Bierl Life Insurance: Optimise financial security for your loved ones
07.06.25
8
Minutes
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
A Bierl term life insurance policy protects your family financially should something happen to you. Find out how to make the best provision with the right strategy and avoid pitfalls. This way, you can sustainably protect your loved ones’ standard of living.
The topic in brief and concise terms
A Bierl term life insurance policy provides financial protection for dependants by paying out an agreed sum in the event of death, often for premiums of less than ten euros a month.
The sum insured should be at least three to five times the annual gross income plus any existing debts.
Truthful information during the health assessment is crucial, as false statements can jeopardise insurance cover; an anonymous preliminary risk enquiry can help here.
Understanding key facts about Bierl term life insurance
Bierl Risikoleben is pure death benefit cover. It pays out a lump sum if the insured person dies during the term of the contract.
Unlike endowment life insurance, it is not intended for wealth accumulation. Its main purpose is to provide financial security for dependants.
As a result, premiums are often more than fifty per cent lower. This makes the Bierl Risikoleben a cost-effective solution.
The payout can be used to repay a mortgage of 200,000 euros. This helps keep the family home in place.
Bierl Risikoleben is therefore a fundamental building block of private provision.
Maximise the benefits of Bierl term life insurance
A major advantage of Bierl term life insurance is the comparatively low premiums. You can already obtain a high level of cover for under ten euros a month.
The insured sum can be selected flexibly, often up to several hundred thousand euros. This enables tailored protection for your family.
The payout in the event of a claim is free of income tax. Unmarried couples can save inheritance tax through cross-insurance.
A Bierl term life insurance policy also covers business partners or business loans.
Flexibility often extends to adjustments during the term. This means your cover grows with your needs.
Target group analysis: Who benefits the most?
Young families with children benefit greatly from Bierl term life insurance. If one income is lost, financial shortfalls of over EUR 1,000 can quickly arise.
Primary earners can thus secure the standard of living of their dependants. Property buyers use the Bierl term life insurance to protect their loans.
A remaining debt of EUR 150,000 can be repaid this way. Unmarried couples should make provision, as they do not receive a widow’s pension.
Business owners can cover business partners or important loans (e.g. EUR 100,000). The need for Bierl term life insurance is wide-ranging.
Cost structure for Bierl life insurance made transparent
The premium amount for your Bierl term life insurance depends on several factors. Your age at entry plays a significant role. Younger people often pay only five to ten euros a month.
The desired sum assured (e.g. €250,000) directly affects the premium. The policy term (often 10-30 years) is also crucial.
Your state of health when the policy is taken out is another factor. Smokers often pay twice or three times as much as non-smokers. Hazardous hobbies can lead to surcharges.
A Bierl term life insurance policy can be taken out with a decreasing sum assured. This reduces the premiums.
This makes sense, for example, if a loan is being repaid over 20 years. An exact calculation requires an individual assessment.
Mastering the health assessment: tips for the application
The medical underwriting is central when taking out a Bierl term life policy. Insurers ask in detail about pre-existing conditions from the last five to ten years.
Answer all questions truthfully and completely. False statements can lead to loss of insurance cover.
If you are unsure, obtain information from your doctors. An anonymous pre-underwriting enquiry via a broker can be useful.
Some providers, such as Finanzberatung Bierl, offer promotions with simplified medical questions.
This applies to certain target groups, for example for property financing of up to 500,000 euros.
A Bierl term life policy is often easy to take out despite minor complaints. Chronic illnesses can lead to premium surcharges or exclusions. Careful preparation pays off.
Our expert tip: make use of the option of an anonymous pre-underwriting enquiry. This allows you to compare the terms with several insurers.
Your data is not stored directly in the process. This increases your chances of securing an optimal contract by up to thirty per cent.
Know the legal foundations of Bierl term life insurance
The Insurance Contract Act (VVG) forms the legal basis for Bierl Risikoleben. It regulates the rights and obligations of the insurer and the policyholder.
The pre-contractual duty to disclose (§ 19 VVG) is particularly important. You must state material risk-related circumstances correctly. A breach of this duty can have serious consequences.
The insurer may withdraw from the contract or refuse benefits. The cooling-off period for life insurance is 30 days after receipt of the policy.
In the event of a claim, the insurer pays the agreed sum to the beneficiaries. A Bierl Risikoleben therefore offers legally sound protection. This helps you.
