Inail Circular

School-to-work alternation, accident from home to company also covered

New after the authentic interpretation of the Security Decree. Inail will re-examine all claims from the school year 2023-2024

by Mauro Pizzin

10 January 2026

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

What the circular states
Structural insurance coverage

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Insurance protection guaranteed for students engaged in training courses school-work by Article 18 of the Work Decree (Decree-Law 48/2023) applies not only for accidents occurring on the way between the school and the place where the work experience is carried out, but also for those occurring on the way from their home or other domicile to the place where the work experience is carried out.

What the circular provides for

This was clarified by Inail in its circular 1/2026, published on Friday 9 January, in which it took up what is provided for in Article 7 of the Security Decree (Decree Law 159/2025), as converted by Law 19/2025: an authentic interpretation rule that will result in the re-examination by the Institute's territorial structures of previously rejected requests for insurance cover, including cases with opposition defined negatively in accordance with Article 104 of Presidential Decree 1124/1965. Under the lens, with a three-year limitation period, will therefore end up the requests made from the 2023/2024 school year, in which insurance protection was started on an experimental basis.

Structural Insurance Coverage

The circular also takes stock of the comprehensive insurance discipline for students, teachers and school staff made structural as of the 2025/2026 school and academic year by Decree 90/2025.

With regard to school, teaching and technical-administrative staff, but also for external experts, assistants, researchers, research assistants and instructors, the document recalls that the cover includes all teaching activities with protection for all injury events occurring for work purposes, including accidents en route and with the sole limit of elective risk. The insurance therefore covers occupational injuries and illnesses occurring within the places where teaching and laboratory activities and their appurtenances are carried out, as well as during all internal and external activities with no time limits, organised and authorised by educational and training institutions, including those that are complementary, preliminary and accessory to teaching activities.

Inail's insurance protection for pupils and students from kindergarten to university, including transversal skills and guidance courses, in turn operates for all injury events (occupational injuries and illnesses) attributable to the places where the insured activity takes place and includes all activities organised and authorised by educational and training institutions.

On the benefits front, Inail points out that for pupils and students there is no provision for indemnity for temporary absolute inability, since it is in lieu of the salary paid by the employer to the injured insured person, except in the case of student workers. On the other hand, medical benefits are paid during the period of temporary disability, even after clinical recovery, if they are necessary for the recovery of their psycho-physical integrity.

For both teaching and administrative staff and students the insurance cover provided is that of management on behalf of the State, from which, however, are excluded coordinated and continuous collaborators and students of the Its, insured with ordinary insurance premiums. For non-state schools and training institutes of every order and degree, the insurance of pupils and students is implemented, finally, through the payment of an annual unitary special premium.