Non-work-related accidents: impacts on the company and points of attention for SMEs

Non-work-related accident: impacts on the company and points to consider

A non-work-related accident (NWA) occurs outside of working hours. However, its effects are often managed within the company: absence, continuity, payroll, notification to the insurer, coordination with the health insurance fund and, sometimes, discovery of a gap in coverage.

The goal of this article is to provide you with a management method, not a subscription course. By the end, you will know:

• To verify in a few minutes who is actually covered by ANP within your workforce,

• anticipate the impacts on payroll and trade-offs (income gap, caps),

• standardize the "pilot, document, monitor" process with clear components,

• Avoid recurring mistakes and ask the right questions to your insurer or broker.

Non-work-related accident: LAA guidelines useful for managing an SME

Operational definition

The CFST reminds us that a non-occupational accident is any accident that does not fall into the category of occupational accidents (reference to art. 8 LAA).

For an SME, the consequence is immediate: the qualification (professional, non-professional, route) determines the correct advertising channel and the correct documentation.

The 8-hour rule: your first governance check

A key point: a person is insured against non-occupational accidents via the LAA if they work at least 8 hours per week for the same employer.

For less than 8 hours per week with the same employer, non-occupational accidents are not covered by the LAA; and, in this case, accidents on the way to work are considered occupational accidents.

Quick reading chart (for use in management, HR and finance):

Work situation (by employer)	LAA Cover	What this changes for the ANP	SME attention point
≥ 8 hours/week	Work-related and non-work-related accidents	ANP managed via LAA	Bonus deduction, announcement, case follow-up
< 8 hours/week	Work-related accidents only (commuting sometimes considered work-related)	ANP outside LAA	Check accident coverage under LAMal, inform and track

Start and end of coverage and periods of risk

The FOPH summarizes another simple benchmark: coverage begins at the start of the employment relationship (or the right to salary), at the latest when the worker goes to work; it ceases at the end of the 31st day following the day on which the right to half-salary ended.

In the same vein, ANP coverage can be extended by special agreement for a maximum of six months.

This is a key HR governance issue: departures, reduced activity, unpaid leave, unemployment, partial return to work. These are the moments when a coverage gap appears if the information is not provided and tracked.

Bonuses: who pays what (and why this needs to be clear in payroll)

The AVS/AI guide outlines the basic rules: premiums for occupational accidents and illnesses are the employer's responsibility; those for non-occupational accidents are the employee's responsibility (unless more favorable agreements apply). The employer nevertheless pays the full premiums and deducts the employee's share from their salary.

Decision to be formalized: who validates the ANP (HR) liability, who sets up the deduction (payroll), and how do we manage hybrid situations (irregular hours, multiple contracts).

Concrete impacts for the company: HR, finance, business continuity

The ANP is not just a disaster: it is disorganization

The visible impact is absence. The lasting impact is disorganization: redistribution of tasks, dependencies on a key person, delivery delays, increased mental strain on teams, and quality risks. None of this is automatically "reimbursed."

The management process involves making quick decisions: who replaces, which tasks cease, what level of service is maintained, and what operational risk is accepted.

Payroll and loss of earnings: two figures that structure your trade-offs

Suva reminds us of an important reference point for income replacement: in the event of incapacity for work due to an accident or occupational disease, the daily allowance corresponds to 80% of the insured earnings and is paid from the third day.

Another key point to consider: the guaranteed gain is capped. The AVS/AI guide indicates a maximum amount of 148,200 francs per year (406 francs per day).

What these figures change for an SME:

• If you contractually maintain the full salary, you need to decide how the difference is funded and documented;

• If certain salaries exceed the cap, the risk of "income gap" exists for key positions. This must be identified upstream (mapping) and addressed through a decision (acceptance, internal rule, supplementary coverage).

Administration and speed: the quality of the ad is a lever

Suva recommends reporting accidents "as quickly as possible." It describes the expected procedure: workers immediately inform the employer, then the employer forwards the accident report.

It also specifies important information: type of accident, weekly working hours, profession/position, statement of facts, salary.

Governance implications: a quality announcement reduces back-and-forth communication, speeds up processing and secures qualification (professional vs non-professional).

Managing a non-work-related accident: the "manage, document, monitor" method

1) Manage: qualify and secure the subjection

From the moment an internal report is received, apply a consistent mini-protocol:

• What type of accident: work-related, non-work-related, or commuting accident?

• Subject to: Is the person above the 8-hour threshold "at our place"?

• Framing: what is the continuity plan (manager), what is the HR file (HR), what are the payroll impacts (finance)?

