Alpenverein insurance
Current fees are on the Pricing page. Cover is worldwide, including Slovak mountain rescue. Insurance for membership year 2027 starts after the annual fee is paid and ends on 31 January 2028. The insurer is Generali Versicherung AG. Rescue / search from inaccessible terrain covers most leisure activities (including off marked trails and on holiday), except exclusions in the terms. Medical cover abroad applies for the first 8 weeks (56 days) of each trip; rescue abroad is year-round.
What the insurance covers and where
Rescue and search from inaccessible terrain covers most leisure activities and sports – including off marked trails, on holiday and at amateur (hobby) races such as trail running or ski-touring competitions. What matters is not the name of the sport, but the character of the terrain you must be rescued from (up to 6,000 m) and the listed exclusions.
Inaccessible terrain also includes mountain waters and hard-to-reach places – rivers, streams and gorges. Activities such as rafting, canyoning or whitewater are therefore within the logic of rescue cover from such terrain: the insurance also covers situations where you get stuck or injured in terrain that ordinary help cannot reach.
Examples of covered activities
- hiking, running, trail running
- mountaineering and via ferrata
- ski touring, freeride, leisure skiing and snowboarding
- mountain biking and trekking
- rafting, canyoning and whitewater in mountain rivers
- amateur (hobby) races – e.g. trail and ski-touring
Examples of treatment / medical care
- After terrain rescue – treatment / hospital
- Illness on the trip (unrelated to the mountains) – e.g. diarrhoea, food poisoning, tonsillitis or high fever on holiday. More examples
Main exclusion groups (roughly 8, for orientation)
- accidents/illness during occupational or other paid activities
- record attempts (speed, diving, aviation)
- participation in competitions (including training):
- at state, national or international level in skiing, snowboarding, freestyle, freeride, bob/sledding
- mountain bike competitions at any level
- accidents when using motor vehicles (covered are trips for: hiking, snowshoe tours, mountaineering, climbing, via ferrata, skiing, ski touring, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, whitewater paddling, canyoning and mountain/trekking bike tours, as well as using cable cars and lifts)
- aviation (pilot, crew member, drone)
- diving with exceptional risk (dives from 40 m, ice diving, diving expeditions)
- ascents above 6,000 m and regions beyond the polar circles (Arctic, Antarctic, Greenland)
- participation in expeditions
Insurance guide
The full insurance conditions are available on Terms and conditions.
Rescue or search operation (including helicopter)
up to €25,000
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Worldwide, year-round, including your home country. Costs of rescue from inaccessible terrain if you have an accident or emergency in the mountains, on water or other inaccessible terrain and must be rescued – injured or not (also in case of death).
Hospital stay abroad (accident or illness)
up to €10,000
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For the first 8 weeks (56 days) of each trip abroad: urgent medical treatment including prescribed medicine and necessary transport to the nearest suitable hospital up to €10,000; of which €2,000 for outpatient treatment including medicine. Show your European Health Insurance Card and contact Europ Assistance. For expensive destinations you can add Premium cover.
Higher limit add-on: Premium travel add-on.
Transfer of an injured person from abroad
unlimited
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For the first 8 weeks (56 days) of each trip abroad. Medically justified transport of an ill person from abroad to a hospital in the home country – for the insured and an accompanying close person without a sum limit.
Third-party liability insurance in Europe
up to €3,000,000
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If you cause damage to another person – cover for bodily injury and property damage up to €3 million. Deductible for property damage is €200. If someone causes damage to you – legal advice costs up to €500 may be covered for claims after personal-injury events.
Criminal legal protection (court costs) in Europe
up to €35,000
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Cover applies in criminal court proceedings from indictment, and in criminal proceedings before administrative authorities from the first prosecution act.
Exclusions from rescue and medical cover
professionals, aerial and motor sports
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Simplified rescue exclusions: aerial activities; movement above 6,000 m; occupational activities; motor sports. Full exclusion lists for rescue and for repatriation / medical treatment are in the insurance terms.
Cover examples
An example appears when you expand a row.
Rescue or search operationup to €25,000
Examples: ski touring, freeride, mountain biking, climbing, hiking, running, rafting and more. Mountain rescue worldwide including home country; helicopter and other rescue craft; rescue, search and recovery even without injury if life is at risk.
