Will your cheap travel insurance cover you if you’re delayed by snow? The answer is a resounding “maybe.”

If you have to cancel your outbound journey due to delays of more than 12 hours caused by bad weather, your insurance will pay for your unused travel and lodging expenses after any amount that you claim from the airline. So if your flight is cancelled or delayed by more than 12 hours, your first claim should be with the airline itself.

For every 12 hours you’re delayed at the airport, you should be able to claim around £50 from your travel insurance. After a 24 hour or longer delay, you may cancel your holiday and claim for the full amount, but you have to have checked in for your flight. That means that if you simply stay home because you think your flight will be cancelled, you cannot make a claim.

If you miss your flight on the outbound departure due to public transport failing to deliver you to the airport on time, your travel insurance will pay for “reasonable and necessary” extra travel and accommodation costs to get you to your destination, up to a specified limit.

If you’re taking a private vehicle to the airport, you cannot claim for missing your flight unless the car you’re in is directly involved in an accident, so if bad weather is forecast, add plenty of extra time to get to the airport. When you compare travel insurance, it may be a good idea to phone the policy issuer if you are unsure of their snow policy.