Mini case study 1: Part-time work < 8 hours, leisure accident

You employ someone with a rate below the 8-hour weekly threshold. They are injured on the weekend (leisure activities) and submit a medical certificate.

Decisions and points of attention:

• Check coverage: < 8 hours/week with the same employer means that the ANP is not covered by the LAA.

• The AVS/AI guide explicitly warns: in this case, accident coverage with the health insurer should not be suspended.

• Internal governance: document the situation (weekly schedule, nature of the accident) and clarify, with the person, the correct external contact (health insurer, according to their contract).

This scenario is not uncommon in service-based SMEs. It justifies an onboarding rule and a standardized message for low rates.

2) Documentation: aim for consistency, not paperwork

Your objective is simple: avoid qualification disputes and secure the calculation basis.

Box: What needs to be documented

• Contract, start date, function, job description.

• Weekly working hours (proof, especially if variable hours).

• Factual account: date, place, activity, possible route, circumstances.

• Medical certificate and progress (partial resumption, restrictions).

• Required salary data (last salary, regular payments). Suva emphasizes the importance of salary information in the declaration.

• Case history: relapse, exchanges, internal decisions.

Good CFO/HR reflex: the documents must be retrievable and understandable without reconstructing the story.

3) Follow-up: return to work and review points

Monitoring should be structured: medical status, work capacity, adjustments, recovery plan, and operational impacts. The goal is not to "over-control" but to reduce the duration of uncertainty.

Mini case study 2: unpaid leave, accident after the 31-day period

An executive takes unpaid leave. An accident occurs after the 31-day period following the end of the entitlement to half-salary.

Note: the FOPH reminds us of the 31-day rule; beyond that, a special agreement can extend the ANP up to a maximum of six months.

Suva specifies that insurance by agreement allows to extend the ANP coverage and indicates, for its scheme, a monthly premium of 65 francs.

SME Management:

• Before the holiday: integrate an "accident coverage" step into the checklist (information, traceability).

• During the break: recall the window and the options; trace the information given.

• After the accident: document the chronology (dates) and direct to the correct coverage (conventional insurance if activated, otherwise health insurer, depending on the situation).

Guidelines and checklist

Checklist for management, CFO, HR

1. Mapping risk situations

• Employees < 8 hours/week per employer (ANP excluding LAA).

• Irregular hours: the proof is the traceability of hours.

1. Validate the "loss of profit" trade-offs

• Reminder: daily allowance of 80% of the insured earnings from the 3rd day.

• Reminder: guaranteed earnings ceiling 148,200 francs/year.

• Internal decision: handling of the gap (accepted, completed, assured).

1. Standardize the advertisement

• Who is making the announcement, through which channel, and with which pieces?

• Quality requirement: working hours, position, facts, salary.

1. Securing departures and holidays

• Reminder of the 31-day deadline and the possible extension.

• HR traceability: signed checklist or archived information email.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

1. Assuming everyone is covered by ANP

Antidote: "8 hours per employer" check during onboarding.

1. Forget about health insurance for low rates

Antidote: standard message and AVS/AI reminder about the non-suspension of accident coverage.

1. Discovering the 31-day rule at the wrong time

Antidote: HR checklist for unpaid leave and departures.

1. Announcing too late or with incomplete information

Antidote: simple procedure and standardized minimum documents (fact, working time, salary, certificate).

1. Do not anticipate the maximum guaranteed gain

Antidote: map the functions involved, decide, document.

Questions to ask your insurer/broker

1. How do you apply the 8-hour rule for irregular hours (evidence expected, reference period)?

2. How do you handle a commuting accident for a < 8 hours, and what documents are needed?

3. Which advertising channel do you recommend (portal, interface, form) and who should have access to it?

4. What information most reduces back-and-forth communication (position, facts, salary, working hours, etc.)?

5. How do you track cases (steps, deadlines, expected documents) and what are your points of contact?

6. How do you calculate the daily allowance and what salary elements must be provided?

7. How do you handle cases where the salary exceeds the LAA ceiling?

8. What are your practical rules and deadlines for insurance by agreement?

9. How do you decide on a grey area of "professional vs non-professional" (commuting, mixed activity), and on what documentation?

10. What follow-up reports can we obtain for our internal management (case status, missing documents, history)?

Conclusion

A non-work-related accident should be managed like a risk: clear guidelines, responsible decisions, consistent documentation, and regular monitoring. Key figures (the 8-hour threshold, the 31-day time limit, compensation at 80% from the 3rd day, and the maximum insured earnings) allow you to make decisions before the emergency arises, not during it.

Next step: formalize a short procedure (who does what, which parts, which milestones) and test it on a hypothetical case. This transforms a "reactive" issue into a controlled process.