Unfallversicherung: private accident cover in Germany

Q: What are the advantages of Unfallversicherung?

Disability insurance. Disablement in private accident insurance occurs when the insured person’s physical or mental abilities are irreversibly impaired as a result of an accident. A distinction must be made between total and partial disablement: Total disability means the complete loss or total inability to function of body parts or sense organs. In the case of partial disability there is a partial loss or impairment of the function of body parts or sense organs. If, for example, a functional impairment of 50 per cent of the hand is determined as a result of an accident, the degree of disability is calculated as 5/10ths of the value specified in the Gliedertaxe. If more than one body part is affected, the percentages are added together to assess the disability.

Unfallversicherung — a form of voluntary insurance. The insurance company pays out a fixed sum (a lump-sum benefit) in the event of an accident, regardless of whether you were injured while playing sport or fell down the stairs at work. You are protected at any time of day or night anywhere in the world.

State accident insurance is only paid out if something happened at work, at university, during volunteering or on the way there.

Who needs personal accident insurance?

For certain individuals and professional groups, Unfallversicherung may be a sensible choice. Those who are not covered by the gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (statutory accident insurance) may wish to consider taking out private insurance. This applies to self-employed people, freelancers and housewives — that is, people without statutory accident cover.

According to 2015 figures from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), around 75% of accidents happen not at work but during leisure time. Compulsory accident insurance only provides cover for incidents occurring at the workplace, whilst working from home, or on the way to and from work. If you wish to bridge the gaps in your cover in everyday life and during your leisure time, Unfallversicherung is for you. There are more recent figures on micromobility: in 2025 alone, 16496 accidents involving injuries on electric scooters were recorded in Germany – find out more about rules and insurance for electric scooters.

Accident statistics in the workplace, provided by insurance organisations.

Road accident statistics from the Federal Statistical Office.

Leisure: Robert Koch Institute (RKI) statistics based on survey data (GEDA1 and KiGGS2).

Home: Robert Koch Institute (RKI) statistics based on survey data (GEDA1 and KiGGS2).

School accident statistics provided by insurance organisations.

Source: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Company comparison

Die Haftpflichtkasse Einfach Komplett: the policy I suggest first

When a client asks me for accident insurance (Unfallversicherung) with no special requirements, I start with Einfach Komplett. It is the top product line of Die Haftpflichtkasse. In the Franke und Bornberg ranking for Handelsblatt (September 2026) it scored 91 out of 100, and none of the 73 policies compared scored higher. The score matters less to me than how much of the payout is left if the accident hits a back or a knee that was already in poor shape.

There are catches as well. Einfach Komplett comes with three health questions: hospital stay or outpatient surgery in the last five years, regular medication in the last twelve months, and a recognised degree of disability. If any of that applies, tell me beforehand and we will look for the option that goes through without surprises. You can take out a new policy up to age 81, but from 65 the premium is noticeably higher.

Pre-existing conditions do not cut the payout. Under the standard AUB terms the insurer reduces it if an illness contributed 25 % or more to the consequences of the injury. With Einfach Komplett this share (Mitwirkungsanteil) is not counted at all.
Choice of Gliedertaxe (disability scale), up to Premium Plus: arm or leg 100 %, hand 90 %, thumb 45 %, sight in one eye 70 %.
Progression up to 500 %, and only this line offers the Plus options: with 500 % Plus you get five times the sum from 75 % disability, and two and a half times at 50 %.
Immediate payment (Sofortleistung) after severe injuries: 20 % of the basic sum, up to €20,000, without waiting for the final assessment.
Search, rescue and transport costs with no upper limit.
A fall caused by fainting, an epileptic fit, a diabetic crisis or a circulatory problem is covered too. Standard terms exclude such accidents.
A broken femoral neck or arm is covered even without an accident.
Ticks, animal bites, vaccinations: Lyme disease, wound infections and vaccine injuries are covered.
Care allowance (Pflegegeld) of €30 a day for up to three years from Pflegegrad 2 (care level 2), and up to 10 sessions with a psychologist after a serious accident.
Optional: compensation for pain and suffering (Schmerzensgeld) and a cancer benefit (Krebsgeld) of up to €10,000 each, plus the Hilfe-Paket: help at home, shopping and trips to the doctor for up to six months.

