Child sickness benefit (Kinderkrankengeld)

So you can care for your sick child without financial worry

As a working parent, you are entitled to child sickness benefit (Kinderkrankengeld) so that you can care for your sick child at home or accompany them during a hospital stay. Since you are unable to work during this time, SBK will compensate you by covering a large portion of your lost net income.

Here you’ll find all the important information about the requirements for receiving child sickness benefit and what else you need to keep in mind. This way, you can be sure to receive the best possible support when you need it most.

Child sickness benefit - your benefits

You are entitled to child sickness benefit from SBK so you can stay home and care for your child.

Even if you accompany your child during an inpatient hospital stay, you may still be eligible to receive child sickness benefit.

Your personal SBK consultant will provide you with comprehensive advice on everything related to child sickness benefit.

How much is the child sickness benefit?

For employees

We pay you 90% of your lost net earnings. If you have received one-time payments from your employer in the last twelve months, such as holiday or Christmas bonuses, the child sickness benefit can even amount to 100%. There is a maximum limit for the child sickness benefit. It is €135.63 per day in 2026 (€128.63 in 2025).

To ensure that there are no disadvantages in pension, unemployment, and long-term care insurance, contributions are paid from the child sickness benefit. You do not pay contributions for health insurance. Contributions are calculated based on 80% of your earnings or income. Your share is calculated from the amount of the child sickness benefit. You pay at most half of the contributions. We cover the rest. You do not need to take any further action. We deduct your contribution directly from the child sickness benefit and transfer it together with our share directly to the respective insurance institution.

For self-employed persons

For the calculation and amount of your child sickness benefit, your earned income on which you pay contributions is decisive. The statutory maximum limit per day is €135.63 in 2026 (€128.63 in 2025). Anyone who is compulsorily insured in pension, unemployment, or long-term care insurance must pay contributions for these social insurance schemes. Your share is calculated from the amount of the child sickness benefit. You pay at most half of the contributions. We cover the rest. After receiving your application, we still need information on whether and for which social insurance branches you pay contributions. We will contact you for this. As soon as we have this information, we will review your documents.

You are eligible if:

You are employed and not receiving continued pay from your employer,

Your child is statutorily insured,

Your child is under 12 years old, or has a disability and needs help,

No one else in the household can take care of the child,

You are entitled to sickness benefit (e.g., as an employee or self-employed person with sickness benefit coverage), and

Your child is ill.

Good to know: Employers are generally required to grant you time off and continue to pay your salary. In this case, SBK cannot pay child sickness benefit. If your employer does not continue to pay (e.g., due to a collective agreement), SBK will pay you the benefit.

Apprentices with children

If you're in vocational training and your child becomes ill, your employer is required by the Vocational Training Act to continue paying your training allowance. Please contact your employer directly in this case.

Each parent with statutory health insurance can apply for 15 days of child sickness benefit per child in 2026, with a maximum of 35 days for multiple children.

For single parents, the entitlement increases to 30 days per child, with a maximum of 70 days for multiple children.

Yes, transfers are possible if the other parent cannot take time off for personal or professional reasons. The conditions are:

Both parents are statutorily insured

Both are eligible for sickness benefit

One parent cannot care for the child due to work reasons

The other parent has used up their full entitlement

Please inform your employer, as they must approve the additional time off.

Collective bargaining agreements often include regulations for time off when a child is sick. If this applies to you, you may receive continued salary automatically. Please check with your employer.

If both parents are insured with different health insurers, the benefit is paid by the insurer of the parent providing care, regardless of the child’s health insurer.

To apply, you need a medical certificate ("Ärztliche Bescheinigung für den Bezug von Krankengeld bei Erkrankung eines Kindes"). You can submit it:

Easily online via Meine SBK meine.sbk.org/kinderkrankengeld

Or submit the completed certificate you received from your doctor by post. You’ll find our address and a prepaid envelope on our website.

Your SBK consultant will be happy to advise you on how to apply.

Apply now

You are eligible if:

You are employed, entitled to sickness benefit, and not receiving wages from your employer,

Your hospital stay is medically necessary,

Your child is statutorily insured,

Your child is under 12 or has a disability and needs help,

Your child is undergoing inpatient treatment, such as:

Full or partial inpatient hospital stays
Inpatient preventive care
Inpatient rehabilitation

The benefit is paid for as long as your presence is medically required during your child’s stay.

If your child is under 9 years old, please contact your personal SBK consultant directly for support.

If your child is between 9 and 12 years old, we need a confirmation of necessity from the hospital. You will receive this either directly from the hospital, or from your personal SBK consultant.

You can view how many child sickness benefit days you’ve used – whether for home care or hospital stays – in the Meine SBK app, under "My Benefits".

Child sickness benefit (Kinderkrankengeld)

Child sickness benefit - your benefits

How much is the child sickness benefit?

For employees

For self-employed persons

Child sickness benefit when caring at home

Apprentices with children

Child sickness benefit during inpatient hospital stays

Tracking your child sickness benefit days in "Meine SBK"

ID to request consent