Accident insurance ("Unfallversicherung") is part of the statutory social security contributions. The legal basis is laid out in Book VII of the German Social Code ("Sozialgesetzbuch"). Accident insurance as part of taxes paid covers you in the event of accidents at work; it does not apply to private accidents.

Employees are therefore generally obliged to hold this type of insurance. 

Please see § 2 SGB VII for details of the persons covered by statutory accident insurance.

Pursuant to § 2 para. 2 sentence 1 SGB VII in conjunction with para. 1 no. 1, persons in an employment relationship without being employees in the sense of the law are also covered by the statutory accident insurance.

This definition has been defined more precisely by the courts, meaning that statutory accident insurance also covers those who perform an activity that:

• is more or less temporary, serious and essential to the company and of economic value,
• corresponds with the actual and presumed aims of the company,
• given its nature, can be performed by persons in an employment relationship that can be attributed to the general work market,
• is performed under such circumstances that the activity is similar to an employment relationship ("employment-like" activity).

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The employer pays statutory accident insurance contributions directly. Employees therefore do not need to take any action for these contributions to be made. The employer registers his employees with the respective Employer's Liability Insurance Association.

Fellowships are usually exempt from compulsory social security payments, meaning that they generally have no influence on accident insurance protection.

Doctoral and habilitation candidates are covered by the statutory accident insurance as doctoral and habilitation students pursuant to § 2 para. 1 no. 8c SGB VII. As a rule, they must be enrolled at the institution concerned (cf. information sheet on accident insurance for students, doctoral and habilitation candidates on the extent of insurance coverage).