If you are unable to work, you will receive a daily sickness benefit, provided you are entitled to it. After the probationary period (max. 3 months) and except for short-term temporary jobs, employers are obliged to continue paying wages in case of illness. On a voluntary basis, they can offer you at least equivalent protection in lieu of the legal continuation of salary payments in accordance with the Code of Obligations.
Who needs daily sick pay insurance?
Employees without group insurance and self-employed persons, including households, are faced with a financial shortfall in the event of illness. You can insure the impending short-term loss of salary yourself with an optional individual daily sickness benefit insurance. This is a useful link that you can click on to discover more articles on the same topic. If your employer has taken out a group daily benefits insurance policy: after your employment relationship has ended (unless otherwise stated in the contract), you can switch to an individual daily benefits insurance policy within 30 days without a health check. Although this is more expensive, it can still be worthwhile. This is the case, for example, if you don't have a new job or if your new employer doesn't have group insurance.
Daily sick pay insurance for the self-employed and homemakers
If you are unable to work due to an accident, employees automatically receive daily accident benefits in accordance with the Accident Insurance Act. Even if your employer has not purchased daily sick pay insurance, you will receive 80% of your salary from the third day of inability to work until you recover or retire from an accident. You don't have to include the risk of accident in your individual per diem insurance. This is different with self-employed people and also with households. You need to make sure that your per diem insurance covers both illness and accident. You can choose a daily allowance insurance according to the law on insurance contracts (LAV) or one according to the law on health insurance (LAMal). The latter, however, becomes less important (see below). Alternatively, there are group insurance solutions for certain professional groups.