Accidents Insurance (UVG)

Why accidents are handled separately

Switzerland's accident insurance law (UVG — Unfallversicherungsgesetz) predates the current health insurance system and reflects a tradition of workplace protection. The UVG system is administratively separate from KVG and is funded differently (by employers and employees), with different benefits and no franchise or Selbstbehalt.

Two types of accidents

• Berufsunfall (BU) — Occupational accident: Any accident that occurs at your workplace or on the direct route to or from work. All employees must be covered for BU by their employer, with no minimum working hours threshold.
• Nichtberufsunfall (NBU) — Non-occupational accident: Any accident outside work — skiing, cycling, kitchen accidents, sports injuries, accidents at home. Whether this is covered by your employer depends on how many hours you work.

The 8-hour rule in detail

If you work more than 8 hours per week with the same employer:

• Your employer must cover you for both BU and NBU accidents.
• You should ask your insurer to remove accident coverage from your KVG health insurance. This is called "Unfallausschluss" (accident exclusion).
• Removing accidents reduces your monthly premium — typically CHF 10–30, depending on your insurer and canton.
• You do not lose any protection: your employer's UVG replaces the accident coverage that was in your health insurance.

If you work 8 hours or fewer per week, are self-employed, a student, or not working:

• Your employer covers only BU (or you have no employer UVG coverage at all).
• You must keep accidents included in your KVG health insurance to avoid a coverage gap for non-occupational accidents.

What UVG accident insurance covers

UVG coverage is generally more comprehensive and generous than KVG for accident-related costs:

• Medical costs: All treatment costs — no franchise, no Selbstbehalt. The UVG covers 100% from the first franc.
• Daily allowance (Taggeld): If you cannot work due to an accident injury, you receive 80% of your insured salary from the third day of incapacity. Your employer covers the first two days.
• Disability pension: If an accident causes lasting incapacity to work, you receive an ongoing pension based on your degree of disability and your previous salary.
• Survivor benefits: If a workplace accident leads to death, your dependents receive a pension and a lump-sum payment.

Coverage abroad

If you have an accident while travelling abroad, UVG covers the costs up to the tariff rates applicable in Switzerland. This may not be sufficient in countries with very high medical costs (e.g. the USA). If you travel frequently outside Switzerland and the EU, consider a supplementary travel health insurance.

Changing jobs or hours — check your coverage immediately

If your employment situation changes, your accident coverage may change too. Common risk scenarios:

• Going part-time below 8 hours: You lose employer NBU coverage. Re-add accidents to your health insurance.
• Becoming self-employed: No employer UVG. Insure accidents through your health insurance or through a voluntary UVG policy.
• Gap between jobs: If you leave employment, your employer's UVG NBU cover continues for 31 days. After that, you need accident coverage in your health insurance. Act before the gap.
• Multiple jobs under 8 hours each: If no single employer covers you for NBU, keep accidents in your health insurance even if your total working hours exceed 8 per week — it is the per-employer threshold that counts.

How to check your current situation

The simplest way: look at your salary slip (Lohnabrechnung). You will see a deduction for "NBU" (Nichtberufsunfall). If that line exists and you pay into it, your employer covers your NBU accidents. Check with your HR department if you are unsure.