Does accident insurance pay if I fall due to circulation problems in Germany?
In short
Does accident insurance pay if I fall due to circulation problems in Germany? Under the model terms AUB 2020 it does not: accidents caused by disturbances of consciousness are excluded, and a fall down the stairs due to a circulation problem is the very example given. Some tariffs include such disturbances. An office worker with a EUR 100,000 sum pays about EUR 60 to 180 a year.
Premiums for private accident insurance in Germany from published examples, EUR 100,000 sum and 350 percent progression, 2026.
Example
Typical range
Adult, office job
about EUR 60 to 180 a year
Adult, manual work
about EUR 120 to 260 a year
Seniors aged 60 or 70 and over
about EUR 120 to 460 a year
Children and teenagers
about EUR 50 to 100 a year
As of October 2026, from published premium examples.
Whether a tariff that includes disturbances of consciousness costs more depends on the provider.
The amounts in the worked example are a guide value from our quoting practice;
we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Aged 72, dizzy on the stairs, broken thigh
How differently the benefit turns out, depending on whether the tariff includes disturbances of consciousness.
Lasting damage: leg above the middle of the thigh impaired by a quarter (70 percent times 1/4)
17.5 percent
Sum insured
EUR 100,000
Benefit under the model terms
EUR 0, excluded under clause 5.1.1
Benefit with disturbances of consciousness included
EUR 17,500 before progression
Osteoporosis contributed 30 percent, degree falls to 12.25 percent
EUR 12,250
One sentence in the exclusions decides between nothing and EUR 12,250. Check it before anything happens.
What the model terms say about the fall
The fall itself is an accident: the floor acts suddenly on your body from outside. Even so, the model terms of the German insurers' association exclude accidents caused by disturbances of consciousness. Such a disturbance exists if your perception and reaction are impaired so much that you can no longer cope with the danger at hand.
The terms name a health impairment, medication, alcohol and drugs as possible causes. Their first example is exactly your question: someone falls down the stairs due to a circulation problem. Under the model terms there is no payment for this, not even for the broken bone.
When the exclusion does not apply
The exclusion only applies if the disturbance caused the accident. If you trip over a rug and only feel dazed after hitting the floor, the disturbance was not the cause. Write down what happened early and precisely.
A second exception is in the terms themselves: if the disturbance goes back to an earlier accident your contract covered, the insurer pays for the new accident too. The model gives the example of an epileptic seizure after an old, insured brain injury.
Situation
Under AUB 2020
Note
Dizzy when standing up, fall, broken wrist
excluded
disturbance from a health cause
Fainting from blood pressure tablets, fall on the stairs
excluded
medication is named as a cause
Tripping on a step, dazed afterwards
covered
the disturbance came after the fall
Seizure after an earlier insured brain injury, then a fall
covered
exception in clause 5.1.1
Circulatory collapse without injury
no accident
an illness alone is not an accident
Tariffs that include disturbances of consciousness
The model terms are not binding. Insurers may deviate in your favour, and some sets of terms list disturbances of consciousness as covered. If you have low blood pressure, heart rhythm problems or diabetes, this is one of the most important points in the contract.
Read the exact wording: some inclusions only cover alcohol up to a blood alcohol limit, others also cover disturbances from an internal cause such as a weak circulation or low blood sugar. Only the second kind helps with your question.
Pre-existing conditions can still reduce the payment
Even if your tariff covers the fall, the insurer checks whether illnesses contributed to the consequences of the accident. If this share is 25 percent or more, the degree of disability is reduced by that share. A typical case is a fracture that turns out worse because of osteoporosis.
The circulation problem itself is not a consequence of the accident. It decides whether the fall is covered at all, while the contribution rule concerns the injury and how it heals.
What to do after the fall
Report the accident even if you expect an exclusion. Whether your tariff pays only becomes clear from its terms, and the deadlines keep running: under the model, the disability must arise within 15 months, be certified by a doctor and be claimed from the insurer within that time.
Describe what happened honestly and completely. The emergency report, hospital findings and witness statements later show what came first: the dizziness or the stumble.
Step by step
Find the exclusion for disturbances of consciousness in your terms.
Check whether disturbances from a health cause or from medication are included.
With circulation problems, diabetes or blood pressure tablets, choose a tariff with this inclusion.
After a fall, write down what happened and keep the medical findings.
Report the accident and claim disability within 15 months.
Checklist
Disturbances of consciousness from an internal cause included
Disturbances from prescribed medication included
Contribution of illnesses only counted from 25 percent or higher
Health questions answered in full when signing
Emergency report and hospital findings collected after the fall
Common mistakes
Not reporting a fall after dizziness because you expect an exclusion
Only mentioning fainting although you tripped first
Confusing an alcohol inclusion with an inclusion for circulation problems
Leaving out blood pressure tablets or heart problems in the health questions
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Is a circulatory collapse an accident?
No, it is a health problem.
Only the injury from the fall can be covered,
and only if your tariff includes disturbances of consciousness.
Does accident insurance pay for a fall caused by low blood sugar?
Not under the model terms, as this is also a disturbance of consciousness from a health cause.
The wording of your inclusion decides.
What if I do not know why I fell?
Then the findings and witnesses decide.
Report the accident and describe honestly what you remember.
Does the exclusion also apply to medication from my doctor?
Yes, the model terms name taking medication as a cause without distinguishing prescribed drugs.
Some tariffs include disturbances from prescribed medication.
Does statutory accident insurance pay if I collapse at work?
Statutory cover requires an event acting on the body from outside (section 8 SGB VII).
Whether a fall from an internal cause counts is decided case by case by the employers' liability
