When does occupational disability insurance pay?
It depends on your work as you did it before the health restriction. A job title alone rarely describes this well. A skilled trade may include assembly, planning and customer visits; When working in an office, concentration, conversations and fixed appointments can be essential.
If you’re unable to perform this job entirely or partially due to illness, injury, or excessive strength loss beyond your age, §172 VVG’s threshold has been met. Your contract specifies which impairments qualify for benefits.
Your tasks and the medical prognosis count together.
- At least 50 %
- Impairment in practicing the insured profession.
- At least 6 months
- Estimated duration according to a commonly agreed forecast rule.
Both values depend on the tariff. They are neither a standard legal promise nor a request to wait six months before reporting.
The often mentioned 50 percent is not a simple halving of your weekly hours. The importance of individual tasks and their interaction also count. Anyone who can no longer carry out a formative activity must therefore be viewed differently than someone who just needs longer to complete the same tasks.
A diagnosis alone does not decide the case. Medical reports must explain how the illness affects work. These can include mental illnesses as well as cancer or back problems. Agreed exclusions remain relevant.
A monthly pension
If the benefits are recognized, you will receive the agreed BU pension. It is based on your contract and is not recalculated every month from your last salary.
Illness and consequences of accidents
The coverage is generally not limited to accidents. This distinguishes occupational disability insurance (BU) from pure accident insurance. The insured causes and the definition of benefits remain decisive.
Exemption from contributions
Many contracts also stipulate that you do not have to continue paying the BU contribution during a recognized occupational disability. Check when this exemption applies and when it ends.
The agreed service duration
The pension is paid as long as the conditions are met, at most until the agreed end date. The insurer can later check whether the occupational disability continues.
How high should your BU pension be?
Look at the expenses that would remain without your salary. Rent or credit, food and current contracts are quickly written down. It's easy to forget about health insurance, retirement planning and money for irregular bills. These items do not disappear on the last working day either.
Deduct only income that would actually be available in this situation. Do not simply count a potential disability pension as guaranteed. Savings can bridge a gap for a while; living off them every month permanently is a different calculation.
Which BU pension covers your current expenses?
Enter your monthly expenses. Only deduct other income that would be available to you even if you were unable to work. The pre-assigned amounts are a fictitious example.
All amounts in euros per month. If an item is omitted, enter 0.
- 1.100 €
- 950 €
- 550 €
- 300 €
- Monthly expenses
- 2.600 €
- Other disposable income
- 300 €
Expenses minus other disposable income, at least 0 euros.
- Planned BU pension
- 1.800 €
The hatched part shows the portion of your registered expenses that is still uncovered.
Simplified budget calculation, no personal recommendation and no estimate of a statutory pension. All income is counted here as fully available. Taxes, health and nursing care insurance contributions, inflation and changes in expenses are not taken into account individually. The insurer checks the insurable pension amount.
A rule of thumb as a percentage of net salary can help you get started. However, it does not replace this breakdown. The appropriate occupational disability pension must also match the insurer's acceptance limits. Tax treatment and possible health and nursing care insurance contributions depend on the type of contract and insurance status; the agreed amount is not completely available money in every situation.
Also think about later. A sufficient pension today loses purchasing power due to rising prices. More income, children or a home loan can also change your needs. Dynamics and subsequent insurance are important contractual issues.
How much does occupational disability insurance cost?
A flat monthly fee would mean little to you here. Insurers evaluate, among other things, entry age, health, occupation and certain leisure risks. Added to this are your desired pension, the final age and the agreed clauses. Even similar job titles can be classified differently depending on the actual job.
When comparing occupational disability insurance, you therefore need the same pension amount and the same term. A contract up to 60 is not simply the cheaper version of protection up to 67. It leaves seven years open if you rely on the income until then. This can be a conscious decision, but requires sustainable financing.
Why are there two premiums in the offer?
The net premium (often called the payment contribution) already accounts for offset surpluses in many tariffs. The gross or base premium is calculated before these adjustments. Declining surpluses may increase your net premium. Always review the policy’s guarantees and adjustment clauses—don’t rely on the initial low premium for the entire term.
For starter tariffs, the later contribution scale is also important. An independent BU can also be assessed separately from a savings contract. If employment protection and pension provision are combined, you should above all clarify what happens to the BU protection in the event of a break in contributions or termination.
A comparison provides a selection, not yet a promise of acceptance.
Check benefits and costs side by side. A test winner from a sample case may not suit your profession or health status. After the risk assessment, surcharges, exclusions, or rejection may follow.
The comparison buttons take you to our BU comparison with Softfair. It shows the plans available through our Softfair access, not automatically the entire market. The calculator does not ask for health information. If your health history is unclear, it is worth getting expert clarification before a formal application.
Your comparison
Compare with your planned monthly pension.
Set the pension amount and retirement age. Then, using the same parameters, check the premium, the terms and conditions, and the acceptance requirements.
