UVG/Occupational Accident Wage Sum
UVG wage sum records the total insurable payroll subject to mandatory Swiss occupational accident insurance (UVG), forming the premium base that Suva or the private UVG insurer applies its hazard-class rate to.
- Category
- People · CHF
- Data type
- Number
- Risk drivers
- Severity, Frequency, Accumulation
- Underwriting impact
- Premium, Condition/Warranty
Typical proposal-form questions
- What is the total annual AHV-relevant wage sum for all employees subject to UVG?
- How is the wage sum split between occupational and non-occupational accident risk?
- Is the declared wage sum a final figure or a provisional estimate subject to year-end adjustment?
Evidence
- Suva/UVG business description (Betriebsbeschreibung)
- Payroll and AHV wage statement
- Prior-year premium settlement statement
Why it matters for underwriting
The declared wage sum is the direct premium base for mandatory occupational accident insurance under the Swiss Federal Accident Insurance Act (UVG): the insurer multiplies the wage sum by the applicable hazard-class rate to calculate the annual premium. An understated wage sum leads to under-collection that must be corrected at year-end settlement, while an overstated figure inflates cash cost unnecessarily. Because most employers combine occupational and non-occupational cover, and because non-occupational rates depend on whether staff work more than eight hours per week, the split of the wage sum between the two risk categories materially changes the total premium bill and must be tracked accurately.
Capturing the attribute and evidence
Proposal and renewal forms ask for the total AHV-relevant wage sum per hazard class, split into occupational and non-occupational components, together with employee headcount by activity. Underwriters corroborate the declaration against the Suva or private-insurer business description (Betriebsbeschreibung), the payroll/AHV wage statement, and the prior year’s premium settlement statement, since final premiums are always adjusted retrospectively once actual wages are known.
Effect on coverage, premium and conditions
The wage sum, combined with the hazard class, directly sets the premium; it does not usually change coverage scope, sublimits or exclusions. Insurers commonly attach a wage-sum reporting condition requiring the policyholder to declare actual wages annually, with premium adjusted retroactively; persistent under-declaration can trigger contractual penalties or a demand for security.
Mitigation measures
Employers reduce rating volatility by maintaining accurate, activity-based payroll records, promptly reporting material headcount or wage changes during the policy year, and reconciling declared wage sums against AHV filings before each renewal to avoid large retrospective adjustments.