A surge arrester has a tube-shaped housing, an end fitting connected to an end of the housing, a varistor block arranged in the housing and a supporting element arranged in the region of the end fitting. The supporting element has a supporting ring which is in contact with the housing and which includes a cone and a clamping ring with a counter-cone that corresponds to the cone. The cone is braced to the counter-cone in such a manner that the supporting ring is pressed to the housing in a non-displaceable manner. The supporting element can thus also be used after the installation of the varistor block and also be removed.