It doesn't matter if you're driving, biking, walking or riding an e-scooter: You quickly get involved in an accident. But which insurance company is the right contact in this case?
In the first half of 2022, the police recorded more than one million traffic accidents alone, according to Destatis. About 164.000 people were injured, 1.238 even killed. In many cases, insurance companies will pay for the financial damage caused by the accident. Which insurance you should take out after an accident depends on the individual situation. A role plays,
- whether one was the originator,
- what has been damaged,
- whether someone is injured and
- Which insurances one has taken out.
If you are injured
The treatment costs after an accident, which are incurred at a doctor's or hospital, are paid by the statutory or private health insurance. If the patient needs to go to rehab at the end of treatment, German pension insurance is often the place to go.
What if you are absent from work for a long time?
If the injury is so bad that one is out of work for an extended period, the employer must continue to pay wages for six weeks. Then there is sick pay from the health insurance fund. However, this no longer corresponds to the full amount of the salary. To compensate for this loss of earnings, you can buy a daily sickness benefit insurance policy. However, it only pays out if it was taken out before the accident occurred.
If a permanent disability remains
If an impairment remains after the accident, a private accident insurance takes over at least partly the costs, which are connected with it. This may include home remodeling. However, one must have taken out appropriate insurance for this. Who has none, pays in the worst case himself.
If you are no longer able to work or can only work a few hours a day after an accident, occupational or disability insurance will cover you – if you have it. The German Insurance Association has put more information on the web on this subject.
German pension insurance may also pay out in such a situation. However, this annuity is not as high as their previous salary. And: In order to get a pension for reduced earning capacity, one must have paid into the statutory pension insurance scheme. This is often not the case, especially for the self-employed.
What if it was an accident at work?
If the accident happens on the way to, from or at work, a transit doctor approved by the employers' liability insurance association is the first port of call. In these cases, you should also contact the statutory accident insurance company. She also takes care of the rehab or pension payments. Every employee in Germany is covered by statutory accident insurance. Self-employed persons can take out voluntary insurance there. However, the statutory accident insurance does not pay if the accident happened in your spare time.
If one's car or bicycle is damaged
If you have damaged your own means of transport in an accident, you cannot pass on the costs of repairing the damage to the insurance company. Exception: the vehicle is covered by comprehensive insurance. If you have borrowed an e-scooter or a car, you can be held liable for the costs by the operating company.
When others are involved
In an accident, of course, you can cause damage to others: For example, if you damage someone else's car with your own car or e-scooter, you turn on your motor vehicle liability insurance. It steps in for damage, which was caused with this means of transport.
What if another person is injured
If other people were injured in the accident, it depends on how the person who caused the accident was traveling: for example, if the accident involved inline skates, a skateboard or a bicycle, personal liability will cover damages caused by the rider to others. However, not everyone has taken out personal liability insurance by a long shot. If you don't have it, you'll have to pay for the financial consequences yourself. This can become very expensive. That is why everyone should take out such insurance. Talk to your savings bank advisor about this.
The situation is different if there is a motor vehicle liability insurance for the means of transport. It is mandatory, for example, for a car, an e-scooter, an S-pedelec or e-bike. This insurance pays not only for the damage, for example, to another person's car, but also if you have injured another person in an accident. For rented e-scooters or cars, insurance is included in the rental price. But a deductible may be due.