
They make the decisions necessary to apply accident insurance within the legal framework. Both organs of self-administration, the assembly of representatives and the board of directors for each carrier are composed in equal proportion of employer and employee representatives chosen through elections. On the other hand, they are independent and self-governing in many respects. As corporations of public law, the (Berufgenossenshaften) come under governmental administration and, as such, are part of the legal system. The most significant sector-industrial accident insurance-is given the most attention in the following discussion.

In the course of its development, the system has been continually amended and expanded in many respects. If the case results in death, the survivors receive pensions and other monetary benefits.

Permanent health problems, furthermore, are to be compensated through annuity payments. In this capacity, the primary goal is to restore the health of the insured to the extent possible and to re-integrate the insured into occupational and social life (medical, occupational and social rehabilitation). In the event of a workplace accident or the onset of an occupational illness, the system has the task of providing comprehensive compensation for injury or damages.In the future, this role should be expanded. The accident insurance system, using all appropriate means, should assist in preventing work-related accidents and occupational diseases.It has the following legal responsibilities: The statutory accident insurance system was introduced as an independent branch of social security by the accident insurance law of 1884 and has existed since 1885.