These clauses determine the quality of the protection.
With a BU, the conditions are not a formality after the tariff selection. Some differences will only be felt years later, when you earn more, work part-time, or need a benefit.
Waiver of abstract reference
Without this waiver, the insurer can, under the contractual conditions, refer you to another reasonable activity that fits your training, skills, and previous standing in life. Whether you have actually found such a position is not decisive in the case of an abstract referral.
The specific reference is a different question: it can become relevant if you actually practice another profession. Check their conditions too.
Dynamics before and during retirement
According to the contract rules, a contribution dynamic increases the contribution and the insured pension before the benefit event. To ensure a guaranteed annual increase during your retirement, you need appropriate performance dynamics.
Non-guaranteed surpluses are not a substitute for a promised pension increase. A fixed indexation does not automatically follow actual inflation either.
Additional insurance
On agreed occasions, such as starting a career, getting married or having a child, the pension can be increased without a new health check. Some tariffs offer further increase options.
Deadlines, ages and maximum amounts limit this option. Check whether only health questions are omitted or whether other risks are also reassessed.
Duration of insurance and benefits
The insurance period determines until when the insured benefit event may occur. The duration of benefits determines the maximum amount up to which a recognized pension will be paid. Both final ages belong in the comparison.
Also read the rules on the six-month prognosis, retrospective benefits, the deferred period and subsequent reviews.
Health questions: Take the relevant documents.
You visited a specialist a few years ago but forgot the exact diagnosis: such gaps are a reason to review your records. Obtain patient files or a statement from your health insurance company if necessary. Clarify any unclear or inaccurate entries with the treating practice.
Answer the questions completely and truthfully according to their exact wording. The time periods requested may vary for outpatient treatment, hospital stays and other circumstances. A question about existing complaints is not resolved simply because a previous visit to the doctor was some time ago.
§ 19 VVG regulates the pre-contractual notification obligation. Incorrect or missing information may, depending on the circumstances, lead to contract modification, termination, withdrawal or problems with performance. Not every error automatically has the same consequence; this is precisely why careful preparation is worthwhile.
Prepare health questions with the appropriate documents.
AI-generated everyday scene. Not staff portraits or documented customer cases.
A risk inquiry comes before the application.
In the case of pre-existing illnesses, a professionally accompanied, anonymous preliminary risk inquiry can show how different insurers assess the case. This doesn't save you having to check later, but it does avoid unprepared applications to several companies. An exclusion should be read particularly carefully: if it affects the very risk you are concerned about, it changes the benefit of the contract.
There is no good insurance reason to postpone necessary treatment. A blanket recommendation to simply wait for the end of a query period would also be wrong. Ongoing complaints and other questions may still be relevant.
Health documents belong in the designated secure transmission channel. Do not send them via our general contact page.
For whom is occupational disability insurance useful?
Anyone who earns their living from work should consider the long-term loss of this income. Sufficient assets or reliable alternative provisions can change the need. Different contractual questions arise for each of the following situations.
Mitarbeiter, auch im Büro
Continued payment of wages and sick pay are limited in terms of time and amount. They do not replace permanent income planning. An office job can be affected by illness just as much as physical activity.
Self-employed people
First, check existing entitlements from statutory pension insurance or pension schemes. Rules regarding possible reorganization of the business are also important in the occupational disability (BU) insurance contract. Private living expenses and ongoing business costs should be calculated separately.
Pupils and students
Thinking about protection early can be beneficial. The decisive factors are the insured activity, the classification and possible future increases. Let me explain how the transition from school or study to work is handled.
Civil servants
Incapacity for service and occupational disability are determined differently. A suitable incapacity-for-service clause can therefore be important. Status, length of service, and pension entitlements differ; civil servants on probation or with revocable status in particular should not assume adequate provision.
Part-time work, parental leave, and unpaid family care
Fewer hours worked does not automatically mean fewer financial consequences of an illness. Care and household chores might have to be organized or paid for differently. Check which activity your tariff is based on in these phases of life and how it evaluates part-time work.
If relatives would still be dependent on money after your death, the Term life insurance a separate topic. A BU pension generally ends with the death of the insured person; it is not an agreed death benefit for the family.
Go over working hours, care and ongoing family expenses together.
AI-generated everyday scene. Not staff portraits or documented customer cases.
What does the statutory disability pension provide?
The statutory pension insurance generally checks how much you can still work under the usual conditions of the general labor market. The fact that your previous job is no longer possible is not enough by itself. This difference is easily overlooked when both cases are referred to as a pension.
The benchmark is the general labor market.
Simplified medical assessment under § 43 SGB VI. This refers to the daily work capacity that is still possible, not just the working hours in the previous occupation.
- Under 3 hours
- Time requirement for full reduction in earning capacity.
- 3 to under 6 hours
- Time requirement for partial reduction in earning capacity.
- From 6 hours onward
- In principle, no reduction in earning capacity according to this time scale.
