The Accident Compensation Corporation spent more than $18 million on skiing and snowboarding injuries in 2012 and is urging people to take extra care on ski fields this year.
The corporation says it received over 13,000 claims last year for injuries picked up on the slopes, most caused by falls and collisions.
ACC sport manager Isaac Carlson says most collisions result in soft tissue injuries although some can lead to fractures and head injuries.
Mr Carlson says a simple way to avoid collisions is to give way to people below you as you come down the mountain.
He says tens of thousands of injuries suffered in rugby and netball last year cost the corporation about $76 million.
Mr Carlson says there were about 58,000 rugby injuries last year that cost ACC about $56 million and about 26,000 netball injuries costing about $20 million.
