During lunch hour: ensuring a trip to the grocery store
In Bremen, Germany, the rules governing statutory accident insurance coverage during breaks at work are primarily defined by the employer's insurance. Employees, including interns, are typically protected by this insurance, which covers accidents that occur during work-related activities, including breaks at the workplace.
As per § 2(1) of the German Social Code Book VII (Sozialgesetzbuch VII), statutory accident insurance covers work-related accidents, which may include accidents during work breaks if they occur on company premises or in the course of work-related activities. However, this coverage does not apply to personal activities outside of work or non-work-related accidents during breaks.
When it comes to journeying during breaks, the routes to the canteen, a restaurant, or one's own kitchen are considered normal and are usually insured during a break. On the other hand, the time spent eating during a break is not insured by statutory accident insurance. Additionally, if an employee moves excessively far from the workplace for lunch, the insurance coverage for the route can be lost.
Shopping trips and grocery purchases beyond immediate sustenance are considered private and, therefore, not insured. The journey to a store for grocery shopping that is for break or work time is insured, though.
It is worth noting that specific details about what constitutes a "work-related activity" during breaks can vary depending on the employer's policies and the specific circumstances of the accident.
For students doing internships, if an accident occurs on company premises, they are usually covered by the employer's statutory accident insurance, not by the university's insurance.
This information was published in the Bremen Chamber of Labor's magazine "BAM" (July/August 2025). It is crucial for employees to understand these rules to ensure they are adequately protected during their breaks.
In the specified context of insurance coverage during breaks at work in Bremen, Germany, shopping trips for immediate sustenance during a break are insured, providing they take place on company premises or while engaged in work-related activities. However, eating during a break is not insured. For intern students, accidents occurring on company premises during their internships are typically covered by the employer's statutory accident insurance, not the university's insurance. The delineation between "work-related activities" during breaks might vary depending on the employer's policies and the particular circumstances of an accident.
