19.09.2017

Launch of new short-term insurance policies for hiking, skiing and running

Erste Bank, Sparkassen and s Versicherung are taking the next steps as part of their digitalization offensive by launching two new online products that provide short term insurance cover within a specified time period for hiking, skiing, mountain biking or running accidents.

More than half of Austrians have not taken out private accident insurance cover and are therefore fully exposed to the financial consequences of accidents. “There is tremendous potential which we are addressing with these simple online products,” says Thomas Schaufler, Chief Retail Officer of Erste Bank Oesterreich. “You can even take out a policy on short notice via a smartphone to ensure that you have coverage whe you need it.”

Many people fail to consider that statutory accident insurance, apart from covering the cost of primary care, only provides financial protection for permanent injury (invalidity) after occupational accidents. The victims of home, leisure or sports accidents are left empty-handed. However, most accidents actually occur in exactly these segments. According to the Austrian Road Safety Board (Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit, KfV), 794,648 accidents occurred across Austria in 2016*. Of these, 288,800 occurred during leisure activities or sports. In these cases, the victim is only entitled to compensation if they had taken out a private accident insurance policy.

The new short-term insurance policies can be taken out precisely when needed and are limited to the required duration. “If, for example, you are taking part in a track event, you can take out a policy for precisely this one day,” explains Manfred Bartalszky, Head of Sales of s Versicherung.

At www.sparkasse.at/unfallversicherungen both policies can be taken out on short notice via smartphone or PC. The s Running-Unfall-Schutz (running accident policy) is priced at EUR 1.90 per person per day. The s Alpin-Unfall-Schutz (alpine accident policy) costs EUR 4.90 per person per day, EUR 4.00 for one additional co-insured person, and EUR 2.50 per day for the first co-insured child. Up to two additional children can be co-insured for free.

 *Accident Data Base KfV 2016