Sickness benefit and incapacity for work

To ensure that you remain financially secure even in the event of a longer period of sickness, you receive sickness benefit from SBK

Sickness benefit from the SBK – ensuring your financial security

If the doctor treating you declares you unfit for work, you can start receiving sickness benefit from us. If you are employed, your employer will usually pay your salary up to the sixth week of sickness – this is called continued remuneration. In the event of prolonged illness that exceeds this period, we will provide you with financial coverage. If you become unable to work due to an accident at work, the responsible accident insurance company will generally take over the financial coverage. To make things easier and faster for you, we will pay the injury benefit on behalf of the accident insurance in this case.

Electronic certificate of incapacity for work

The electronic certificate of incapacity for work – eAU for short – is your certificate of incapacity for work in digital form. Doctor’s practices can send us the eAU directly online. This makes it much easier for you and saves you time and postage costs. It is important that you register your incapacity for work with your place of work or the Federal Employment Agency (BA) as usual. Your place of work or the BA can then request the eAU from us and will also receive the period of sick leave digitally.

View the status of the certificate of incapacity for work in the Meine SBK app

In the Meine SBK app, you can view the transmitted electronic certificates of incapacity for work in the My Processes section. The doctor’s practices transmit at least once a day, meaning that you can see the eAU no later than the day after issue. Find more information about the processes and status.In the Meine SBK app, you can view the transmitted electronic certificates of incapacity for work in the My Processes section. The doctor’s practices transmit at least once a day, meaning that you can see the eAU no later than the day after issue. Find more information about the processes and status.

view status in Meine SBK

When do I start receiving sickness benefit and how much will I receive?

The sickness benefit equals 70% of your previous gross salary, from which contributions have been paid, but a maximum of 90% of the net salary. One-off payments such as holiday pay and Christmas bonuses can further increase the sickness benefit to 100%. Deferred compensation can reduce the level of sickness benefit. The maximum sickness benefit possible is €120.75 per calendar day for the year 2024 (€116.38 in 2023).

For an overview, you can find a sample invoice here:

Gross pay (fixed monthly salary)	2.250 €
Net pay	1.650 €

Calculation and result:

(Gross) standard remuneration	75 €
Net pay	55 €
70% of the standard remuneration	52,50 €
90% of the net salary	49,50 €
Sickness benefit	49,50 €

If unemployment, nursing care or pension insurance cover is obligatory, sickness benefit is reduced by the proportion of contributions to be paid by the insured person towards unemployment, nursing care and pension insurance. We deduct these contributions prior to paying out the sickness benefit and transfer them to the relevant insurance provider along with the amounts to be paid by us.

: In order to receive sickness benefit, you need to have selected the option for statutory sickness benefit from the 43rd day of incapacity for work. If you are self-employed, the level of sickness benefit is in line with your previous income before you fell ill; this will, however, be limited to a maximum of the income from which contributions have been paid.
Your sickness benefit equals 70% of the average daily income up to a maximum of €120.75 per calendar day for the year 2024 (2023: €116.38).
Self-employed people can also secure a higher level of sickness benefit with the premium tariff. Find out more about the premium tariff on the ‘Sickness benefit tariff’ page.
If unemployment, nursing care or pension insurance cover is obligatory, sickness benefit is reduced by the proportion of contributions to be paid by the insured person towards unemployment, nursing care and pension insurance. We deduct these contributions prior to paying out the sickness benefit and transfer them to the relevant insurance provider along with the amounts to be paid by us.

: Your sickness benefit will be exactly the same as the unemployment benefit (ALG I) you last received.
The contributions to be paid from the sickness benefit towards nursing care, pension and unemployment insurance are paid in full by SBK.

How long can you receive sickness benefit for?

You can receive sickness benefit for a maximum of 78 weeks for the same illness. Times in which sickness benefit is suspended are counted towards this maximum entitlement. Examples of this include times during which you are receiving continued remuneration from your employer or you are claiming a transitional allowance from the pension insurance provider during rehabilitation.

Good to know:

You and any family members covered by the insurance will not be required to make contributions to SBK while receiving sickness benefit. During this time, SBK will also continue to pay your contributions for unemployment, nursing care and pension insurance. This means your retirement is safeguarded even in the event of a longer illness.

Sickness benefit – your SBK benefits:

You receive sickness benefit from us so that you are financially protected during your illness.
For longer illnesses, we will support you in returning to work through a progressive reintegration plan.
For serious illnesses, we will help you apply for rehabilitation benefits to ensure you return to good health

How do I get sickness benefit?

Your doctor’s practice will send SBK your electronic certificate of incapacity for work (eAU). This means that we have all the necessary information.
To calculate your sickness benefit, we rely on the support of your employer, who provides us with a certificate of your last earnings. We will calculate your sickness benefit based on your last earnings (salary) before the start of your incapacity to work.
Payment will be made as soon as we have received your eAU. We always pay sickness benefit up to the day on which your doctor has confirmed your incapacity to work. Important: please ensure that there are no gaps in the certification of incapacity for work for all such times. Certificates for continued incapacity for work must be obtained at the very latest on the day after the current certified period of incapacity for work to avoid any loss of sickness benefit.

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