Croatia - Accidents at work and occupational diseases

This chapter will explain what you are entitled to in the case of an accident at work or an occupational disease.

If you are a national of a European Union country and suffer an accident at work or fall ill with an occupational disease while in Croatia, you are entitled to healthcare with a European Health Insurance Card.

This chapter covers:

benefits in kind and cash benefits in case of an accident at work or an occupational disease (davanja u naravi i novčana davanja zbog povrede na radu ili profesionalne bolesti);
pension insurance system benefits (davanja iz mirovinskog osiguranja).

In what situation can I claim?

Accidents at work and occupational diseases in Croatia are covered by mandatory health and mandatory pension insurance. Benefits are paid from mandatory health insurance in case of temporary incapacity for work, while benefits in case of disability and physical impairment are paid from pension insurance.

An accident at work is defined as an accident arising out of work and in the course of work, including travel between the place of residence and work. An occupational disease is a disease caused by long-term direct exposure to the working process and conditions for certain jobs.

Only those diseases on the official list are considered occupational diseases.

A physical impairment exists when an insured person has suffered a loss, significant damage or substantial impairment of an individual organ or parts of the body which hinders the normal activity of the body and requires greater effort to carry out living needs, regardless of whether it causes disability or not.

What conditions do I need to meet?

In the case of an accident at work or an occupation disease, you are insured not only if you are employed or self-employed, or a farmer, but also if you are a member of a special group of insured persons for whom insurance is provided.

These are, for example, pupils and students during practical training, vocational practice, study tours, and members of voluntary fire departments during fire-fighting activities.

No prior insurance is required to be eligible for benefits in the case of an accident at work or an occupation disease. This holds true for benefits when incapacitated for work, i.e. sickness, as well as when claiming invalidity pension, professional rehabilitation and survivor's pension.

The list of occupational diseases is specified by a separate law.

The list of body impairments is also specified by a separate law.

You may be entitled to body impairment benefit if you have been in an accident at work or fallen ill with an occupational disease. A body impairment is the loss, significant damage or substantial impairment of an individual organ or parts of the body which hinders the normal activity of the body and requires greater effort to carry out living needs.

Body impairments and their levels are expressed in percentages from 30% to 100% and are also determined by law. The rate paid depends on the level of the impairment and ranges from 12% to 40% of the relevant calculation base (see Jargon busters).

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Accidents at work and occupational diseases

Under health insurance, you may claim the following due to an accident at work or an occupational illness:

Screenings and diagnostic procedures as part of specific healthcare at a specialist doctor chosen by the employer. If you are self-employed, you choose your own doctor;
In the case of an accident at work and suspicion of an occupational disease, proceedings must be instituted at the competent local office of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO). This is done by your employer and your chosen primary health care doctor;
Sick leave is dealt with by your chosen primary healthcare doctor.
You claim travel costs by submitting an application to the competent local office of the HZZO;
Funeral costs are claimed by submitting an application to the competent local office of the HZZO and are paid to the person who covered costs of the funeral (for example, a family member).

Pension insurance benefits

Within the pension insurance system, you may be entitled to invalidity pension (invalidska mirovina), occupational rehabilitation (profesionalna rehabilitacija) and impairment benefit (naknada zbog tjelesnog oštećenja).

Entitlement to disability pension and professional insurance proceedings are initiated at the request of your chosen doctor if you are insured (see chapter Invalidity pension);
The process of claiming body impairment benefit begins by filing an application with the regional office of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) in your place of residence. On the basis of your application, a medical assessment will be carried out by the Institute for Medical Assessment, Occupational Rehabilitation and Employment of People with Disabilities;

Jargon busters

The impairment benefit calculation base is the cash amount on the basis of which the cash benefit is calculated.

Forms you may need to fill in

Know your rights

You can find out about your legal rights at the links below. They are not European Commission websites and do not represent the views of the Commission:

Commission publications and websites:

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=849&langId=en.

Who do you need to contact?

Croatian Health Insurance Fund
Margaretska 3
HR-10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Tel. +385 800 7979
http://www.hzzo.hr/en/

Croatian Pension Insurance Institute
A. Mihanovica 3
HR-10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Tel. +385 14595500, +385 800636363
http://mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?id=4298

Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy
Ulica grada Vukovara 78
HR-10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Tel. +385 16106310
https://mrosp.gov.hr/

Ministry of Health
Ksaver 200A
HR-10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Tel. +385 16109300
https://zdravlje.gov.hr/kontakti/1982

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