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Top up for employees
Daily benefit from day 43, covering the gap between net pay and public sick pay. Inexpensive, because it starts after employer pay ends.
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Sick pay insurance: keeping your income when illness keeps you off work
In Germany your employer pays your full salary for the first six weeks of illness. After that, public health insurance pays sick pay that is capped and below your net income. Self-employed people often get nothing at all unless they have opted in. A private daily sick pay plan (Krankentagegeld) pays a fixed amount for every day you cannot work, so rent, loans and living costs stay covered.
The question almost everyone asks first
From which day should private sick pay start?
For employees, from day 43, which is exactly when the employer's six weeks of continued pay end. If you are self-employed, choose the start day according to your savings. If you can bridge six weeks yourself, a late start keeps the premium low. If you have no buffer, you need an early start, depending on the insurer from day 4, 8, 15 or 22.
The gap after six weeks
Once continued pay from your employer ends, the public health fund pays Krankengeld: 70 percent of gross earnings, at most 90 percent of net, and only on income up to the contribution ceiling of €5,812.50 a month. In 2026 that means a maximum of €135.63 a day, from which pension, unemployment and long term care contributions are still deducted.
Average earners lose roughly ten to twenty percent of their net pay. High earners can lose a third or more. A private plan starting on day 43 tops up exactly this difference and is relatively inexpensive, because it only pays for longer absences.
Self-employed in Germany: no opt in, no money
If you are self-employed and in public health insurance, you only receive sick pay after filing an election declaration (Wahlerklärung) with your fund. Benefits then start on day 43, and your contribution rate rises from the reduced to the general rate. Without that declaration you get no sick pay, however long you are ill.
The first six weeks are on you either way. That is where a private plan with an early start day helps. If you are privately insured, you have no public sick pay at all, and the private daily benefit is your only income replacement.
What inability to work means in the policy
German model terms for private sick pay require complete inability to work: on medical findings you temporarily cannot practise your occupation in any way, you are not practising it, and you have no other paid work. Answering client emails while signed off can cost you the benefit.
If it becomes clear you will never be able to return to your job, the sick pay plan ends. From then on only disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung) pays. The two belong together: sick pay for temporary illness, disability cover for the long term.
What is covered
- A fixed daily amount for each calendar day of complete inability to work
- Illness and accidents, at work and in private life
- Mental health conditions when a doctor certifies inability to work
- No fixed maximum duration as long as the inability to work is temporary
- A start day of your choice, for the self-employed often from day 4
- Depending on the plan, increases in line with rising income without new health questions
- Depending on the plan, payments during a gradual return to work
What is not covered
- Partial inability to work, for example if you keep working half days
- Permanent inability to do your job, which needs separate disability cover
- Conditions excluded when you signed up
- Illness during the waiting period
- Days before the agreed start day
- Payments above your actual net income
Who needs it
- Self-employed people and freelancers whose income stops on the first day of illness
- Anyone in German private health insurance, who receives no public sick pay
- Employees earning above the contribution ceiling
- People paying a mortgage, loan or rent out of their monthly income
Who does not need it
- Civil servants (Beamte), whose pay continues during illness
- Employees on modest incomes whose public sick pay comes close to their net pay and who have savings
Wheel of misfortune
Spin the wheel of bad luck
Six things that really happen. The wheel picks yours and shows who pays.
Cost:
Budget policy
Strong policy
See all six cases
- Freelance designer breaks her arm, five weeks without income. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. A plan starting on day 43 pays nothing for five weeks off. With a start on day 8 or 15, most of the time is covered.
- Slipped disc, three months off, around €12,000 on €4,000 net a month. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. Even the basic plan pays from day 43. Only an early start day covers the first six weeks.
- Burnout after a big project, often several months without income. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. With complete inability to work certified by a doctor, sick pay also covers mental health. Gaps arise with a late start or excluded past conditions.
- Signed off, but answering emails, the daily benefit for that period. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Working in your job while signed off means you are not completely unable to work. That applies to every plan.
