If you - or your holiday - are not quite run of the mill, do not fret. It is possible to find affordable insurance for almost any trip. Sally and Terry Forbes (pictured) sought a policy that would cover her four-year-old Ben, who had been ill. She started hunting for insurance on comparison websites but was shocked by sky-high quotes. Sally turned to cancer charity Macmillan for help.

Solicitor Rachel Croft, 34, and her husband, Richard, 36, an accountant thought they were clued up when it came to hiring a car. But a few weeks after returning from holiday they received a demand for payment from Hertz, despite obtaining a document which said the car did not have any damage.

Nearly a quarter of families book their summer holiday this month due to a mix of post-Christmas blues and attractive low deposit deals. Here Tara Evans looks at ways of cutting holiday costs without compromising on quality.

It is one of Hollywood's corniest Christmas movies - but for some The Holiday, starring Cameron Diaz, is the inspiration for a luxury getaway on the cheap. The story hinges on the romcom's leading characters falling for new partners following an international house swap. Whether it is a spring, summer or winter holiday you are after, it is never too early to start looking for an exchange partner. Follow our 12-step guide to a trouble-free property exchange.

Bankso resort in Bulgaria, La Thuile in Italy and the French, Les Deux Alpes, have topped the list for the best resorts to hit the slopes on a budget. Keen skiers and snowboarders could pay as little as £295.26 for 6 days skiing before hotel costs and travel, according to research by No.1 Currency.

One of Britain's biggest hotel chains has been accused of overbooking rooms, with a couple facing a transfer elsewhere, despite having already paid for and confirmed their room. The row echoes complaints on internet forums at alleged overbooking.

The idyllic Indonesian Island of Bali, where a bottle of beer will set you back just 91p, is the long-haul winter holiday destination with the lowest cost of living for the third year running. The price of meals, drinks and other tourist staples has fallen in half of the 33 destinations surveyed in the Post Office Travel Money Long Haul Holiday Report.

A family who turned up to Birmingham Airport in the mood for a sun drenched 10 day trip to Portugal were left panicking after it transpired the flight didn't actually exist. Darren Hall, his wife and two children were set to depart from the airport to Faro on Monarch flight ZB408 departing at 13.15, according to the travel itinerary booked through budget travel agents Lowcostholidays.

Passengers whose flight is heavily delayed or cancelled have the right to compensation under European law. We explain how.

Car hire excess insurance is the bugbear of many holidaymakers, who are often forced into buying the policy at the rental desk through fear of facing a high bill following an accident. Excess charges have been rising steadily over the past few years. Drivers hiring in Turin, for example, can expect to pay up to £1,800 towards the bill if they do not have insurance to cover it. Mark Bower has claimed twice for accidentally locking his keys in his hire car boot on a ski trip, something not covered automatically by most car hire firms' basic excess policies.

Insurers appear to be using alcohol consumption as a reason not to pay out even when there is little evidence that inebriation contributed to the accident. There are also cases where insurers jump to conclusions about what happened - for example they assume that a customer was drunk because of their age or because they were staying at a resort known for its party culture.