Compensation for persons damaged in conjunction with the armed forces

The Armed Forces Compensation Act (Heeresentschädigungsgesetz) replaced the Armed Forces Welfare Act (Heeresversorgungsgesetz) as of 1 July 2016.

The Armed Forces Compensation Act regulates the entitlements of persons carrying out compulsory military service, women undergoing military training and conscripts (members of the militia, for example) when they have suffered damage to their health as a consequence of their military service or an accident on the way to or from their duty. It also regulates the entitlements of their dependants.

The benefits provided essentially correspond to those of statutory accident insurance, whereby for those who have suffered harm an invalidity pension in particular may be awarded (in the case of a reduced ability to work of at least 20 percent over a period of more than three months).

Surviving dependants can assert their entitlement to a survivor’s pension. Entitlement to benefits awarded according to the Armed Forces Welfare Act remain valid. The General Accident Insurance Institution (AUVA) is responsible for the application of the Armed Forces Compensation Act. Further details are available from the website of the AUVA.