What accident insurance do athletes need in Germany?
In short
What accident insurance do athletes need in Germany? Private accident insurance (Unfallversicherung) with a basic sum of at least EUR 100,000, progression and rescue costs, which does not exclude your sport. With an office job it costs about EUR 60 to 180 a year. Club cover pays only about EUR 15,000 to 50,000 at 50 percent disability, depending on the federal state, and is not enough alone.
Club cover via sports insurance, Saxony sports federation
EUR 5,000 from 20 percent, EUR 50,000 from 50 percent, EUR 200,000 from 90 percent disability
The accident pension in the worked example is a guide value from our quoting practice (Richtwert
aus der Angebotspraxis).
Club benefits differ by regional federation; we obtain the exact quote.
Worked example
Engineer, 34, club football, ski touring and mountain biking
He wants cover for serious consequences, also outside the club.
Disability EUR 100,000, progression 350 percent
about EUR 70 to 140 a year
Rescue costs EUR 25,000
often included
Accident pension EUR 1,000 a month from 50 percent
about EUR 50 to 100 a year (guide value from our quoting practice)
Club cover for football
in addition, no own premium
Together about EUR 120 to 240 a year, roughly EUR 10 to 20 a month.
What your sports club already covers
If you belong to a club in a regional sports federation (Landessportbund), you are usually covered by sports insurance (Sportversicherung) during training and competitions. But this cover is meant as a basic aid and does not replace private provision for athletes.
An example from one federal state: at 20 percent disability the club cover pays EUR 2,500, above 50 percent EUR 20,000, and only above 75 percent EUR 190,000. Below 20 percent it pays nothing. In Saxony it is EUR 50,000 from 50 percent, at most EUR 200,000. Jogging alone or the gym are not covered.
For leisure athletes, a good accident policy covers most sports without a surcharge, including skiing, mountain biking, climbing and diving. Many policies do not even ask about your sport.
Often excluded are motor races where speed is what counts, and taking part as a licensed or professional athlete. Air sports such as paragliding are restricted in some policies. Read the terms before you start a new sport.
What athletes need in an accident policy
Athletes should look for a basic sum (Grundsumme) of at least EUR 100,000 and progression of 350 percent or more. Then the policy pays enough after a serious accident for home changes, aids and lost income.
Rescue costs (Bergungskosten) matter for sport in the mountains or on water. Health insurance does not cover every helicopter rescue. Aim for at least EUR 10,000 to 25,000.
Sports injuries often affect ligaments, tendons and the meniscus. Good policies also pay for sprains and strains caused by increased physical effort, weaker ones point to wear and tear.
Competitive and professional athletes
If you compete with a sports licence or are paid for sport, normal accident policies often exclude you. Competitive and professional athletes need special sports disability cover, which costs much more.
Employed professional athletes are also covered by statutory accident insurance at work, but not in their free time.
If you are new to Germany
Accident insurance from your home country may not cover you once you live in Germany, or may not pay rescue costs here. Check the terms or take out a German policy for athletes.
German policies cover you worldwide, so trips home and ski holidays abroad are usually included.
Step by step
List all the sports you do regularly.
Ask your club for the sports insurance leaflet.
Choose a basic sum of at least EUR 100,000 and progression of 350 percent or more.
Check the terms for excluded sports and rescue costs.
Report new sports or a competition licence before you start.
Checklist
Your sports are not excluded
Rescue costs at least EUR 10,000
Increased physical effort included
Worldwide cover around the clock
Pre existing conditions only counted above a high share
Common mistakes
Relying only on the club's sports insurance
Not reporting a competition licence
Insuring only a daily hospital allowance and forgetting disability
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Am I insured against accidents as a club member?
Yes, during training and competitions, usually through the regional federation's sports insurance.
The sums are low, and below 20 percent disability there is often nothing.
Does statutory accident insurance pay for sports injuries?
No, except for school sport, company sport or if sport is your job.
Does accident insurance cost more for athletes?
For leisure sport usually not.
Restrictions mainly apply to air sports, motor racing and licensed sport.
Are skiing and climbing covered?
In good policies yes, without a surcharge.
Check the rescue costs.
What about professionals?
Licensed and professional athletes need special sports disability cover,
