In Austria, as an employed person, you are insured against accidents under the statutory social insurance scheme, but this only covers damage caused by accidents at work or on the direct route between work and home, or by occupational disease.

Consequential damage from leisure and household accidents, on the other hand, does not fall within the scope of protection. If you are not (no longer) employed, you have just as little protection from the statutory accident insurance as children before the last (compulsory) kindergarten year.

Furthermore, kindergarten children, pupils and students are only insured on the direct way to the training center or against the consequences of accidents for the time they spend at these trainign centers.

With a private accident insurance you will have full protection without any gaps in the insurance coverage. A private accident insurance provides you additional payments, even if you already receive payments from another source, like statutory accident, health or pension insurance.

During school holidays, leisure time and weekends, children are protected by the statutory health insurance, but not an accident insurance. This means that consequential damage caused by accidents occurring at home, while playing with friends, during sports or on holidays are not covered. It is therefor recommended to take at least a student accident insurance into consideration.

A health insurance covers the costs of treatment after an accident or illness, but unlike accident insurance, it does not offer any other benefits to cover financial losses and burdens due to permanent or temporary impairments.

An occupational disability insurance on the other hand only covers you if you become unable to work as a result of an accident or illness.

However, the accident insurance will cover you regardless of the consequences. If you are disabled you will be receive a payment accordingly to your disability-level.