Unfallversicherung is always tailored to your individual needs and offers a wide range of options. You can select the cover you require, calculate your premiums and take out a policy using the buttons below. If you need help with the application process — book a consultation.

Lump-sum disability payment

Progression

Disability pension payments

Minimum disability for pension payment

One-off payment after accidental death

Lump-sum disability payment

Progression

Disability pension payments

Minimum disability for pension payment

One-off payment after accidental death

What is an accident?

Insurance companies assess whether an accident actually occurred according to strict criteria:

The suddenness of the event — the event causing the accident must have occurred within a short period of time. This applies, for example, to road traffic collisions. Such accidents happen without warning, for example an electric shock or a fall from a ladder. Gradual processes are not covered. If you exercised with a strained ligament for several months until one of the ligaments tore, this is not an insured event.

External force — the damage must be from an external source. In the event of a collision with another car, the force comes from the outside. Medical conditions such as a stroke or heart attack are not considered accidents, as no external forces are at work here. The same applies if you twist your ankle while playing sport without an externally visible cause. However, injuries to joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments caused by increased physical exertion (erhöhte Kraftanstrengung) are already covered by the standard terms. Good policies also cover accidents caused by certain medical conditions and injuries from your own movements (Eigenbewegung).

Involuntariness — you must not have caused the accident intentionally. Self-harm as part of a mental illness or even suicide is generally not covered by insurance.

Injury to health — accident insurance only pays out the sum insured if your health has suffered irreversible damage.

In addition, standard policies include:

Harm to health as a result of the release of gaseous substances and injury to health characteristic of diving or drowning;
harm to health consciously incurred by a person during rescue operations (to save people, animals or property);
Rabies and tetanus, as well as tick-borne encephalitis after a tick bite.

Psychological damage First of all, accident insurance only pays for physical damage. In the case of a mental illness, the chances of receiving a payout are quite low. Many insurance companies limit cover for indirect psychological damage.

What are the advantages of Unfallversicherung?

An important area in any private personal accident insurance is disability cover. You can choose a lump-sum payment as well as a disability pension (an optional add-on).

Disability insurance

Disablement in private accident insurance occurs when the insured person’s physical or mental abilities are irreversibly impaired as a result of an accident. A distinction must be made between total and partial disablement:

Total disability means the complete loss or total inability to function of body parts or sense organs.
In the case of partial disability there is a partial loss or impairment of the function of body parts or sense organs.

If, for example, a functional impairment of 50 per cent of the hand is determined as a result of an accident, the degree of disability is calculated as 5/10ths of the value specified in the Gliedertaxe. If more than one body part is affected, the percentages are added together to assess the disability.

What should you look out for when choosing a tariff?

Amount of the sum insured

In accident insurance, the disability benefit is determined on the basis of the degree of disability and the pre-agreed sum insured.

We recommend relying on your current annual income to determine the sum insured:

Partial disability: at least 3 times annual income.

Total disability: at least 10 times annual income.

Gliedertaxe

The Gliedertaxe is a system for classifying and assessing the degree of disability or loss of function in various parts of the body, which enables insurance companies to determine the appropriate compensation.

The Gliedertaxe may vary between different insurance companies — the higher the assessment percentage, the higher the insurance payouts may be. For guidance, we recommend referring to the table below.

Progressive payment system

With a progressive payout system, the insurance benefit rises faster than the degree of disability, starting at 25%. This means that for higher degrees of disability, the insurance payout will be significantly higher than for lower degrees of disability.

Calculation example below.

