Accident insurance cover at the H-BRS

In the event of an authorised business trip abroad, employees and students of the university are generally insured by Unfallkasse NRW in the event of an accident while performing their official duties. The trip must be within the organisational area of responsibility of H-BRS.

Further information:

• Legal accident insurance cover for work and study abroad
• Legal accident insurance cover for posting abroad 

Apprentices are insured during vocational training and further training in company workshops, training workshops, training courses and similar facilities in accordance with the law (SGB VII).

Civil servants report an accident to their manager and to administrative unit 2 (Professors and civil servants team).

If an occupational accident is recognised, H-BRS is the employer in accordance with Section 2 (3) Law Governing the Universities in North Rhine-Westphalia and is responsible for providing statutory accident insurance during the period of active service

Employees are insured according to SGB VII:

• Home office: insurance cover exists to the same extent as in the office
• Smoking and fresh air: private purpose and not covered by statutory accident insurance
• Going to the toilet: insurance cover ends at the toilet door
• Lunch: Insurance cover ends at the door to the canteen - except for business lunches or during the company outing
• Company celebrations: Insurance cover exists during the celebration, i.e. the start and end of the event must be specified in advance.i.e. start and end must be determined in advance
• Sports courses from the Healthy University
• Small errands: Insurance cover exists for fetching lunch (consumption at the workplace) - not for private purposes

Bachelor students, Master students & PhD students who are staying at the university site ... on behalf of or with the consent of the university for research purposes or for other purposes relating to matters concerning the academic work to be completed by them are insured during their stay there against the consequences of accidents at work and occupational diseases by virtue of the statutes, insofar as they are not already subject to insurance under other provisions (§ 3 paragraph 1 number 2 SGB VII). This only applies if the accident insurance fund is responsible for the university visited. The insurance also covers persons who have their place of residence or habitual abode abroad.

Excursions and business trips must be registered and related to university activities. 

- Insurance cover for stays outside Germany must be clarified with the accident insurance fund and health insurance company. 

- Stay abroad: Information from the Federal Foreign Office (AA) must be obtained and the travel and safety instructions must be observed. 

In addition, travel health, accident, emergency and liability insurance has been taken out with HanseMerkur. 

Lecturers and adjunct professors are persons who act entrepreneurially within the university.

Typical characteristics of entrepreneurial activity include, among other things, that services are provided in their own name and for their own account, rather than in the name and for the account of the university. This group of people is not insured via the university's country-specific accident insurance fund, but via the employers' liability insurance association accident insurance (e.g. VBG, BG Bau) or, if applicable, their own health insurance fund.

Events offered by H-BRS for children (e.g. by the Equal Opportunities Office) are covered by an insurance policy taken out by the university specifically for this purpose.

Attendance at the daycare centre is insured by Unfallkasse NRW (Section 2 (1) No. 8a SGB VII). The insurance cover for children includes all activities that fall within the organisational area of responsibility of the facility. This includes excursions and events that are organised with the children at the facility

Internships in companies agreed by the students themselves are outside the organisational responsibility of the university. Students integrate themselves into the company's operations during the internship and are insured against accidents as employees in accordance with Section 2 (1) No. 1 SGB VII. It is irrelevant whether the internship is mandatory in the study or examination regulations or is voluntary. If there is a contract between the company and the student, the employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund of which the internship company is a member is responsible. Example: If work typical of an employee is performed during the internship and the students are integrated into the company (bound by instructions), they are to be regarded as employees

If the school organises student internships at universities, the students are covered by accident insurance. The prerequisite for insurance cover for these events is that they lie within the organisational area of responsibility of the school. This means that they must be organised by the school or at least with the school.

Activities or undertakings that are organised and carried out by the students or parents without the involvement of the school are not insured.

Students are insured against accidents:

• while attending courses
• during other activities for which the university is responsible, such as participation in revision courses offered by the university
• during visits to the university library for the purpose of studying
• during activities in student self-administration and on the associated routes
• students are insured on the way to enrolment

Students are not covered by statutory accident insurance:

• study work at home
• private study trips
• repetitoriums with private providers

• private interruptions to travelling to the university or back home (e.g. shopping)

  private interruptions to travelling to the university or back home (e.g. shopping)

  • Travelling for private reasons or private activities on the university campus 

• The direct route to and from the university is insured. It is not necessary for it to be the shortest route. A slightly longer, but more favourable, faster route is also insured. However, it is required that the route is travelled with the intention of reaching the university or getting home directly after work or a university event. Detours or diversions to take care of private matters (refuelling, shopping, visiting friends) can lead to loss of insurance cover. There are no restrictions regarding the choice of means of transport (public transport, car, bicycle, etc.). Waiting times (bus stop, train station) are also part of the insured journey.
• The insured journey usually begins in the morning at the outside door of the house and ends at the outside door of the university. The same applies to the return journey.
• Car pools are also covered by the insurance, even if detours are necessary.
• Deviations from the direct route are insured if this deviation is due to a child being taken to daycare or school. This insurance cover applies to the travelling parent as well as to the child (regulation analogous to carpooling). If the child is taken to an uninsured childcare facility, such as a grandparent's home, this does not constitute a carpool. Nevertheless, this "diversions" is also insured - but only for the parent, not for the child.