Let's first look at the fundamental difference: Disability insurance (BU) covers you if you are unable to work due to illness, accident, or disability. Accident insurance, on the other hand, protects you against the consequences of an accident, meaning the consequences of "a sudden, external event affecting the insured" (definition of accident).

Therefore, if an accident causes occupational disability, both types of insurance can offer good protection. The situation is different for illnesses unrelated to an accident. According to a study by the German Pension Insurance, mental illnesses, musculoskeletal disorders, cancer, allergies, and circulatory and nervous system disorders are among the most frequent causes of occupational disability. These are not covered by accident insurance. Therefore, the first question you need to ask yourself is which scenario you want to insure against.

Many accident insurance policies now offer significantly broader coverage than just the classic accident (as defined above), for example, protection against health problems resulting from an accident caused by a heart attack or stroke, infectious diseases, Lyme disease from a tick bite, or poisoning. However, they do not offer the comprehensive scope of occupational disability insurance.

As a student, you might think that diseases of the circulatory system or musculoskeletal system are far away and that accidents are much closer to home (e.g., during sports or travel). But that's not always true. Many people become ill at a young age. In the long run, protection through disability insurance is the better choice. Moreover, once you have a health problem (e.g., as a result of an accident), it becomes increasingly difficult to obtain good and comprehensive disability insurance coverage.

In conclusion, accident insurance is not a true alternative to disability insurance, as it only covers similar risks in the area of ​​accidents. If you, as a student, cannot afford disability insurance, then the usually much cheaper accident insurance covers a certain risk in the event of an accident. However, early disability insurance has the advantage that you can start at favorable rates and protect yourself early against the possibility of an illness that could affect you to the point where you can no longer work. With this peace of mind, you can then start your professional career without worry, especially since there are very affordable entry-level plans available for students.