Amount of the sum insured

Disability benefit under accident insurance is based on the relevant degree of disability and the agreed sum insured. Following an accident, the victim may incur a large number of expenses: costs for retrofitting a house or flat, costs for adapting a vehicle, and expenses for rehabilitation or specialised care. In addition, it is necessary to continue meeting current expenses (e.g. loan repayments). Based on these considerations, we recommend using the current annual income as a basis for calculating the sum insured:

Partial disability: at least 3 times annual income
Total disability: at least 10 times annual income

Gliedertaxe

What is a Gliedertaxe? The Gliedertaxe is the key element in assessing disability—a table that determines the degree of disability as a percentage in the event of the loss or complete loss of function of specific limbs or other parts of the body. According to the standard Gliedertaxe, the following degrees of disability apply in the event of the loss or complete loss of function of the specified body parts or sensory organs:

Standard assessment

Recommended assessment

Arm

Arm above the elbow joint

Arm below the elbow joint

Hand

Thumb

Index finger

Other fingers

Leg higher than the middle of the thigh

Leg to the mid-thigh

Leg below the knee

Leg up to the middle of the calf

Foot

Big toe

Other fingers

Eye

Deafness in one ear

Sense of smell

Taste

Although many insurers use similar rating tables, in some cases they can vary significantly. We can help you find the best tariff during a free consultation:

If body parts or sensory organs are not mentioned in the Gliedertaxe, the degree of disability depends on the extent to which normal physical or mental performance is irreversibly impaired. The benchmark is an average person of the same age and gender.

Progressive payment system

As a rule, insurers offer tariffs with progression rates of 225%, 350% and 500%. This means that for higher degrees of disability, the insurance payout can be several times the sum insured.

Example of Sachpool payout progression calculation:

How are payments calculated — in the event of the loss of both legs up to the middle of the calf, with a standard Gliedertaxe rate of 45%, the degree of disability will be 90% (impairments are cumulative: both legs up to mid-calf 45% + 45%).

For example, you are insured for €100,000 with a progression of 350%. This means that your lump-sum payment will be equal to 300 000 €.

What benefits are (or can be) covered by Unfallversicherung?

Death benefit

Here, the tariffs vary depending on the period during which the accident is considered to be the cause. It should be borne in mind that this benefit is paid only if an accident caused the death of the policyholder.

If you want to protect your family members in the event of your sudden death, a better choice is Risikolebensversicherung (term life insurance).

Krankenhaustagegeld

A daily hospital allowance can usually be chosen as an optional module. Bear in mind that disability benefits are only paid for permanent damage. Options such as Krankenhaustagegeld (daily hospital allowance), however, bring the policyholder an immediate benefit. Under the standard terms, the daily allowance is only paid for medically necessary inpatient treatment or an outpatient operation, not for a stay in medical rehabilitation.

Search and rescue costs

These costs are standard in most tariffs. When comparing tariffs, check whether repatriation from abroad is covered in the event of a claim.

For travel, you can also consider travel insurance (Reiseversicherung).

What is not covered by Unfallversicherung?

Accident insurance covers only the consequences of an accident, but not illnesses (such as diabetes or joint diseases) or defects (for example, congenital spinal deformities).

There is no insurance cover for accidents caused by loss of consciousness, strokes or epileptic seizures.
Insurance against accidents caused by psychological reactions (such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, etc.) is not provided.
There is no accident insurance for poisoning (exception: children) and infections (except rabies, tetanus, and tick-borne encephalitis).
Personal accident insurance does not cover accidents caused by the use of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.

Accident insurance does not pay out if the accident was caused by mind-altering substances such as alcohol and drugs.
Accident insurance is not paid out if the accident occurred during the intentional commission of a criminal offence.
Personal accident insurance does not cover accidents directly or indirectly caused by war or civil war. This must also be taken into account when travelling to conflict and crisis zones.

Not all activity is insured

Under standard terms, insurance cover is not provided for the following activities:

When piloting an aircraft that requires a licence (pilot’s, paraglider or hang glider licence).
For any accidents that happen to you as a crew member (radio operator, flight engineer, flight attendant) of an aircraft.
For professional activities to be carried out using an aircraft (aerial photography, pest control spray flights).
Accidents caused by participation in motor racing (applies to every driver, passenger and person in the vehicle – none of these persons have insurance cover in the event of an accident).