In connection with obtaining an expedition permit there are requirements for taking out an insurance policy with a recognized insurance company or for presenting corresponding security to cover public expenses in connection with any rescue operations:

• DKK 1,000,000 for SAR operations for the expedition group as a whole.

• DKK 280,000 – alternatively DKK 600,000 depending on the area of activity – for transport in connection with evacuation (ambulance transport) for each expedition member.

(DKK 600,000 is for expeditions/projects travelling to the far North of the Greenland National Park, from latitude 78˚ N. DKK 280,000 is for expeditions travelling south of latitude 78˚ N within the National Park borders and/or outside the National Park in the remaining areas covered by the Executive Order).

An insurance statement or other form of equivalent security must be issued directly to the Danish state, and the Government of Greenland if applicable, as the assured parties. To fulfill this requirement, the Expedition Office's insurance statement must be used, or another statement with the same wording, liability conditions and legal effects. Please note that it is the applicant’s responsibility to demonstrate that an alternative statement fulfills the same conditions. The conditions are set to ensure

• that it is the Danish state / the Government of Greenland that are reimbursed,
• that the Danish state / the Government of Greenland are reimbursed regardless of the reason why a SAR or evacuation is initiated – be it accident, negligence or otherwise, and
• that the Danish state / the Government of Greenland are reimbursed irrespective of any limitation in policy clauses that apply between the policyholder and the insurance company.

Please note that the insurance statement contains an operational clause. This clause ensures that, in the event of a SAR operation or evacuation, the Joint Arctic Command (Arktisk Kommando), the Greenlandic Health Authorities, or the Greenland Police have the right to initiate operations immediately, without needing prior approval from the insurance company. Such decisions shall be based solely on professional or operational assessments of participant safety and situational risk.

How to fulfil the insurance statement requirement

To meet the insurance requirement, the applicant must choose one of the following options:

• Insurance company approval
  The insurance company must review, approve and sign the official insurance statement template provided by the Expedition Office. No changes or alterations to the template content are permitted.

• Institutional self-insurance
  Some public/government institutions may be able to insure the expedition under their own internal insurance scheme. In such cases, the institution must either use the official expedition insurance statement or submit a signed letter documenting that the institution assumes full liability in accordance with the conditions stated in the official insurance statement. All terms must be followed without modification.

• Bank guarantee self-insurance
  Applicants who do not use a commercial insurance policy or institutional self-insurance may instead provide a bank guarantee that covers the obligations described in the insurance statement. The guarantee must match the wording, liability conditions and legal effects set out in the official bank guarantee template.

Insurance Statement for expeditions_Season 2026

Insurance Statement for expeditions – from latitude 78N_Season 2026

Bank guarantee – transport coverage

For expeditions crossing remote or demanding areas such as the Greenland Ice Sheet – a transport bank guarantee of 200,000 DKK is required.

Purpose of the bank guarantee

A bank guarantee is a financial institution’s confirmation that it will cover the public authorities’ costs if an expedition participant needs to be transported to the nearest town without being in an emergency situation.

The guarantee is used only when a participant requests transport for non‑emergency reasons.
Examples include:

• exhaustion or inability to continue,
• equipment failure,
• non‑critical injuries,
• logistical issues requiring organised extraction,
• other situations that do not qualify as Search and Rescue (SAR) or medical evacuation.

SAR operations and medical evacuations are covered by insurance – not the bank guarantee.
For that reason, the fixed guarantee amount (200,000 DKK) reflects the expected costs of non‑emergency transport only.

Bank guarantee template

The guarantee must be completed and signed by a bank / financial institution – not by the applicant or company.

Requirements for a valid bank guarantee

To be accepted, the transport guarantee must:

• be issued by a recognised financial institution,
• match the official template exactly in wording, liability conditions, and legal effects,
• be irrevocable and valid for the entire expedition period,
• state the exact amount (200,000 DKK) and follow the official wording without changes,
• not be based on a personal bank balance or any arrangement where the applicant can withdraw or reduce the guaranteed amount,
• include written confirmation from the issuing bank if originally issued in a previous calendar year, confirming continued validity,
• be submitted using the required liability language, without alterations.

These requirements ensure that financial security is firmly in place for any non‑emergency extraction that may become necessary during the expedition.

Bank guarantee template_transport coverage_2026

Bank guarantee template_self-insurance_2026V3