- Gradual return after cancer, several weeks of a few hours a day. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays in part. Without a special clause, payments stop with the first hour of work. Some plans keep paying during a gradual return, often at a reduced rate.
- Roofer can never climb again, lost income until retirement. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays in part. Once permanent inability to work is established, sick pay ends after a short run off period. Disability insurance covers the years after.
What it costs
The premium depends mostly on the start day. Sick pay from day 43 costs a fraction of the same amount from day 4, because most sick notes end after a few days.
What drives the premium
- Start day of payments
- Daily amount
- Age when you sign up
- Occupation, since manual work leads to more absences
- Health status and any surcharges or exclusions
- Pricing with or without ageing reserves
We do not show example premiums because occupation, start day and daily amount move the price too much. Your premium is fixed in the quote after the health questions.
The policy levels on the market
02
Cover for the self-employed
Daily benefit equal to net income from an early day, such as day 15 or 22. Costs more, but money arrives after a short buffer.
03
Staggered cover
A small amount from day 4 or 8 and a larger one from day 43. Covers fixed costs early and full income in a long illness.
How to recognise a good policy
| Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start day | from day 43 | freely chosen, from day 4 for the self-employed, also staggered | It has to match your savings and any employer pay. |
| Increases with income | only with new health questions | increase without health questions when income rises | After a diagnosis you could otherwise no longer increase cover. |
| Reduction when income falls | cut to your new net income | waived or tightly limited, for example in the start up years | One weak year should not permanently reduce your cover. |
| Gradual return to work | no payments once you work a few hours | payments during a medically supervised gradual return | Getting back after serious illness often takes weeks. |
| Transition to disability | ends when permanent inability to work is established | several months of continued payments and alignment with disability cover | Otherwise there can be a period with no money from either policy. |
| Cancellation by the insurer | statutory right in the first three years | insurer waives it from day one | Your cover should stay after your first long absence. |
Insurers on the German market
Daily sick pay is offered by German private health insurers, either as a standalone plan for people in public insurance or as part of full private cover. The list is a market overview of well-known insurers.
| Insurer | Background |
|---|---|
| DKV | health insurer of ERGO Group |
| ERGO | part of Munich Re, also sold directly online |
| Allianz | agents and brokers |
| Barmenia | part of Barmenia Gothaer group |
| Hallesche | part of ALH group, sold through brokers |
| Signal Iduna | mutual insurer, agents and brokers |
| Continentale | mutual insurer, agents and brokers |
| INTER | Mannheim based insurer, agents and brokers |
Compare the wordings of all tariffs Sick pay 26 tariffs from 18 providers, as of 24 October 2026
From the BaFin register
42
42 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance.
(Krankenversicherer)
Show all 42 names from the register
- Allianz Private Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- ALTE OLDENBURGER Krankenversicherung AG
- ALTE OLDENBURGER Krankenversicherung von 1927 Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- ARAG Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Augenoptiker Ausgleichskasse VVaG (AKA)
- AXA Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Barmenia Krankenversicherung AG
- Bayerische Beamtenkrankenkasse Aktiengesellschaft
- Concordia Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Continentale Krankenversicherung a.G.
- Debeka Krankenversicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit Sitz Koblenz am Rhein
- DEVK Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- DKV Deutsche Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ENVIVAS Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ERGO Krankenversicherung AG
- Generali Deutschland Krankenversicherung AG
- Gothaer Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Hallesche Krankenversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
- HanseMerkur Krankenversicherung AG
- HanseMerkur Krankenversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
- HanseMerkur Speziale Krankenversicherung AG
- HUK-COBURG-Krankenversicherung AG
- INTER Krankenversicherung AG
- Landeskrankenhilfe V.V.a.G.
- LIGA Krankenversicherung katholischer Priester Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit…
- Lohnfortzahlungskasse Leer VVaG
- LVM Krankenversicherungs-AG
- Mecklenburgische Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- MÜNCHENER VEREIN Krankenversicherung a.G.
