🦺 Accident insurance for carers
In brief
If you care for a relative with at least care level 2 at home on a non-professional basis, you are automatically and free of charge insured in the statutory accident insurance during this care activity. This protects you, for example, in the event of a fall while helping your relative into another bed or an accident on the way to care-related errands.
Step by step
- Know your insurance coverThe cover exists automatically by law as soon as you meet the conditions (non-professional care, at least care level 2 for your relative) – separate registration is in principle not necessary.
- Document the accidentIf an accident occurs during care, document the place, time and course of events as well as possible witnesses.
- Report the accidentReport the accident to the responsible statutory accident insurance institution (usually the Unfallkasse of the relevant federal state).
- Medical treatment via a D-doctorAfter an accident covered by accident insurance, if possible see a Durchgangsarzt (accident insurance doctor, D-doctor) so that the treatment is correctly assigned to the accident insurance.
Deadlines
- The insurance cover applies only to the actual care activity and journeys closely connected with it – not to private activities during the same visit that have nothing to do with care.
- The cover requires that care is provided on a non-professional basis; anyone working as a paid care worker falls under other accident insurance rules (e.g. via the employer).
- Do not confuse § 19 SGB XI (definition of "carer" (Pflegeperson) in long-term care insurance) with the actual basis of entitlement for accident insurance in § 2 Abs. 1 Nr. 17 SGB VII – the two provisions are in different Social Code books and regulate different things.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
Legal basis (§ 2 Abs. 1 Nr. 17 SGB VII)
Under § 2 Abs. 1 Nr. 17 SGB VII, people who themselves provide non-professional care for a person in need of care with at least care level 2 within the meaning of §§ 14 and 15 Abs. 3 SGB XI in their home environment are insured by law. The insurance cover is free of charge for the carer; the insurer is the responsible statutory accident insurance institution, usually the Unfallkasse of the federal state.
What is covered
Accidents that occur in a direct factual connection with the care activity are insured, including related journeys (e.g. a trip to the pharmacy for the person in need of care). Purely private activities during the same visit are not covered.
Distinction from § 19 SGB XI
§ 19 SGB XI defines in long-term care insurance law who is a "carer" (Pflegeperson) – this definition is referred to in § 2 Abs. 1 Nr. 17 SGB VII but is not itself the basis of entitlement for accident insurance cover. Anyone who counts as a carer under the two SGB XI provisions on determining the care level (§§ 14, 15 Abs. 3 SGB XI) for a relative with care level 2 or higher is typically also accident-insured.
Relationship to pension insurance
The requirements of accident insurance (§ 2 Abs. 1 Nr. 17 SGB VII) and of pension insurance for carers (§ 3 Satz 1 Nr. 1a SGB VI) overlap considerably but must be examined separately in law – see the topic page "Pension insurance for carers".
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