Every year, several tens of thousands of winter sports enthusiasts injure themselves while skiing and snowboarding across Austria. And for up to 10.000 tobogganing fans, the fun in the snow ends in the ambulance. If a helicopter has to be called in, it can be very expensive. Especially if those affected are not insured. The Austrian Health Insurance Fund is not allowed to cover the costs of transporting the person down the mountain if the accident is a sports accident in alpine terrain. "Make sure you think about it beforehand: are you adequately insured in the event of an emergency?" says AK Lower Austria President and ÖGB Lower Austria Chairman Markus Wieser. On December 3.000th, many regions in Lower Austria start the ski season. Whether on a day trip to one of the nearby ski resorts or on a multi-day ski trip over the Christmas holidays - every year tens of thousands of people are injured in the winter season in Austria. And not everyone makes it down the mountain themselves. However, it is still a widespread misconception that the Austrian Health Insurance Fund automatically covers the costs if a helicopter is needed for transport to the hospital. It is regulated by law that the Austrian Health Insurance Fund is not allowed to cover this. If those affected do not have insurance, a bill of 8 euros or more can arrive in the mail. Depending on the time and personnel required, the costs can even end up in the double-digit thousands. Check insurance coverage Unfortunately, people keep contacting the AK experts with high transport cost bills. However, in most cases, their hands are tied. "So before you go on the slopes, think about whether you are insured in case of an emergency or whether it is