- NÜRNBERGER Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ottonova Krankenversicherung AG
- praenatura Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)
- Provinzial Krankenversicherung Hannover AG
- R+V Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SIGNAL IDUNA Krankenversicherung a.G.
- SONO Krankenversicherung a.G.
- Süddeutsche Krankenversicherung a.G.
- UNION KRANKENVERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
- uniVersa Krankenversicherung a.G.
- Versicherer im Raum der Kirchen Krankenversicherung AG
- vigo Krankenversicherung VVaG
- Württembergische Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
Source: BaFin company database, 18 September 2026; EU insurers without a German office excluded.
Legal basis and sources
Products and add-ons
Sick pay for employees
Tops up public sick pay from day 43 to your net income.
Sick pay for the self-employed
Replaces income from a start day you choose, often day 4, 15 or 22.
Public sick pay by election
For the self-employed in public insurance, from day 43 after filing an election declaration with the fund.
Hospital daily benefit
A fixed amount only for days in hospital. Helpful for extras, but no income replacement.
Disability insurance
A monthly pension if you can permanently no longer do your job. Takes over where sick pay ends.
Myth or truth
True or false?
Five things people say about this insurance. Guess first, then see the answer.
Self-employed people in German public insurance automatically get sick pay.
This is false.
Wrong. They only have a claim after filing an election declaration with their fund, and then only from day 43. Without it there is no sick pay.
Private sick pay cannot exceed my net income.
This is true.
True. Nobody is meant to profit from being ill. You can insure at most your net earnings, and employees only the gap above public sick pay.
If I can work half days, I get half the daily benefit.
This is false.
Wrong. The terms do not recognise partial inability to work. Either you cannot do your job at all, or there is no payment, unless a plan expressly covers a gradual return.
Public sick pay in Germany has an upper limit.
This is true.
True. It is calculated on income up to the contribution ceiling. In 2026 that is at most €135.63 a day, before social contributions are deducted.
Sick pay keeps paying until retirement if I become permanently disabled.
This is false.
Wrong. Sick pay is for temporary illness. Once permanent inability to work is established, it ends after a short run off period. That is what disability insurance is for.
Common mistakes
- Being self-employed in public insurance without filing the election declaration
- Setting the daily amount once and never adjusting it as income grows
- Choosing a late start day without savings to cover the weeks before
- Doing some work while signed off sick
- Treating sick pay as if it were disability cover
- Leaving earlier sick notes out of the health questions
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
How much daily sick pay can I insure?
At most your net income from work, converted to a calendar day.
Employees only insure the gap above public sick pay,
because the two together may not exceed net pay.
The insurer checks your income when you claim.
How long does private sick pay last?
Plans usually have no fixed maximum.
They pay as long as you are temporarily and completely unable to work.
Payments stop when you return to work or a doctor finds you permanently unable to do your job.
Public sick pay, by contrast, ends after at most 78 weeks for the same illness within three years.
Do I get anything if I can work part time?
Usually not.
The terms require complete inability to work.
If you do your job even for a few hours, there is no claim.
Some plans pay during a medically supervised gradual return, but only if the policy says so.
I am self-employed. Public sick pay or a private plan?
You can combine both.
Many self-employed people opt in to public sick pay from day 43 and add a private plan for the
first six weeks.
Compare what costs less: the higher public contribution rate or a private plan from day 43.
Can the insurer cancel after I have been ill?
For sick pay plans without an employer contribution,
the insurer may cancel in the first three years (section 206 of the German Insurance Contract Act).
After that it cannot.
Good plans waive this right from the start.
Is burnout or depression covered?
Yes, if a doctor certifies complete inability to work.
Mental health conditions often lead to long absences.
Check that the plan has no exclusions for them, and disclose past treatment in full when you apply.
Do I need German to deal with the insurer?
Policy documents and sick notes are in German, and some insurers offer English service.
As your broker we can explain the terms, handle the application and help with claims.
NAMMERT insurance broker
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We will be in touch within one working day. If it is urgent: +49 3375 29 12 77.
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