What is occupant insurance?
To supplement your car insurance, you can purchase passenger insurance. There are two different passenger insurance policies.
Accidental occupant insurance
Accidental occupant insurance pays fixed amounts in the event of death or permanent disability of the driver and/or passengers.
The amounts are agreed in advance in the policy and there is no relationship between the amount paid out and the actual damage suffered. Coverage applies when the occupants are in the car, but also, for example, while getting in and out of the car or while making emergency repairs on the road. Material damage is not covered by passenger accident insurance. For this you can take out passenger accident insurance.
Indemnity insurance for occupants
Indemnity insurance for occupants compensates the damage suffered by the driver and passenger(s) of the vehicle involved.
Such damages may include property damage (clothing, luggage, etc.), loss of income, domestic help, transportation costs, medical expenses, damages and funeral expenses. The maximum insured amount per occurrence for all insured persons together is usually about 1 million euros.
With the damage passenger insurance, it does not matter who is at fault for the accident. When one of the occupants suffers damage as a result of an accident and this damage cannot be recovered from another insurance, then the occupants can claim this damage from the passenger indemnity insurance. This is especially desirable when the other party cannot be traced.
If the driver is at fault for the accident, the passengers do still have the option of holding the vehicle's third-party insurance liable and recovering any damages from them. If the question of guilt is unclear, this can be a long process. By taking out passenger indemnity insurance, you avoid this process.
Accidental occupant insurance |
Indemnity insurance for occupants |
| Pays a lump sum of the agreed amount in the event of death and permanent disability (total or partial) | Pays for all actual property damage and personal injury sustained in the accident, provided such damage is not compensated on another insurance policy (in the alternative) and up to the insured amount |
| Sum insured discussed and determined in advance (in case of partial and permanent disability not the full sum insured but a percentage thereof after examination by occupational expert and in accordance with the Gliedertaxe) | All actual damages (in the alternative) suffered by the occupants up to a maximum of 1 million euros |
| Psychological injury is not covered | Usually, grief/psychic injury is included in the insurance policy |
| Payment is independent of who(s insurer) may be liable for the collision. One can hold the (insurer of the) tortfeasor liable, and that insurer may not deduct the OI benefit in compensation. | Actual damages are paid and insurer can recover the damages paid from the (insurer of the) liable party |
| No relationship between amount paid and actual damages suffered | Distributed damages are those actually suffered and proven damages |
Coverage
Coverage under passenger indemnity insurance is subsidiary/supplementary, that is, only if damages are not compensated by another insurance policy.
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