Which insurance do employed dentists in Germany need?
In short
Which insurance do employed dentists in Germany need? First, occupational disability insurance (BU) with an infection clause, because the dental pension fund usually pays only when you can no longer work as a dentist at all. At 30, a EUR 1,000 pension starts at about EUR 31 a month. Second, written proof that the practice liability policy covers you, as the professional code requires.
Published premium examples and legal requirements, As of October 2026.
Example
Typical range
Employed dentist, 30, EUR 1,000 BU pension to 67
from about EUR 31 a month
Employed dentist, 30, EUR 2,000 BU pension to 67
from about EUR 62 a month
Trainee dentist, 27, EUR 1,500 BU pension
about EUR 42 to 50 a month
Employed dentist, 32, EUR 1,500 BU pension
about EUR 48 to 58 a month
Personal liability for singles
about EUR 40 to 120 a year
As of October 2026, from the sources listed.
The amounts in the worked example are guide values from our quoting practice.
Your premium depends on age, health and job; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Employed dentist, 31, MVZ in the city, occasional paid locum work
The MVZ covers her under its professional liability policy, but not her locum work on her own account.
BU, EUR 2,000 pension to 67, with infection clause
about EUR 62 to 80 a month
Own professional liability for locum work
guide value about EUR 15 to 40 a month
Personal liability
about EUR 4 to 10 a month
About EUR 81 to 130 a month in total. Without locum work, the own liability policy is not needed.
What the practice and pension fund already cover for employed dentists
Section 4 of the model professional code for dentists says it plainly: a dentist must be insured against liability claims arising from professional work. This applies to employees too. Usually employed dentists meet this duty through the practice or MVZ (medical care centre) policy, which names them or covers them as a group.
As a member of the dental chamber you can opt out of the statutory pension scheme and join the Versorgungswerk (professional pension fund). It does pay for occupational disability, but as a rule only if you can no longer practise dentistry at all. Accidents at work and occupational diseases are covered by statutory accident insurance.
Priorities: what employed dentists should insure first
Priorities follow the gaps. For employed dentists, losing fine motor skills weighs most; liability is usually handled by the practice.
Rank
Insurance
Cost
Why
1
BU with infection clause
about EUR 31 to 62 a month for EUR 1,000 to 2,000, starting at 30
hands, eyes, back, infections
2
Proof of cover under the practice liability policy
paid by the practice owner
duty under the professional code
3
Own professional liability for side work only
depends on the work
locum work, expert reports, help outside the practice
4
Personal liability (Privathaftpflicht)
about EUR 40 to 120 a year
damage in private life
5
Health and sick pay cover
depends on the plan
from EUR 77,400 salary you may choose private health insurance
Disability cover: why dentists start cheaply
Many insurers place dentists in a good risk class. In a published example, an employed dentist aged 32 pays about EUR 48 to 58 a month for a EUR 1,500 pension, a trainee dentist aged 27 about EUR 42 to 50. Because the premium is low, it does not pay to cut corners on the policy wording.
Look for a waiver of abstract referral (the insurer cannot send you to another job) and an infection clause. If the health authority bans you from treating patients under section 31 of the Infection Protection Act, for example after hepatitis, a BU with this clause pays even if you feel well.
Liability: when employed dentists need their own policy
Practices with a statutory health insurance licence must carry professional liability of at least EUR 3 million per claim under section 95e SGB V. Ask your employer to confirm in writing that you are covered as an employed dentist and for which amount.
You need your own policy for anything outside your employment contract: locum work on your own account, expert reports, emergency service for another provider or work in aid projects. If you open your own practice, our pages on business types explain cover for the self-employed.
What employed dentists usually do not need
Contents or business interruption cover for a practice is the owner's job, not yours. Accident insurance does not replace BU, because most disability cases are caused by illness. And daily sick pay cover only makes sense if you are privately insured or earn well above the contribution ceiling.
Step by step
Get written confirmation from your employer that the practice policy covers you, and for how much.
Read what the Versorgungswerk pays for occupational disability and compare it with your net pay.
Apply for BU with infection clause and waiver of abstract referral, as early as possible.
List all side work and check own liability cover for it.
If you earn over EUR 77,400, decide between statutory and private health insurance.
Checklist
Written proof of cover under the practice policy
BU with infection clause
Waiver of abstract referral
Liability cover for locum work and expert reports
Personal liability
Common mistakes
Treating the Versorgungswerk as full disability cover
Saving on policy wording because the BU premium is low
Doing locum work in other practices without own liability cover
Waiting until you open a practice, when age and health records push up the price
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Do employed dentists need their own professional liability insurance?
The professional code requires liability cover for your professional work.
As an employee, the practice policy usually meets this.
You need your own policy for work outside your contract.
Does the dental pension fund pay for disability?
Yes, but usually only if you can no longer work as a dentist at all.
With 50 percent impairment a private BU pays, the fund usually does not.
How much is BU for employed dentists?
Published examples start at about EUR 31 a month for a EUR 1,000 pension when starting at 30,
and about EUR 62 for EUR 2,000.
What does the infection clause do?
It makes the BU pay if an authority bans you from treating patients because of an infection,
even if you do not feel ill.
Are infections an occupational disease?
Infectious diseases from work in health care are listed as no.
