Abschnitt 8 BGI/GUV-I 506 E - VIII. A look ahead - where we are going
Reform of the social insurance systems has been under discussion for some years now. Like the areas of health, unemployment and retirement insurance, reforms are being considered, by both government and industry, for the statutory accident insurance system.
The statutory accident insurance institutions have been addressing the associated issues themselves for some time, particularly in the context of the autonomous administration: not least because they regard themselves as a dynamic organization, one prepared to face economic and social change and to adapt accordingly.
Altogether, the statutory accident insurance system can take pride in an extremely successful organization: in contrast to the other areas of social insurance, for instance, it does not face problems of financing. Its premiums have been stable for decades, and are substantially lower than those of other social systems. Resting on one's laurels is not recommended, however: the aim of the autonomous administration, comprising employers and employees, is to ensure that the system is fit for the future. Accordingly, certain changes will be made in the coming years.
Mergers among the institutions
A key component in the planned reforms is a substantial reduction in the number of individual accident insurance institutions. Since 2004, the statutory accident insurance system has taken the initiative and through an intensive internal discussion process, has laid the foundations for a new institutional structure which is characterized essentially by a substantially lower number of institutions, without sacrificing the principle of orientation towards sectors and regions.
For this purpose, the statutory accident insurance institutions have presented a concept of their own for their institutional structure. The concept makes provision for creation of a total of nine statutory accident insurance institutions for the industrial sector. These are all to be created through voluntary mergers undertaken by the autonomous administrations themselves. For the scope of the public-sector accident insurers, the objective has been formulated of retaining only one insurance institution for each German region and one institution at national level.
These plans form only a part of the pending changes. The political plans also encompass areas such as those of pensions and benefits legislation. The issue of financing of the statutory accident insurance system is also repeatedly on the agenda.
The statutory accident insurance system will continue to present its own, practical proposals for its further development, and to implement them. In order to continue, as before, to offer protection, health and safety to businesses and insured individuals alike.