Occupational Disability Check: How to Secure Your Workforce Cleverly
2 May 2025
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
One in four workers becomes unable to work during their lifetime. Therefore, an occupational disability check is essential. Find out how you can protect yourself financially and secure your future.
The topic in brief and concise terms
One in four working people statistically becomes unable to work; mental illnesses are the most common cause.
A disability pension should cover approximately eighty percent of net income and run until retirement age.
Important contractual clauses include the waiver of abstract reference, a short forecast period, and guaranteed insurability options.
Understanding Disability: Figures, Facts, and Causes
Occupational disability occurs when you can no longer perform your most recently exercised profession by at least fifty percent. This condition must be expected to last for six months. The causes are varied and affect all age groups. An occupational disability insurance can secure livelihoods here.
Statistical Insights: A Risk for Everyone
About one in four employees will become occupationally disabled during their working life. The average age at onset of occupational disability is around 47 years. Mental illnesses are the most common cause at over thirty percent. They are followed by musculoskeletal disorders and cancer. These figures highlight the need to address this topic at an early stage. The right preventative measures are crucial.
Minimize risk: Accurately assess personal danger
A precise risk analysis is the first step in the occupational disability check. Certain occupational groups carry a higher risk. Statistically, manual workers are more frequently affected than pure office workers. However, sedentary occupations also pose risks, such as through psychological stress. Consider, does one really need an occupational disability insurance?
Do not underestimate individual factors
In addition to the occupation, personal aspects are important. The age at the time of signing the contract significantly influences the premium. A 30-year-old often pays ten to fifteen percent more than a 20-year-old. Health condition and risky hobbies are also relevant factors. Chronic pre-existing conditions can lead to risk surcharges. An honest self-assessment is worth money here. Analyzing these points helps to clarify one's own needs.
Determine financial needs: Set an appropriate pension amount
The correct pension amount is a key aspect of the disability insurance check. It should cover your monthly fixed costs. These include rent, loans, and living expenses. Experts often recommend a pension of around eighty per cent of your last net income. A disability insurance calculator can provide initial guidance.
Practical example of pension calculation
Assuming your net income is 2,500 euros. Cover of eighty per cent would correspond to a disability insurance pension of 2,000 euros. Also consider future price increases. A guaranteed pension increase in the event of a claim of two to three per cent is advisable. An insufficiently high pension can jeopardise your standard of living. Accurate calculation protects against financial shortfalls in critical situations. This is an important step towards financial security.
Check contract details: Important clauses in focus
A comprehensive disability insurance check involves examining key contractual clauses. The waiver of the abstract referral is a must. This means the insurer cannot refer you to another profession. The forecast period should not exceed six months. Also, pay attention to a customer-friendly regulation regarding premium dynamics.
Checklist for your contract:
Pay special attention to the following points:
Waiver of abstract referral: No referral to other professions possible.
Forecast period: Benefit after six months of medically certified disability.
Guaranteed insurability: Adjustment of pension with life changes without new health check.
Benefit dynamics: Annual increase of pension in case of claim by at least two percent.
Worldwide protection: Cover even when moving abroad.
Retroactive benefits: Payment from onset of disability, not just from reporting.
The guaranteed insurability allows flexibility with salary increases. These clauses determine the quality of your protection. A thorough review is therefore essential.
Legal pitfalls: Understanding laws and judgments
The legal definition of occupational disability is found in paragraph 172 of the Insurance Contract Act (VVG). Private insurance terms may differ, usually in favour of the insured. Recent court rulings continuously shape the interpretation. For instance, the Federal Court of Justice has clarified the requirements for temporary acknowledgement. A lawyer specializing in occupational disability can assist in disputes.
Important judgments and their significance:
Some landmark decisions you should be aware of:
Obligation to notify: Incomplete health disclosures can lead to loss of protection (various rulings from Higher Regional Courts).
Abstract delegation: Many policies today waive this, increasing the likelihood of benefits being granted.
Review procedure: Insurance companies must adhere to strict guidelines if they want to discontinue a previously recognized benefit.
Forecast period: Six months is standard in the market and often confirmed by the courts.
Knowledge of current case law strengthens your position. The legal situation is complex, but basic knowledge helps. This enables a better assessment of your rights.
