment depending on which country they are in, new figures reveal.

Receiving medical assistance for a broken leg, the most common injury, would cost £20,000 in the USA compared to around £5,000 in Europe, according to Norwich Union.

European countries in comparison are significantly less expensive but still pricey. Treatment for a broken leg adds up to £6,000 in Switzerland, £5,000 in Austria or £4,000 in Italy or France.

Dawn McMullan, Norwich Union travel product manager, said: "People want peace of mind when they're on holiday - they need to know that they'll be looked after in case of an accident.

"If you do happen to break a leg or incur any other sort of injury, it's stressful enough having to go to hospital, worry about your health and change all your holiday plans without having to think about the financial aspect of your injury."
Although the new European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will entitle them to some free medical treatment, holidaymakers will still need to be covered by travel insurance.

Ms McMullan added: "People should bear in mind that the level of cover provided by the EHIC card depends on the country visited and may not cover all treatment costs and services like mountain rescue and repatriation. The EHIC should be seen as complementary to travel insurance, not as an alternative."