Insuring remote work in Finland
We have put together a concise information package about the situations in which the workers' compensation insurance covers accidents during remote work in Finland and in which situations additional coverage is needed.
We will tell you how you can improve the insurance coverage of your employees working in Finland and fill in the gaps left by the statutory insurance.
What does the workers' compensation insurance cover in remote work in Finland?
Statutory occupational accident insurance in Finland only covers injuries that occurred at work. The insurance is therefore also valid for remote work, but based on the interpretations of the insurance companies so far, strictly only when working. In the majority of cases, this practically means that the statutory insurance only covers accidents that occurred while working, i.e. while sitting at the computer.
Finland's statutory occupational accident insurance therefore does not compensate, for example, accidents that have occurred
- during toilet, coffee and lunch breaks
- i.e. for example when a remote worker takes children from home to daycare and then returns to their home to remote workplace
- when an employee is fetching lunch, for example, from a nearby restaurant
- while the employee is exercising or taking other breaks.
In practice, occupational accident insurance therefore compensates accidents that occur during remote work to a very limited extent.
Remote work insurance covers the gaps left by occupational accident insurance
During the corona pandemic, separate remote work insurances appeared in the product range of insurance companies in Finland. These extend the insurance coverage to other than working time, i.e. in the case of remote work, for example, a coffee break.
Remote work insurance covers all coffee and toilet breaks, lunches and intermissions that are not covered by occupational accident insurance.
The company itself can define the reimbursement amounts of remote work insurance and there may be reimbursed items such as
- treatment costs
- compensation for permanent damage
- death benefit as well as
- daily allowance for the period of incapacity for work.
Remote work insurance is valid when a remote work contract has been concluded with the employee.
However, time clearly defined as free time, such as a morning run, shopping or transporting children, is also excluded from remote work insurance.
Your personnel get the most comprehensive protection of all when you also take out leisure accident insurance for them. Leisure accident insurance compensates damages that are not covered by occupational accident and remote work insurance.
Why should employees take out voluntary accident insurance?
Voluntary personal accident insurance is a significant, useful personnel benefit for your employees. With the help of the insurance, you ensure that your employees can get treatment quickly in the event of an accident, and thus also get back to work as soon as possible. The costs of voluntary accident insurance should therefore be seen as an investment in work efficiency.
At its most extensive, voluntary accident insurance covers all free time and compensates in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation Act. The amount of treatment expenses or compensation for loss of earnings is therefore not necessarily limited at all. In addition, the insurance can also cover leisure activities.
Narrower leisure accident insurance covers the gaps in occupational accident insurance for remote work. Reimbursement amounts are defined for medical expenses and other compensable items. The insurance is valid during work during breaks and during free time. In narrower insurance coverage, there are often restrictions on the reimbursement of sports activities.
We will be happy to help define the best solution for your company!
