Electric generator, in particular an alternator for a motor vehicle, with a rotor and a stator, - wherein the rotor is non-rotatably fixed on a shaft that is rotatable about an axis of rotation and wherein one shaft end of the shaft protrudes out of the rotor, - wherein an excitation coil is arranged inside the rotor and can be brought into electrical contact with the outside by means of two slip rings (11, 12), - wherein the slip rings (11, 12) are fixed on the shaft end of the shaft next to one another and spaced apart from one another, - wherein two electrical coil conductors (14a, 14b) lead from the excitation coil towards the slip rings (11, 12) and two electrical conductors (13a, 13b) lead from the slip rings (11, 12) towards the excitation coil, - wherein the coil conductors (14a, 14b) are in electrical contact with the conductors (13a, 13b) at two radially outwardly protruding contact points (15a, 15b), - wherein the electric generator contains an electrically insulating insulating element, which electrically insulates the slip rings (11, 12) and the conductors (13a, 13b) from the shaft, - wherein the insulating element contains an insulating disc, which extends transverse to the axis of rotation and lies on one side against the rotor and isolates the contact points (15a, 15b) from the rotor, characterized - in that an electrically insulating protective cover is non-rotatably fixed on the shaft end of the shaft, wherein the protective cover lies against the insulating disc while facing away from the rotor, - in that two receiving spaces (26a, 26b) are formed in the protective cover, wherein the receiving spaces (26a, 26b) are open towards the insulating disc and are closed on one side by the insulating disc, and - in that the contact points (15a, 15b) are received in the receiving spaces (26a, 26b), so that the respective contact points (15a, 15b) are protected from the outside in the respective receiving spaces (26a, 26b). - wherein the rotor is non-rotatably fixed on a shaft that is rotatable about an axis of rotation and wherein one shaft end of the shaft protrudes out of the rotor, - wherein an excitation coil is arranged inside the rotor and can be brought into electrical contact with the outside by means of two slip rings (11, 12), - wherein the slip rings (11, 12) are fixed on the shaft end of the shaft next to one another and spaced apart from one another, - wherein two electrical coil conductors (14a, 14b) lead from the excitation coil towards the slip rings (11, 12) and two electrical conductors (13a, 13b) lead from the slip rings (11, 12) towards the excitation coil, - wherein the coil conductors (14a, 14b) are in electrical contact with the conductors (13a, 13b) at two radially outwardly protruding contact points (15a, 15b), - wherein the electric generator contains an electrically insulating insulating element, which electrically insulates the slip rings (11, 12) and the conductors (13a, 13b) from the shaft, - wherein the insulating element contains an insulating disc, which extends transverse to the axis of rotation and lies on one side against the rotor and isolates the contact points (15a, 15b) from the rotor, - in that an electrically insulating protective cover is non-rotatably fixed on the shaft end of the shaft, wherein the protective cover lies against the insulating disc while facing away from the rotor, - in that two receiving spaces (26a, 26b) are formed in the protective cover, wherein the receiving spaces (26a, 26b) are open towards the insulating disc and are closed on one side by the insulating disc, and - in that the contact points (15a, 15b) are received in the receiving spaces (26a, 26b), so that the respective contact points (15a, 15b) are protected from the outside in the respective receiving spaces (26a, 26b).