The fine print contains the clauses that no one reads. Some policies exclude downhill, race tracks, or trails rated S3 or higher. For many riders, these aren’t extreme challenges—they’re just part of a normal weekend. The mountain bike lies in the bushes, the frame is broken. Just where the sport really begins for many is where coverage ends under some policies. And even if the mountain bike isn’t the main problem, the real cost issue often only begins afterward.

When a crash gets expensive

The numbers are clear: An e-bike accident costs an average of 7,400 francs in Switzerland—more than three times as much as an accident involving a regular bicycle. The most severe cases can reach up to 250,000 francs. A difference no insurance company can ignore.

On top of that, there are more serious accidents. In Switzerland, the number of serious e-bike accidents has tripled within ten years. In Germany, 217 of the 462 cyclists killed in 2025 were riding an e-bike. That’s nearly half, even though e-bikes account for a significantly smaller share of the total fleet. In Austria, the proportion of e-MTB accidents among all documented mountain bike accidents rose from one to eleven percent in just a few years. The consequences always end up in the same place: with health insurers, insurance companies, and riders. This isn’t about the motor—it’s about the bill that follows.

What the rescue costs

In alpine terrain, the expensive part often begins only after the fall. A helicopter mission costs 3,000 to 8,000 euros; for longer missions, 60 to 90 euros per flight minute are charged. In Switzerland, basic health insurance covers rescue and recovery only to a limited extent. A concrete example: 4,128 francs per person for an evacuation without medical necessity. In Germany, statutory health insurance funds only pay if there is a medical necessity. In Austria, mountain rescue and helicopter services are often not covered by statutory insurance at all.

Supplementary coverage through DAV, ÖAV, or ÖAMTC can help, but it doesn’t solve the problem: Coverage limits cap at 50,000, 25,000, or 10,000 euros. That sounds like a lot of money, but it isn’t anymore when a serious fall, a lengthy rescue operation, and a wrecked bike all come together.

Logic comes before the premium

Costs are rising, but coverage remains patchy. There is currently no documented special rate exclusively for e-MTB riders. The next question is obvious. Where claims rise, calculations follow. Eventually, this leads to the question of premiums. In Switzerland, there is an additional factor: If an accident is classified as a high-risk event, accident insurance can reduce daily benefits and pensions by at least 50 percent.

E-MTBs are bringing more people to the mountains. Now we’re seeing what that costs. Insurers have always done the math. Some riders still believe they’re automatically covered on every trail. They often don’t realize that’s not true until the bill arrives.