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

Certificate of incapacity for work – electronic from 1 October 2021

The electronic certificate of incapacity for work will be launched on 1 October 2021. This is your sick note in digital form. Doctors can then submit it to us online. This will make things much easier for you as a customer, as you will no longer need to send us your certificate of incapacity for work. You call in sick at your place of work as usual. At first you will continue to receive a paper copy for your employer and for your own records.

Useful information: Doctor’s practices are gradually switching to the new electronic procedure. If the technical requirements have not yet been set up at your doctor’s practice, your doctor can still use the usual yellow forms until 31 December 2021. In this case, you continue to submit the certificate of incapacity for work to us. To do this, you can use the Meine SBK App and simply upload your certificate of incapacity for work to us.

From 1 July 2022, your employer can request the electronic certificate of incapacity for work from us. It is important that you have already called in sick at your place of work before they do this. From this point on, you will only receive a paper copy from your doctor for your own records.

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.

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 €112.88 per calendar day for the year 2021 (€109.38 in 2020).

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 €112.88 per calendar day for the year 2021 (2020: €109.38).
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. Customers without children have to pay an additional 0.25% for nursing care insurance.

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:

If we do not already know your level of income, we will ask your employer directly. You do not need to do anything.
SBK notifies the pension insurance provider directly of the times during which sickness benefit was being received so that there are no gaps in your pension account.
For longer illnesses, we will support you in returning to work through progressive reintegration.
For serious illnesses, we will help you apply for rehabilitation benefits to ensure you return to good health.

How to get your sickness benefit from SBK:

In order for us to be able to pay out sickness benefit, your doctor will establish your incapacity to work with the indication that it is a so-called sickness benefit case (‘from the 7th week of incapacity for work or other reason’ or ‘final certificate’).
From 1 October 2021, your doctor can use the electronic certificate of incapacity for work and will send us the required information directly and electronically.
If your doctor is not yet using the electronic method, you will still receive a paper copy. Please always send this certificate of incapacity for work to SBK, 80227 Munich, Germany, so that we can transfer the sickness benefit to you without delay and within a few days. You can also use the Meine SBK App and upload your certificate of incapacity for work digitally.
Payment will be made as soon as we receive your certificate of incapacity for work. We always pay sickness benefit until the day on which your doctor issued the certificate of incapacity for work. Submitting the certificate of incapacity for work to us or having it sent electronically by your doctor allows you to control when you want to receive your sickness benefit yourself.
If you continue to be unfit for work, your doctor will issue you another certificate of incapacity for work. Important: Please ensure that there are no gaps in the certification of incapacity for work for all such times. Certificates for continued incapacity to work must be obtained at the very latest on the day after the current certified period of incapacity to work to avoid any loss of sickness benefit.

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Sickness benefit and incapacity for work

Certificate of incapacity for work – electronic from 1 October 2021

Sickness benefit from the SBK – ensuring your financial security

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

Employees

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

Calculation and result:

Self-employed workers

Jobseekers

How long can you receive sickness benefit for?

Good to know:

Sickness benefit – your SBK benefits:

How to get your sickness benefit from SBK:

Sign up with the SBK now. We are looking forward to you.