Daily sickness benefits insurance

Legal situation

By law, employers must continue to pay a salary to sick employees for a specific period. This regulation is socially motivated and derives from the duty of care that companies have towards their staff. In addition to a contractual continued salary payment agreement, the length of employment and the canton in which the business operates determine the actual length of the statutory obligation to make continued salary payments . This ranges from three weeks for employees in their first year of service to 46 weeks for long-serving employees. The length is calculated using the Zurich, Bern or Basel table.

Financial relief for employers

The offer of voluntary daily sickness benefits insurance saves your company from the economic consequences of your staff becoming unfit for work. For example, if you incur extra costs in finding a replacement to perform the work while still being obliged to continue paying salaries to employees who are unfit for work. AXA reduces this risk for you and pays out at the end of the waiting period agreed by you (= daily benefits).

Financial security for employees

Major illnesses of employees are rarely predictable and the employer’s daily benefit insurance is a boon in serious cases. It gives employees financial protection for much longer, which is therefore better than the statutory obligation to continue salary payments, and helps protect livelihoods. With AXA, employees are entitled to up to 730 daily benefits and at least 80% of salary.

Waiting period

This is similar to a deductible. You determine how long your company would like to pay the full salary of sick staff itself and when the insurance should take effect. With AXA, you can choose a waiting period of between 0 and 365 days.

Daily benefits

How high should the insurance benefit be after the waiting period has expired? At AXA, daily benefits of between 80% and 100% of your employees’ salaries are possible. 80% corresponds to the equivalent statutory solution on continued salary payments, higher daily benefits offer additional security for your employees.

Benefit period

After deducting the waiting period, the period of benefits from AXA is up to 730 days maximum, i.e. approximately two years. If incapacity for work lasts longer than this or there is disability, the benefits are coordinated with state benefits (AHV/IV).

Premiums

Daily benefits insurance is advantageous for employers and employees, which is why the premiums are often split equally between both parties. Their amount is based on the individually specified benefit.

Examples of a claim

An employee in the third year of service is on sick leave for four months. If the company is not insured, it must continue to pay the monthly salary of CHF 8,000 (based on the Zurich table) agreed in the employment contract for nine weeks, after which the employee is no longer entitled to continued salary payments. With insurance cover, AXA pays 80% of the insured salary after expiry of the agreed 30-day waiting period which, in this instance, is compensation of CHF 19,200.

Support included

With daily sickness benefits insurance from AXA, you are entitled to the services of our Corporate Health Management. This supports you not only in promoting the health of your employees, reducing absences, and preventing disability: it also includes case management, legal advice and a network of doctors to clarify your complex questions.