Important sections in the VVG for Bierl Risikoleben are:
§ 19 VVG: Duty to disclose before conclusion of the contract
§ 21 VVG: Legal consequences of breaching the duty to disclose
§ 150 VVG: Insurance on another person
§ 152 VVG: Policyholder's right of withdrawal (30 days)
§ 159 VVG: Beneficiary entitlement
§ 161 VVG: Suicide (often exclusion of benefits in the first three years)
§ 169 VVG: Surrender value (usually zero for term life insurance)
In the event of the insured person's death, the claim must be submitted to Bierl Risikoleben. The beneficiaries must inform the insurer without delay.
The following documents are usually required: policy document, official death certificate and medical certificate stating the cause of death.
The processing time after receipt of complete documents is often only a few days to two weeks. The payout is made as a lump sum to the person(s) named in the contract.
If no beneficiary was explicitly named, the amount falls into the estate.
For a Bierl Risikoleben used to secure a loan, the bank may be entered as beneficiary. Swift processing ensures financial support is provided promptly.
Expert advice: Designing the optimal Bierl term life insurance
The right design of your Bierl term life insurance is crucial. The sum assured should be at least three to five times your gross annual income.
Take existing liabilities such as loans of, for example, €180,000 into account.
The term should be chosen so that obligations are covered, e.g. until children are 25 years old.
An indexation option allows the annual increase of the sum assured and premium by, for example, five per cent without a new health assessment. A guaranteed insurability option allows adjustments in the event of major life events.
These include marriage, the birth of a child or the purchase of a property (value over €300,000).
A Bierl term life insurance should be reviewed and adjusted regularly.
Our expert tip: Have your insurance situation reviewed every three to five years to ensure optimal cover.
Checklist for optimal design:
Needs analysis: How high is the financial need of your dependants (at least €150,000)?
Sum assured: Three to five times gross annual income plus debts.
Term: Until children are financially independent (often until the age of 25).
Beneficiary entitlement: Clearly defined to avoid inheritance tax traps (if necessary, cross-insurance).
Flexibility options: Check guaranteed insurability and indexation.
Health declarations: Make absolutely correct and complete declarations.
Provider comparison: Obtain at least three quotes.
Careful planning secures the best possible support for your loved ones. Request your individual risk analysis now.
Have your insurance situation checked free of charge and receive specific recommendations for improvement.
More useful links
The GDV offers a publication with up-to-date figures on German life insurance for 2024.
Statista provides comprehensive data and statistics on life insurance in Germany.
Wikipedia offers a detailed article on term life insurance, providing basic information.
The GDV offers an overview of statistics on the German insurance industry, specifically on life insurance.
The Institute of Insurance Economics at the University of St. Gallen provides a PDF publication on term life insurance in Germany.
Statista provides statistics on deaths in Germany.
The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) offers a statistical report on deaths in Germany, broken down by days, weeks and months.
The German Centre of Gerontology (DZA) examines how bereavement can triple the risk of financial overburdening due to housing costs.
The Consumer Advice Centre provides consumer information on term life insurance and its protection in the event of death.
FAQ
Who is Bierl term life insurance particularly important for?
It is particularly important for young families, sole breadwinners, property owners with loans (e.g. a remaining debt of 150,000 euros) and unmarried couples who do not have any statutory survivor benefits.
What happens if I provide false information during the health assessment?
False or incomplete information can lead to the insurer withdrawing from the contract, adjusting it or, in the event of a claim, refusing payment. Honesty is essential here.
Is the payout from a Bierl term life insurance policy taxable?
The payout is exempt from income tax. However, inheritance tax may apply, depending on the degree of relationship and the tax-free allowances (e.g. child allowance of EUR 400,000).
What is the difference between a constant and decreasing sum insured?
With a level sum insured, cover remains unchanged for the entire term. With a decreasing sum insured (e.g. to repay a loan of EUR 200,000 over 20 years), the sum insured decreases annually, which reduces the premiums.
How quickly is the payout made in the event of death?
After submission of all necessary documents (death certificate, insurance policy, etc.), payment is usually made within a few days to two weeks.
Can I adjust the sum insured of my Bierl term life insurance later?
Many policies offer guaranteed insurability options. This allows you to increase the sum insured when certain events occur (e.g. the birth of a child, a ten per cent salary increase) without having to undergo another health assessment.
