Leisure and household accidents in Austria: what does health insurance cover in 2026?

In Austria, most accidents happen at home, during leisure activities or while playing sport rather than at work. These incidents are treated differently from workplace accidents. This guide explains what statutory insurance may cover and what it does not.

What counts as a leisure or household accident?

A leisure accident (Freizeitunfall) or household accident (Haushaltsunfall) is an incident within the risks of private life. It is therefore generally not covered by statutory accident insurance (gesetzliche Unfallversicherung), which covers workplace accidents.

There is one important exception: under certain conditions, a household accident occurring in an agricultural or forestry business (land- oder forstwirtschaftlicher Betrieb) may count as a workplace accident.

What does statutory health insurance cover?

Treatment is covered by statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung). The responsible institution depends on where you are insured:

• ÖGK (Österreichische Gesundheitskasse)
• SVS (Sozialversicherungsanstalt der Selbständigen)
• BVAEB (Versicherungsanstalt öffentlich Bediensteter, Eisenbahnen und Bergbau)

After an accident, the following services may be available:

• Medical treatment (Krankenbehandlung), including medical assistance, medicines, medical aids and equivalent services such as psychotherapy, clinical psychology and physiotherapy
• Medical home nursing (medizinische Hauskrankenpflege)
• Hospital treatment (Anstaltspflege)
• Sickness benefit (Krankengeld) if you are unable to work
• Reintegration benefit (Wiedereingliederungsgeld) after a long period of sick leave
• Support in cases of physical disability, such as medical aids
• Dental treatment, dentures and orthodontic treatment
• Medical rehabilitation
• Health promotion, including general advice on preventing illness and accidents

Voluntary or discretionary support may also include a health recovery stay or assistance towards one.

You need your e-card to access treatment and services.

What does statutory insurance not cover?

This is the main difference from a workplace accident. For a leisure or household accident, statutory health insurance covers treatment costs, but it does not cover consequential damage (Folgeschäden).

Private insurance may provide cover for these later consequences, depending on the policy.

What support may pension insurance provide?

In more serious cases, statutory pension insurance (Pensionsversicherung) may also become relevant. The responsible institution may be PV (Pensionsversicherung), BVAEB or SVS.

Possible benefits include:

• Rehabilitation measures
• A pension because of reduced working capacity or inability to work
• A widow’s pension or a pension for a surviving registered partner
• Orphan’s pension (Waisenpension)
• Care allowance (Pflegegeld)

Sick leave: what must you do?

If the accident means that you cannot work, you must inform your employer without delay (ohne schuldhaftes Zögern).

The employer then continues paying your wages (Entgeltfortzahlung). Smaller companies may receive support from AUVA or BVAEB if the employee is insured there. After an accident, this support is available from the first day of continued wage payment for a maximum of six weeks per working year, provided that the incapacity to work lasted longer than three consecutive days.

The support is calculated as follows:

• Companies with up to 10 employees: 75% of continued wages, plus 12,51% for special payments
• Companies with 11–50 employees: 50% of continued wages, plus 8,34% for special payments

This support is paid to the employer, not to you. Your employer continues to pay your wages.

Children: when are they covered by accident insurance?

A child is covered by statutory accident insurance only from the final kindergarten year. This protection generally applies only during time spent in kindergarten or school and on the route to and from there.

Statutory accident insurance does not cover leisure accidents during the final kindergarten year or school years. Check whether an existing private accident or liability insurance policy covers the child.

Private insurance: what can it cover?

In addition to statutory benefits, you can take out voluntary insurance with an insurer. This may include health, life, legal protection or accident insurance.

Depending on the contract, possible benefits include an accident annuity, disability and care annuities, an orphan’s annuity, rehabilitation assistance, support for cosmetic surgery, reimbursement of medical treatment, rescue and repatriation costs, a hospital daily allowance (Spitalgeld) and a daily allowance (Taggeld).

Deadlines for notifying the private insurer

• Accident: without delay, and no later than one week
• Death: within three days, even if the accident has already been reported

You can obtain the notification form from the relevant insurer; in many cases, notification can also be submitted online.

Frequently asked questions

Will health insurance pay if I fall from a ladder at home?

Yes. Statutory health insurance covers the treatment costs of a household accident. It does not cover later consequential damage.

Can I receive sickness benefit after a leisure accident?

Sickness benefit (Krankengeld) is one of the services available in cases of incapacity to work.

Is my child insured if they are injured at a playground in the afternoon?

Statutory accident insurance does not cover children’s leisure accidents. It covers time in kindergarten or school and the route to and from those places.

How long do I have to notify a private insurer?

Notify the insurer without delay and no later than one week after the accident. A death must be reported within three days.

Practical steps after an accident

1. Seek medical treatment and use your e-card.
2. Identify whether the incident was a leisure or household accident rather than a workplace accident.
3. If you cannot work, inform your employer without delay.
4. Check whether you are insured with ÖGK, SVS or BVAEB.
5. Review any private accident, health, life, legal protection or liability insurance.
6. Notify your private insurer without delay and within one week at the latest. Report a death within three days.
7. Keep medical records and other documents relating to the accident and treatment.

This article is based on information available online and is not legal, employment or medical advice. For professional advice, contact a lawyer, legal professional, healthcare professional, employment-law or labour-market specialist, or another relevant expert.

Source: oesterreich.gv.at