
accident insurance
What is an accident insurance?
- The accident insurance covers medical treatment, daily allowances and pensions. Insurance claims concerning accidents which occur abroad are also covered.
- All gainfully employed persons are compulsorily insured.
- Premiums for occupational accidents and diseases are paid by the employer; premiums for non-occupational accidents are paid by the employee and deducted from the salary. Different agreements in favour of the employee are subject to change.
Am I automatically insured?
- All gainfully employed persons are compulsorily insured against occupational and non-occupational accidents as well as against occupational diseases. Unemployed persons registered as unemployed are also insured.
- The following persons are not automatically insured:
- Persons employed less than 8 hours per week are not insured against non-occupational accidents.
- Self-employed persons, housewives.
Not insured persons can contract accident insurance (see below).
Who are the accident insurance provider?
- Depending on the type of business, accident insurance is handled by the Swiss Accident and Insurance Fund (SUVA) or other approved accident insurance providers. The insurance relationship with SUVA is determined by law, meaning there are no special provisions, while the insurance relationship with other insurance providers is based on an agreement between the employer and the insurer. If in the event of an accident, the employee is not insured by the employer, benefits are provided by the compensatory fund.
- A list of approved accident insurance providers can be found here.
Further information
- An overview about accident insurance, provided by ch.ch.
- The Federal Office of Public Health FOPH provides general information about accident insurance (only in german, french and italian).
- The Swiss Insurance Association provides information about public and private accident insurances.
- The Swiss Government published the brochure "Swiss Social Insurance System: Sojourn in Switzerland and Departure, Information for foreign nationals", available in several languages.
Source: FOPH, ch.ch