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An accident on the way to and from work can have consequences not only for your employees, but also for you and your company. Find out here which insurance will apply in the event of such an accident and what benefits your employees are entitled to.
The health of your employees is essential to the success of your company. If they have an accident on the way to or from work, they are off work for a certain period. With the right insurance coverage, you can get your employees back on their feet and back to work as quickly as possible.
Am I insured if I have an accident on the way to or from work? This is the question most employees ask themselves – regardless of whether they go to work on foot, by bicycle or by car. The answer is: Yes!
In Switzerland, the Accident Insurance Act (UVG) applies, according to which every person working in Switzerland must be insured against accidents. As an employer, you are obligated to insure your employees – regardless of whether they are full-time or part-time employees, trainees, or interns.
Whether an accident on the way to or from work counts as an occupational or non-occupational accident depends on whether the injured person works more or less than eight hours a week. What is important for you is that regardless of whether you have an occupational or non-occupational accident, the benefits for your employees are the same.
If an employee has an accident on the way to or from work, mandatory accident insurance will take effect. It is important that your employees report accidents to you immediately so that you can inform the insurance carrier. The reporting deadlines are as follows:
By legal definition, an accident is a sudden, unintended detrimental effect from an unusual external factor on the human body that results in physical, mental, or psychological impairment, or in death. If one of these aspects is missing, the event is classified as an illness rather than an accident.
Accident due to black ice: In winter, your employee commutes to work on foot or by bicycle. The road became very icy overnight and the roads were not gritted. Your employee slips on the black ice and breaks their leg. A typical accident on the way to or from work.
Car accident: On the way to work, the streets are known to be busy. When your employee gets into a traffic jam, another vehicle collides with them. This is also a typical accident on the way to or from work.
Carpooling accident: Your employee is picked up by car every morning by a colleague. On the way to work, the driver fails to see a sign with the “Give way” symbol and collides with another vehicle. For both employees, this is deemed to be an accident on the way to or from work.
Accident on public transport: Like every morning, your employee takes the bus to work. When boarding, they slip and break their wrist.
For an accident on the way to or from work to be recognized as such, it must have occurred on the direct route between the place of residence and the place of work.
However, small errands on the way are not a problem, so a short visit to the supermarket or family should not get in the way of an insurance case.
If an employee is absent following an accident on the way to or from work, mandatory accident insurance covers the following benefits:
By law, the following cash benefits are also covered:
If an accident occurs on the way to work abroad, the same benefits as in Switzerland apply, but with certain limits:
Supplementary accident insurance (UVGZ) is highly recommended in order to increase the insurance coverage of your employees in the event of an accident at work abroad.
Jennifer Bächtold is a Content & Advertising Manager at AXA. She researches and writes about all kinds of health and pension topics.
