This is information for those who go off into the mountains in Switzerland and France.  If you work in Switzerland your accident insurance which is taken out by your company should cover you for all costs including helicopter rescue but to be on the safe side you should check with you HR people.  I do not know what the situation is with international organisations and consulates/missions etc.  If you go with an official group then the leader should be insured although he will not be too happy if you make a claim. In the Swiss Alpine Club the leader is insured (organised by SAC) and I have taken out an additional insurance to cover private walks that I organise.  So far no problems and my body count so far is plus 1 ( I found somebody rather than lost somebody).  Helicopter rescue is costly in Switzerland CHF 5000 or more.  In France as in UK helicopter rescue is free of charge but in France you have to pay for the ambulance.    If you do not have accident cover, you can join REGA which costs CHF 30 francs a year which will cover helicopter rescue and possibly other cover.  Google REGA.   If you check out the activities on Glocals you will have noted that Oxygene 74 has an insurance policy (mandatory for a group registered in France)  for which you pay Euro 5 per trip.   This is not the case in Switzerland.  If you live in France then you probably have to take out a separate accident insurance.  Remember accidents can happen on the easiest of walks e.g small stone fall.  I would be interested in hearing what experience people have had regarding insurance.  I have been helicopter rescued from a crevasse once at 4100 metres and was covered by my Swiss accident insurance who paid up with no problem.