Treatment and hospital stay abroadup to €10,000
Urgent treatment, medicine and transfer to hospital up to €10,000; of which €2,000 outpatient including medicine. €70 deductible per person for outpatient treatment abroad.
Transfer of an injured person from abroadunlimited
Medically justified return transport (life threat, inadequate care, expected hospital stay over 5 days). Unlimited also for an accompanying close person.
Third-party liability in Europeup to €3,000,000
E.g. a collision on a ski slope – compensation for bodily injury or property damage up to €3 million. €200 deductible for property; none for bodily injury.
Criminal legal protection in Europeup to €35,000
Court-related costs (experts, interpreter, fees) when a claim is pursued in court – up to €35,000 under the applicable terms.
Examples of medical treatment abroad
Medical treatment abroad applies for the first 8 weeks of each trip for accidents and illness – both after rescue from inaccessible terrain and when you are injured or fall ill away from the mountains (e.g. in a town or hotel). It does not require a prior rescue, but often follows one. Under the applicable terms this means urgent necessary medical treatment (limit up to €10,000, of which €2,000 outpatient; outpatient treatment has a €70 deductible per person and stay abroad).
- After terrain rescue – treatment / hospitalAfter mountain rescue (helicopter, extrication) you are taken to a hospital. Abroad, further urgent treatment and hospitalisation fall under medical cover abroad – it is not “rescue only”. If the rescue happens in your home country, the rescue itself is covered, but hospital care at home is not – it is assumed to be covered by your domestic health insurer / health system.
- Injury in the terrain without a major rescueE.g. a fall on a marked trail or ski slope – you are treated outpatient or in hospital. This is medical cover abroad even without a search or helicopter rescue.
- Illness on the trip (unrelated to the mountains)Diarrhoea, food poisoning, tonsillitis or high fever on holiday – you need a doctor or hospital. Medical cover here is not tied to inaccessible terrain.
- Injury away from the mountains on the same tripA fall on hotel stairs or an accident in town – again urgent treatment abroad. Shows that medical cover is not limited to mountain terrain.
Useful links
Order Alpenverein membership with insurance
Order form for the current membership year.
Alpenverein insurance confirmation
English insurance confirmation for visas or other travel-related purposes.
PDF – liability confirmation for Italy
Present this confirmation when buying a skipass or during slope checks (together with your membership card).
PDF – Alpenverein insurance brochure
Valid until 31 Dec 2027.
Frequently asked questions about cover
Up to what amount does insurance cover rescue from inaccessible terrain?
Up to €25,000 per person per insured event, including helicopter – worldwide and year-round, including your home country.
How long does medical cover abroad last?
Medical costs and repatriation apply for the first 8 weeks (56 days) of each trip abroad. Rescue from inaccessible terrain is not limited by that day count.
What is the medical treatment limit abroad?
Up to €10,000 for urgent treatment including medicine and transfer to hospital; of which €2,000 outpatient. Outpatient deductible is €70 per person. Premium add-on is available for higher limits.
Does the insurance cover rafting and canyoning?
Yes, within the logic of rescue from inaccessible terrain. Mountain rivers, streams and gorges are part of the definition of inaccessible terrain, so rescue during rafting, canyoning or whitewater is covered – what matters is the character of the terrain you must be rescued from, not the sport itself. The binding wording is in the applicable terms.
Are amateur races (trail running, ski touring) covered?
Yes. Participation in amateur (hobby) races such as trail-running or ski-touring events is generally covered if not performed professionally. Exclusions apply mainly to state, national and international competitions in skiing and snowboarding, and to all mountain bike competitions. If unsure, contact us.
Does the insurance apply on holiday and off marked trails?
Yes. Cover applies to leisure activities including movement in open terrain off marked trails and on holiday. Medical cover abroad applies for the first 8 weeks (56 days) of each trip; rescue from inaccessible terrain is year-round.
What does “inaccessible terrain” mean?
Trackless natural land – mountainous, rocky, forested or otherwise hard-to-reach terrain including gorges, canyons and mountain streams and rivers, from which the insured person (injured or not) must be recovered to the nearest road or hospital. What matters is the character of the terrain and an altitude up to 6,000 m, not the activity performed.
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