A surge arrester includes at least one resistor element and a cage in which the at least one resistor element is disposed. The cage includes an upper holder, a lower holder and at least three insulating rods, which are each held at one respective rod end thereof by the upper holder and at the other respective rod end thereof by the lower holder. The upper holder and the lower holder are configured in such a way that they each enable at least two different positions for at least one of the insulating rods, relative to the two holders, and the at least one insulating rod can be positioned differently relative to the two holders.