Avoiding Mistakes: Common Pitfalls in Closing
A common mistake is delaying the conclusion of an occupational disability insurance policy. As age increases and with potential pre-existing conditions, premiums often rise by over twenty percent. Another issue is selecting an insufficient pension amount; this should cover at least seventy to eighty percent of net income. The term is also crucial; it should extend until the planned retirement age, ideally until 67. Clarify the difference with incapacity for work.
Other common sources of error:
Make sure to avoid the following mistakes:
Incomplete or incorrect health information often leads to denial of benefits.
A contract term that is too short creates a dangerous gap in coverage before retirement.
Choosing a policy with abstract referral can prevent benefits from being paid.
Ignoring premium dynamics and guaranteed pension increases diminishes the value of protection over the years.
A term until the age of 60 is usually insufficient. Careful planning and advice prevent costly mistakes. This ensures that your protection is effective in case of need.
Expert advice: Specifics for the self-employed and freelancers
Self-employed individuals and freelancers often have no claim to the statutory disability pension. Therefore, a private occupational disability check is essential for them. Their ability to work is their most important asset. Protection of at least €1,500 monthly pension is often the minimum. Determine whether a basic ability insurance could be an alternative.
Special considerations when designing contracts:
For the self-employed, the following aspects are particularly relevant:
Reorganisation clause: Check under what conditions the insurer can demand a reorganisation of the business. A customer-friendly clause waives this if the reorganisation would cost more than twenty percent of the annual profit.
Waiver of doctor’s order clause: The insurer should not prescribe which treatments you must undergo.
Flexibility in premium payment: Options to defer or reduce payments during fluctuations in orders are advantageous.
Guaranteed insurability options: Important when profits are rising or the business is expanding.
A good reorganisation clause takes economic reasonableness into account. Tailored advice is indispensable for the self-employed. This way, you secure your professional and private future. Remember, it is sensible to insure occupational disability.
Request an individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation checked for free and receive concrete optimisation suggestions.
More useful links
Wikipedia provides a comprehensive overview of occupational disability insurance in Germany.
The Deutsche Rentenversicherung offers statistics and reports on reduced earning capacity pensions.
FAQ
Warum ist ein Berufsunfähigkeit Check so wichtig?
Ein Berufsunfähigkeit Check ist wichtig, da statistisch jeder vierte Erwerbstätige berufsunfähig wird und die gesetzliche Absicherung oft nicht ausreicht, um den Lebensstandard zu halten. Er hilft, Risiken zu erkennen und passgenau vorzusorgen.
Welche Rolle spielen Gesundheitsfragen beim Berufsunfähigkeit Check?
Gesundheitsfragen sind entscheidend. Falsche oder unvollständige Angaben können zum Verlust des Versicherungsschutzes führen. Ehrlichkeit und eine eventuelle Risikovoranfrage sind daher unerlässlich.
Wie hoch sollte die Berufsunfähigkeitsrente sein?
Experten empfehlen eine Rentenhöhe von etwa achtzig Prozent des aktuellen Nettoeinkommens, um laufende Kosten und den Lebensstandard im Leistungsfall decken zu können. Für Selbstständige oft mindestens 1.500 Euro.
Was bedeutet "Verzicht auf abstrakte Verweisung"?
Diese Klausel bedeutet, dass der Versicherer Sie im Leistungsfall nicht zwingen kann, einen anderen Beruf auszuüben, den Sie gesundheitlich noch bewältigen könnten, auch wenn dieser nicht Ihrer Ausbildung oder bisherigen Lebensstellung entspricht.
Bis zu welchem Alter sollte eine Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung laufen?
Die Versicherung sollte idealerweise bis zum geplanten Renteneintrittsalter laufen, also meist bis zum 67. Lebensjahr, um eine Versorgungslücke vor der Altersrente zu vermeiden.
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen Berufs- und Erwerbsunfähigkeit?
Berufsunfähigkeit bezieht sich auf den zuletzt ausgeübten Beruf. Erwerbsunfähigkeit bedeutet, dass man gar keiner Tätigkeit auf dem allgemeinen Arbeitsmarkt für mindestens drei Stunden täglich mehr nachgehen kann.
