Is my child insured at daycare, at school and on the way to school in Germany?
In short
Yes. Your child is insured at daycare (Kita), at school and on the direct way to school in Germany through statutory accident insurance, free of charge. Free time, sports clubs, weekends and private detours are not covered, and that is where most children's accidents happen, around 44 percent at home alone. Private child accident insurance closes the gap for about EUR 50 to 100 a year.
Benchmarks for private cover outside daycare, school and the way to school, from published German tariff examples and tests.
Example
Typical range
Statutory accident insurance at daycare and school
EUR 0 for parents
Child accident insurance, base sum EUR 100,000, progression 225 to 350 percent
about EUR 50 to 100 a year
Child disability insurance, lump sum of EUR 100,000 only
from about EUR 107 a year
Child disability insurance with lifelong pension and lump sum
about EUR 275 a year
Personal liability, family with children
about EUR 60 to 180 a year
Benchmarks as of October 2026 from publicly quoted tariff examples and tests.
Premiums depend on sum insured, progression and the child's age.
Worked example
Two falls, two outcomes: school break against Sunday
An 8 year old seriously injures a knee twice, once in the schoolyard and once on a Sunday at the playground. Assumed is child accident insurance with a base sum of EUR 100,000 and 350 percent progression.
Schoolyard: treatment and rehab
accident fund
Schoolyard: pension if lasting reduction of 20 percent or more
accident fund
Playground: treatment
health insurance
Playground: payout at 50 percent disability from the private policy
around EUR 100,000, depending on the table
Without a private policy, there would be no money after the Sunday accident beyond treatment. The figures are benchmarks from our quoting practice.
Who is covered at daycare and at school
Children in licensed daycare facilities are covered, meaning nursery, Kita and after school care (Hort), as are children with a suitable registered childminder (Tagespflegeperson). Pupils are covered while attending school and during care that the school provides directly before or after lessons, alone or with partners (§ 2 (1) no. 8 SGB VII, the German Social Code on accident insurance).
The statutory accident funds (Unfallkassen) are responsible. Parents pay nothing for this cover at daycare and school.
Situation
Covered by statutory insurance?
Fall in the Kita garden
yes
Injury in PE lessons
yes
All day care run by the school directly after lessons
yes
Direct way to school on foot, by bike, bus or car
yes
Detour for a car pool
yes
Detour for ice cream or to visit friends
no
Football training at a club
no
Playground at the weekend, holidays
no
On the way to school: direct route and permitted detours
The direct route between home and daycare or school is covered, whether on foot, by bike, scooter, bus or in the parents' car. The law allows detours to form a car pool, and detours when a child is taken to care because the parents work (§ 8 (2) SGB VII).
If your child stops on the way for private reasons, to shop or play at a friend's house, they are not covered for that time. The bike itself is never covered by the accident fund. Glasses broken in the accident are, because they count as an aid (§ 8 (3) SGB VII).
What the accident fund pays after a daycare or school accident
It pays medical treatment, rehabilitation and, for serious consequences, a pension. The pension is paid if earning capacity is reduced by at least 20 percent beyond week 26 after the accident. For young insured persons this is assessed as if an adult had the same injury (§ 56 SGB VII).
Tell the daycare or school straight away after an accident and tell the doctor explicitly that it was a daycare or school accident, so that the accident fund is clearly the payer.
If one child injures another at daycare or school
Injuries between daycare children or classmates fall under a liability limit: the accident fund pays, and the child who caused it is liable only in narrow exceptions, such as intent (§ 106 (1) SGB VII with §§ 104, 105).
That does not apply to damaged property such as a phone or a jacket. Then the parents' personal liability insurance may come in. Under § 828 of the German Civil Code (BGB), children under 7 are not liable themselves, and in road traffic generally not under 10 either.
The gap outside daycare, school and the way to school
Figures on children's accidents show about 43.8 percent happen at home or in a private setting, 24.2 percent at school or in care and 17.4 percent at playgrounds or sports facilities. For the larger share, no accident fund pays; only health insurance covers treatment.
If a free time accident leaves a lasting impairment, there is no money for adaptations, help or lost income without private cover. Most severe disabilities in children are caused by illness, however, and only child disability insurance (Kinderinvaliditätsversicherung) covers that.
When you need nothing extra
If your child rarely goes out beyond daycare and school and you have enough savings, statutory cover is enough for daycare and school. You do not need a separate school or daycare accident policy in Germany, because exactly those times are already covered by law.
Step by step
Check that the Kita, after school care or childminder is licensed or a recognised childminder.
Agree the direct way to school with your child and practise it.
After an accident at daycare or school, tell them straight away and say so at the doctor's.
Decide on private accident or disability cover for free time and sport.
Check your liability policy is a family tariff covering children under 7.
Checklist
Licensed daycare or recognised childminder
Direct way to school known, detours only for car pools
Accident at daycare or school reported at once
Cover for free time and holidays sorted out
Family liability covering children not yet liable by law
Common mistakes
Treating statutory cover as round the clock protection
Not telling the doctor it was a school accident
Assuming the accident fund pays for a bike damaged on the way to school
Buying a school accident policy that only covers times already insured by law
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Is my child insured on a detour to grandma's?
Only if grandma looks after the child because you work.
A private visit on the way home is not covered for the detour.
Is my child insured with a childminder?
Yes, if she works as a suitable childminder under German child and youth welfare law.
Does cover apply in all day care at school?
Yes, if the school provides the care directly before or after lessons,
itself or together with a provider.
Is the bike insured on the way to school?
Your child is, the bike is not.
Theft or damage to the bike is only covered by contents insurance with a bike module or a separate
bike policy.
Who pays for broken glasses after a school accident?
The accident fund, because damage to an aid counts as a health injury under German law.
What do I do after an accident at daycare or school?
Tell the daycare or school and tell the doctor it was a daycare or school accident.
