When Mr F booked his ski holiday a couple of weeks ago, he left a £60 deposit, as requested by the travel agent. Shortly afterwards he was contacted by the agent with a request to pay the accompanying ski insurance, worth £40.

"In my previous experience booking eight other ski holidays I have never before encountered such a premature request for an insurance payment. I say `premature' because with no significant payment made - so far - there is nothing to insure. Has this sharp practice become the norm?"

Mr F's description of the travel agents demand is spot on. Nearly all the ski tour operators require that you either buy their ski holiday insurance contract as part of your package, or supply them with proof of purchase of an equivalent or superior contract when you book.

But they certainly do not require that you pay for the insurance separately and especially not before you pay for the rest of your holiday. The cost of the insurance is part of the overall package price.

This is a case of the travel agent wanting to improve cash flow at the expense of customers and our reader should complain to the tour operator, and maybe to the Director of Consumer Affairs.