Statutory accident insurance in Austria

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Statutory Accident Insurance , also Social Accident Insurance in Austria an insurance system that protects the inhabitants in certain accident situations. These are events of public concern, namely accidents at work , accidents in educational establishments and in the case of assistance for others. All other forms of accidents ( recreational accidents ) are generally covered by the statutory (compulsory) health insurance , sometimes through optional clauses, but to a lesser extent.

history

For the first time, the mining law created in 1854 granted insurance cover to people working in the mining industry. In 1888 the Workers' Injury Insurance Act was created, according to which salaried workers who worked in particularly dangerous companies were insured. The insurance was financed 90% by the company and 10% by the workers, with the amount of the premium depending on the dangerousness of the job. Since the insurance was only valid for certain companies, it was a company insurance. In 1917, road accidents were included in the protection for the first time . In 1926 this insurance was converted to personal insurance, so that all employees were covered by the statutory accident insurance. As early as 1928, occupational diseases were also included.

Between 1939 and 1945, the Reich German system of professional accident insurance was in effect again .

It was not until 1955 that self-employed persons were insured and in 1977 pupils and students also joined. The third group, assistance protection, was not added until the 1990s. These two expansions of the concept of providing assistance in the public interest to education and to voluntary engagement and moral courage - which emerged from the labor dispute of the 19th century - are equally important social achievements.

Today this insurance cover is comprehensive, in 2008 around 6 million people were covered, that is a good 2 ⁄ 3 of the population. At the time, these included 3.2 million employees , 1.4 million self-employed and 1.3 million schoolchildren and students.

Insurance carrier

Headquarters of the AUVA in Vienna

The system is supported by four insurance companies.

According to Section 24 of the General Social Insurance Act (ASVG), accident insurance providers are:

  • Social Insurance Institution of Farmers (SVB): It is responsible in particular for the insurance protection of all self-employed people in agriculture and forestry, as well as their relatives (§ 28 Z 2 ASVG).
  • Insurance Company for Railways and Mining (VAEB): It is responsible for all employees of railway companies such as ÖBB and Wiener Linien, including employees of sleeping and dining car companies (§§ 28 no.3, § 26 para. 1 no.4 lit. a to e ASVG).
  • Allgemeine Unfallversicherungsanstalt (AUVA): At AUVA , all employeeswhoare employed by one or more employers areinsuredwithin the framework of full insurance (§§ 4 Paragraph 1 Z 1, 28 Z 1 ASVG) as well as persons who, according to § 8 Paragraph 1 Z 3 lit. a to m ASVG are partially insured in the accident insurance such as self-employed persons, schoolchildren and students, lay judges or persons with disabilities in recognized occupational therapy facilities.

The Insurance Company for Railways and Mining is also the health insurance provider for those insured by it (Section 23 (1) (3) ASVG).

For civil servants which is insurance institution for public servants in charge (BVA). However, certain employees are acc. § 7 Z 2 lit. a ASVG partially insured in accident insurance.

case of insurance

There are two types of insured events for accident insurance:

  • the accident at work : this refers to accidents that happen either directly at work or on the way to or from the workplace. But this also includes internal effects that arise, for example, from overtiredness or excessive cold.
  • the occupational disease : under this one understands diseases that arise through long exposure to the body. There are, for example, allergies . However, hearing damage from exposure to noise at the workplace is also counted as an occupational disease. There is also a list in Appendix 1 of the ASVG , in which all the occupational diseases recognized by the insurance are named.

In contrast to voluntary insurance with an insurance company, the principle of “all or nothing” applies here. This means that damage is either fully recognized or completely rejected. There is no partial fault here as with other insurance companies.

The insurance does not only cover accidents in the workplace. There are three areas that fall under the responsibility of one of the four insurance companies:

  • the employment : This includes all areas related to the living. However, this does not include a leisure time accident or an accident while working illegally .
  • the school and teaching visit : Pupils and students as well as accident insurance themselves at school on the way to school.
  • Assistance in the interests of others: People who help other people in need are also insured for assistance. This can apply to assistance provided by a single person as well as within the framework of an aid organization (e.g. fire brigade or rescue service ).

This also means, for example, that a traffic accident is covered in the event of a commuting accident , but not a traffic accident while driving.

financing

The contributions for employees amount to 1.2% of the contribution base (that is the gross wage ) and are borne by the employer. Apprentices and employees over 60 years of age are insured free of charge.

Insurance benefits

The statutory accident insurance covers costs for first aid , accident treatment , rehabilitation and restoration (prostheses, orthopedic, dentures, etc.), and provides grants for continued payment of wages , compensation (one-off payments: handicapped allowance for pupils / students, integrity compensation for severe consequential damage, widow allowance , part any funeral costs ) and payment of disability pensions and survivors' pensions .

In addition, she participates in preventive measures against accidents at work and occupational diseases, both as direct operational safety and in research.

The effort amounts to, for example:

  • 187,483 insurance claims (2007)
  • € 67 million for accident prevention, prevention advice and first aid services (2008)
  • 536 million € in pensions for 105,596 insured persons (pension status December 2008)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Social Accident Insurance , Ministry of Health, bmg.gv.at > Health System / Quality Assurance> Health and Accident Insurance
  2. ↑ Social Insurance AT. Retrieved July 20, 2020 .
  3. ↑ a b Public Employment Service / Federal Employment Agency: Accident Insurance , A9 from Guide for Cross-border Commuters from Germany , Brochure, onA (pdf, ams.at).