Austria is giving all people insured with the SVS insurance system – people who fall under the Selbstständige (self-employed) and Landwirte (farmers) category – a hundred euro bonus if they can prove they are fully vaccinated.
The bonus can also be given to dependents insured with SVS under your cover (children, spouses and pensioners) if they also meet the requirements.
The offer is so far only valid for 2022 and the money is transferred directly to the insured person's account.
You can apply for the bonus by filling in this online form as long as you have a Handy-Signatur or an ID-Austria set up.
READ MORE: What is Austria's Handy-Signatur and how does it work?
However the process is not as easy as merely inputting your Covid-19 vaccinations. A long list of other vaccinations must be proved, examples of which you can find here.
According to the website, you must give the following proof of being vaccinated or recovered from these diseases.
Children up to 15 years of age
- Vaccinations against influenza, HPV.
- Proof of a pneumococcal vaccination (this protects against pneumococcal disease, which is any type of illness caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria).
- Date of the last FSME injection. This must be within the last five years. The FSME injection protects against tick-borne encephalitis.
- Proof they have been given combination vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella as well as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis and haemophilus.
People aged between 15 and 60
- Date of the last MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and polio vaccination. (This should be within the last 10 years).
- Date of the last FSME injection.
- Date of the last Covid-19 vaccination (this must be valid according to the current legal situation).
- Date of a Covid-19 recovery certificate (this must not be older than six months).
Adults over 60
- Proof of a pneumococcal vaccination.
- Date of the last FSME injection.
- Date of the last Covid-19 vaccination (this must be valid according to the current legal situation).
- Date of a Covid-19 recovery certificate (this must not be older than six months).
Vaccinated abroad
SVS told The Local that people vaccinated outside Austria could show their yellow Impfpass (international vaccination booklet) to prove if they had had the necessary jabs, or send any other proof or explanations to show they fulfil the requirements.
When asked about people who were not vaccinated against common childhood diseases, but had achieved immunity by being infected, the advisor said it was possible to submit an Erklärung or declaration that a recovery had taken place.
However, in some cases, Austrian media has reported that people have not been given the bonus due to missing a childhood vaccination.
For example, the Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper reported a 51-year-old self-employed woman from Flachau initially missed out on the bonus because she did not have a childhood measles vaccination.
Healthy lifestyle means fewer deductibles
The campaign is part of a health incentive programme in place by the SVS. Under another preventative health initiative it is also possible for self-employed people in Austria to halve their deductibles from 20 to ten percent if they achieve their health goals, such as stopping smoking.
The deduction can be halved again to five percent if they pursue their health goals sustainably.
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