In addition, insurance law requirements apply. Special rules and the possibility of a full pension if the part-time labor market is closed are not shown in this graphic. Private occupational disability insurance is assessed differently.
In addition, there is generally a five-year general waiting period and three years of compulsory contributions within the last five years before the disability occurs. There are exceptions and times that may extend the review period. Check your insurance history and pension information instead of assuming a general average amount.
If a BU is not possible or only possible to a limited extent
Private income disability insurance is tied to a more extensive restriction of earning capacity. Basic ability insurance assesses the loss of specifically named abilities, such as walking or seeing, according to its own definitions. Critical illness insurance pays out for the insured diagnoses and severity levels. None of these alternatives automatically replaces the benefit assessment of occupational disability insurance (BU).
Those too private accident insurance has a narrower trigger: the insured accident and its consequences. It can provide money for permanent impairments, but generally leaves occupational incapacity due to illness open. Therefore, compare alternatives based on the gap that remains in each case.
How to prepare a benefit application.
If a longer-term restriction becomes foreseeable, ask the insurer to provide the necessary documents. Do not delay reporting solely because of a six-month clause. The prognosis may already be decisive; the specific conditions apply to retroactive benefits.
Continue treatment
Have your symptoms medically evaluated. Findings and medical history form the basis; the insurance application does not replace treatment.
describe work
Record which tasks have shaped your healthy everyday working life and which of them are now restricted.
Coordinate documentation
Submit requested documents in a comprehensible manner. Keep copies and correspondence and respect deadlines.
Review your claim
Have unclear questions or rejections explained. In the event of a dispute, expert, independent support may be necessary.
In parallel, clarify which benefits are provided by your Health insurance Check your BU insurance coverage and how you’ll cover the gap until a decision is made. A pending BU pension claim is not yet paid out.
Häufige Fragen: Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung
Does occupational disability insurance make sense if I work in an office?
Yes, if you rely on your income from work, a BU is an important test, even for an office job. Mental illnesses, cancer or musculoskeletal problems can also affect desk work. Whether your contract performs depends on the impact on your specific job and the agreed conditions.
When does occupational disability insurance pay?
Many tariffs provide occupational disability from at least 50 percent if this condition is expected to persist for at least six months. This is a common tariff rule, not a general legal guarantee of performance. A sick note or diagnosis alone is not enough for a BU pension. Your previous activity, medical evidence and possible exclusions will also be checked.
Is there occupational disability insurance without health questions?
A health check is part of the regular individual contract. Some group contracts or time-limited promotions have simplified questions or special access requirements. Not having a medical examination does not mean there are no health questions. Read the declarations actually required and check the pension limits and the scope of benefits.
Can I take out occupational disability insurance (BU) after completing psychotherapy?
A blanket answer would be dubious. Diagnosis, course, completion of treatment and the insurer's acceptance rules play a role. A professionally supported, anonymized risk inquiry can clarify whether regular protection, a surcharge or an exclusion is an option. Answer all questions asked correctly and do not postpone necessary treatment because of insurance.
Is a BU worth it for schoolchildren or students?
Taking out a policy early can make sense as long as your health and contributions are suitable. It is important to know which activity is insured during school or studies and how the pension can be increased when starting your career. A low initial contribution is of little help if the later pension amount is too limited. Also check how much a starter tariff increases in cost over the entire term.
How long should BI protection last?
For as long as you expect to be dependent on your earned income. For many people, this means until their planned retirement. If the contract ends earlier, you will need reliable financing for the remaining years. Check the insurance period and the benefit period separately: They determine until when a benefit event can occur and for how long a recognized pension is paid for at most.
Will I get my contributions back when my contract ends?
For standalone occupational disability insurance without a savings component, no payout is guaranteed just because you remained professionally capable until contract end. Premiums fund risk protection. Products with savings features or surplus allocations function differently and must be evaluated with their additional costs.
What happens if I change my job?
In many BU contracts, the last healthy occupation depends on the benefit claim. Nevertheless, after changing, you should check the regulations regarding job details, possible reporting obligations and the pension amount. Special clauses can be important for parental leave, part-time work, self-employment or a longer break from work. Do not cancel an old contract until new protection has been accepted.
Your comparison
Set your pension amount and end age, then compare.
Compare offers with the same key parameters. Note down any unclear health questions and clauses for the consultation before signing an application.
Sources and Status
Content last updated: . General information, not individual insurance, legal or tax advice. The respective contract and the statutory requirements apply to acceptance and benefits. Sample calculations are not tariff offers.
- § 172 VVG: Occupational disability and last occupation (opens in a new tab)
- § 19 VVG: Pre-contractual notification obligation (opens in a new tab)
- § 43 SGB VI: Total and partial disability (opens in a new tab)
- § 50 SGB VI: General waiting period in pension insurance (opens in a new tab)
- Financial tip: occupational disability insurance, requirements and contract review (opens in a new tab)