• Statutory accident insurance is the responsibility of the employer and only covers work-related accidents or accidents on the direct way to and from work.

• Private accident insurance provides support in case you suffer permanent damage due to an accident in your private life.

• By taking out private accident insurance, you are fully protected in all situations – whether you're at home, on the go, or at work.

• Optional coverage, such as death benefits or daily hospital allowances, can be added.

Around 2.8 million people suffer an accident in German households every year. In this situation, or in other accidents at work or during leisure time, you are not covered by statutory accident insurance. In the event of a serious injury, permanent damage, such as disability, can occur. To ensure you’re not thrown off track, private accident insurance helps extend coverage to every aspect of your life. 

Statutory accident insurance is mandatory as part of social security for all employees. Workers, trainees, and even farmers and their immediate family members are automatically covered by statutory accident insurance. However, this only covers accidents that are directly related to the employment relationship.

To ensure additional protection, private accident insurance is advisable. In principle, it can be taken out at any age. However, it is important to note that some insurers may have a maximum entry age, usually between 65 and 80 years. Some private accident insurance providers also offer special conditions for seniors and retirees.

Generally, unless in special cases, only the policyholder of the accident insurance is covered. However, it is possible to extend accident coverage to spouses, children, or the entire family. This must be arranged with the insurer upon request.

Since the risk of accidents is particularly high for children, especially during leisure time, accident insurance for children is quite sensible. A child accident insurance policy often includes special benefits tailored to the needs of children.

In addition to basic coverage, further protections can be arranged upon request to tailor the coverage to your needs. Examples of typical configurations for private accident insurance:

Private accident insurance: basic and optional coverage

Basic coverage of private accident insurance:

• Payment of the agreed insurance sum or an invalidity pension.
• For children up to the age of 10, poisoning is usually also covered.
• Illnesses or accidents resulting from high-risk behavior are generally not covered.

Additional benefits of private accident insurance:

• Death benefit: for deaths within a year caused by the accident.
• Agreement of daily hospital allowance.
• Coverage for high-risk activities (e.g., extreme sports, agreement of a daily allowance).

Typically, a basic sum (often referred to as the disability or insurance sum) is agreed upon in private accident insurance. This sum can be set either with or without progression. The payout occurs when permanent health damage from an accident is diagnosed. 

The benefit from private accident insurance is determined by multiplying the basic sum by the percentage of physical or mental impairment. For example, with a disability degree of 50%, the insurance benefit would be half of the basic sum.

Upon request, progression can be added to the accident insurance. This means that the benefit is not paid out linearly but increases significantly at specified levels of disability. Some accident insurance policies guarantee the full payout of the basic sum once a certain disability degree is reached. 

The degree of disability is determined using the so-called "Gliedertaxe" (a chart used to evaluate body parts). A predetermined percentage is applied for the loss or complete loss of function of a body part.

The statutory accident insurance is free of charge for employees, as it is fully covered by the employer. However, private accident insurance is entirely self-financed.

The costs for private accident insurance depend on personal factors such as age, profession, the agreed-upon duration, and the desired coverage. As a result, the rates for private accident insurance can vary significantly depending on your individual situation.

There is the option to agree on a dynamic increase in the insurance benefit, which also leads to a gradual increase in the premiums. Over the course of the policy, the costs typically rise by about five percent annually. This ensures that both inflation and changing life circumstances are automatically accounted for as you age.

Regularly comparing accident insurances is worthwhile. If you want to change the insurer or the plan, you must cancel the existing accident insurance. Since the accident insurance contract automatically renews at the end of the year, it is important to properly cancel the plan if you wish to make a change.

In order to claim the benefits of accident insurance, you must report the accident to the insurer within a specified period. These deadlines are outlined in the accident insurance contract and must be strictly followed.

Typically, the reporting deadline for accident insurance is 48 hours. It is also mandatory to see a doctor immediately after the accident.

Following this, you must report any permanent damage to the accident insurance, which leads to the entitlement to benefits. Once medically confirmed, you must submit the prognosis to the insurer. By law, you have 12 months to do this. 

However, many insurers extend this period voluntarily to two or even three years for some of their plans.

The insurer must also adhere to legal deadlines in response. For disability benefits, the insurer has the option to make a limited payment within the first 12 months if the healing process is not yet fully completed. Once the medical treatment is concluded and the degree of disability is clearly established, the full benefit payment is made.

Other agreed-upon benefits, such as hospital daily allowances or rescue costs, must be considered by the accident insurer within one month and paid within two weeks. An accident pension is paid retroactively from the date of the accident.

• Worldwide protection 24/7
• Lump sum payments in case of disability
• Payouts to the family in case of death

Due to the differences in various coverage options, it is essential to compare private accident insurance. Rely on MLP. Our experienced advisors will work with you to find the best solution and provide comprehensive advice on topics such as taking out private accident insurance or switching providers.