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How high should the basic sum insured be in accident insurance?

In short

In German accident insurance the basic sum insured (Grundsumme) should be at least EUR 100,000. How high exactly depends on your age: at 30 about six times your gross annual income, at 40 five times, at 50 four times. Children and people without their own income should have around EUR 200,000, because a whole working life could be at stake.

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How high should the basic sum insured be in accident insurance?

What it costs

Published premium examples and payouts calculated from them.

Example	Typical range
Adult, good plan	about EUR 5 to 15 a month, from around EUR 100 a year
Office job, EUR 100,000 basic sum, 350 percent progression	about EUR 60 to 180 a year
Manual trade, EUR 100,000 basic sum, 350 percent progression	about EUR 120 to 260 a year
Payout at 20 percent impairment, EUR 100,000 basic sum	EUR 20,000 one-off
Payout at 20 percent impairment, EUR 240,000 basic sum	EUR 48,000 one-off
Office job, EUR 240,000 basic sum, 225 percent progression	guide figure about EUR 130 to 300 a year

Guide figures as of October 2026 from published plan examples and guides; the rule of thumb by age follows the recommendation of the German consumer advice centre.

The premium for a EUR 240,000 basic sum and the amounts in the worked example are guide figures from our quoting practice.

Your premium depends on age, job and health; we obtain the exact quote for you.

Worked example

Employee, 30 years old, EUR 40,000 gross a year

This is how the basic sum is set with the rule of thumb and brought to the target with progression.

Gross annual income times six	EUR 240,000 basic sum
225 percent progression, at full impairment	EUR 540,000
At 20 percent impairment	EUR 48,000
At 50 percent impairment	around EUR 180,000
Premium for an office job	about EUR 130 to 300 a year

With a EUR 240,000 basic sum and 225 percent progression the target of EUR 500,000 is reached, and even a moderate lasting injury pays a noticeable amount. That costs about EUR 11 to 25 a month.

What the basic sum is

Private accident insurance (private Unfallversicherung) pays a lump sum if an accident leaves you with a lasting impairment (Invalidität). After the accident a medical expert sets the degree of impairment, meaning how much a body function is permanently limited. That degree times the basic sum is your payout. With EUR 100,000 and 20 percent impairment you receive EUR 20,000.

Progression only boosts the payout in severe cases, usually from 26 percent impairment upwards. The many smaller lasting injuries, a stiff finger, a badly healed ankle, a weakened knee, are paid from the basic sum alone. That makes it the most important number in the contract.

The rule of thumb by age and income

The younger you are, the more working and living years the money has to carry after a serious accident. Hence the scale recommended by German consumer advice centres: six times your gross annual income at 30, five times at 40, four times at 50. For adults it should never be below EUR 100,000.

For children and people without income, such as stay-at-home parents or students, the income rule does not work. Around EUR 200,000 is a sensible guide for them, because an accident can take away their entire future income and the statutory accident insurance (gesetzliche Unfallversicherung) does not pay for accidents in leisure time.

Age and gross annual income	Factor	Suggested basic sum
30 years, EUR 40,000	six times	EUR 240,000
35 years, EUR 45,000	five to six times	EUR 225,000 to 270,000
40 years, EUR 55,000	five times	EUR 275,000
50 years, EUR 60,000	four times	EUR 240,000
Child or no own income	no factor	around EUR 200,000
Low income, about EUR 15,000	minimum applies	EUR 100,000

Basic sum before progression

Many offers tempt you with a small basic sum and high progression, such as EUR 50,000 with 500 percent. That looks fine at full impairment, but at 20 percent impairment it pays only EUR 10,000. A basic sum of EUR 200,000 with 225 percent pays EUR 40,000 in the same case.

So set the basic sum by age and income first, then choose the progression so that full impairment reaches about EUR 500,000 or more. If the basic sum almost gets you there already, a low progression is enough.

When a lower basic sum is enough

If you have occupational disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung), your income is already protected, and for illness too. Accident insurance then mainly has to cover one-off costs: adapting your home, a modified car, aids. A basic sum at the lower end of the rule of thumb can be enough for that.

In retirement the need also falls, because there is no earned income left to replace. Help in daily life and care after an accident matter more. Still, below EUR 100,000 the money quickly runs short if your home needs to be adapted.

Review the basic sum regularly

A sum that fitted ten years ago is often too low today, because incomes and prices have risen. Check it after every larger pay rise, when you marry and when a child is born. If you moved to Germany with a policy from your home country, compare its sums with these figures too.

Some plans offer an annual increase of the basic sum and premium (Dynamik). That keeps cover up to date without a new contract. Make sure you can refuse an increase if it does not suit you in a given year.

Step by step

Take your gross annual income from your last payslip or tax certificate.
Multiply by the factor for your age: six at 30, five at 40, four at 50.
Check the result is above EUR 100,000, otherwise use the minimum.
Choose the progression so that full impairment pays at least EUR 500,000.
Compare offers with the same basic sum and the same disability table (Gliedertaxe), not just the premium.

Checklist

Basic sum at least EUR 100,000, for children around EUR 200,000
Basic sum matches the factor for your age
Basic sum times progression gives at least EUR 500,000
Payout at 20 and 50 percent impairment calculated
Annual increase option checked
Basic sum reviewed after a pay rise or a new child

Common mistakes

Trying to make up for a small basic sum with very high progression
Never adjusting the basic sum since the contract started
Insuring children with the same sum as adults on a good income
Looking only at the figure for full impairment and ignoring the frequent smaller cases

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Is a basic sum of EUR 100,000 enough?

As a minimum, yes. For employees on a medium income and under 50 it is usually too little; the rule of thumb gives more like EUR 200,000 to 300,000.

What is the difference between basic sum and sum insured?

The basic sum is the amount without progression. The sum at full impairment is basic sum times progression and is often quoted as the maximum benefit.

How high should the basic sum be for children?

Around EUR 200,000, because children have no income yet and a serious accident can affect their whole working life.

Is a high basic sum expensive?

The premium rises roughly in line with the basic sum. For office jobs a basic sum of EUR 200,000 to 250,000 usually costs well under EUR 30 a month.

Do I still need progression with a high basic sum?

Only enough to reach about EUR 500,000 at full impairment. With a very high basic sum a low progression can be enough.

Should the basic sum go down in old age?

It can, because there is no income left to replace. It should still not fall below EUR 100,000 if your home might need adapting.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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