Merkur Versicherung now providing insurance on Austria's ski slopes * New: "SKI-WELL" daily insurance from the ski-lift till

GRAZ December 12 (PROTEXT/ots) - Merkur Versicherung isstarting the skiing season with a new service. It is a new kindof winter-sports insurance for all skiers on Austrian pistes. Theinsurance can be taken out on a daily basis at the ski-lift till.It is being sold by Merkur Versicherung for the first time andexclusively in Austria and is now available in the regions ofKreischberg and Riesneralm for the sports of skiing,snowboarding, bobsleighing and cross-country skiing. It isplanned to extend the service to other skiing regions. "SKI-WELL" costs EUR 2,90 per day for adults and EUR 1,90 for childrenor EUR 14,90 or EUR 9,90 for a week.

"SKI-WELL" covers the search, recovery and helicopter costsafter an accident up to a sum of EUR 20.000 and provides aliability for damage to people, property and financial loss up toEUR 750.000 The new service range also includes legal protectionagainst Austrian courts of up to EUR 30.000.

Eight million skiers and snowboarders enjoy Austria's slopesevery year. Together, they experience around 90.000 accidents peryear. Almost 67.000 people are injured so seriously that theyneed to be cared for in hospital. Most winter sportsmen do notknow, however, that in addition to the impairment of healthsuffered, very high costs can often arise for the peopleaffected.

"With the new service range, we are offering all wintersportsmen on Austria's slopes the possibility of taking outinsurance cover at short notice and unbureaucratically,"emphasises Alois Sundl, General Director of Merkur Versicherung.

"SKI-WELL" from Merkur Versicherung is now available at lifttills in the skiing regions Kreischberg and Riesneralm and in theyoung people's and family guesthouses in Schladming, Kaprun, St.Sebastian/ Mariazell and St. Michael in Lungau. It includes thefields of skiing, snowboarding, bobsleighing and cross-countryskiing. The insurance protection starts with the issuing of theski pass (day or week ticket) and ends on the 24th hour of thelast day upon which the ski-pass is still valid.

A free emergency number is available on 0800/ 20 44 50 toeveryone covered by "SKI-WELL", accepting loss reports in Germanand English 24 hours a day.Queries:Mag. Michael Koller, Merkur Versicherung, 0043-316-8034-2377,michael.koller@merkur.atDr. Christoph Bruckner, PR-Agency Stratcom 0043-664-381 95 01,c.bruckner@fcb.at

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