One hundred members of a local outdoor sports club signed a mountaineering insurance policy, reportedly the first of its kind in Shenzhen, on Wednesday, a move to protect adventurers from risks and ending possible lawsuits brought against the club.

Outdoor sports that used to be exempt from travel insurance, such as mountaineering, skiing, climbing, camping, cycling and hiking, are now covered by the policy.

For 4.2 yuan (US$0.5) a day, climbers can buy 3,000 to 100,000 yuan worth of cover if they are injured or killed in an accident, said Wang Erdong, a business development manager for the China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co., Ltd.

A one-year insurance scheme is also available for 150 yuan per person, providing medical cover of 10,000 to 200,000 yuan.

"The insurance will also protect outdoor activity clubs and their organizers from potential lawsuits when accidents happen during the activity," said Bai Jin, director of outdoor sports club 5183, the pronunciation of which is similar to the Chinese words "I want to climb."

"Rather than the club or organizer, insurance companies are now prepared to bear responsibility for adventurers' losses, injuries or any other accidents during the activities," he said.

The city's outdoor activity clubs were reluctant to organize further adventures after a female camper in Nanning, capital city of Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region died in a flooding accident in July. Her 12 other companions on the trip were ordered to pay 210,000 yuan compensation to her family by a court.

A voluntary organizer, surnamed Liang, was ordered to pay 160,000 yuan.

At least 10 local adventurers died in various outdoor activities last year, the highest in the past four years. Four people were killed in six climbing tours between August and October last year, the peak season for outdoor activities.

However, Sun Ming, director of the Free Sky outdoor sports club, said even with insurance, local adventurers should still make safety their first priority. "Even the best insurance can only provide monetary compensation, and you cannot recover from all physical injuries."

Editor: Yan