Compulsory social security insurance

The pension insurance serves the financial security, when you have become elderly and after having stopped working receive a pension. In general, everybody is compulsory insured in the statutory pension insurance. Until the year 2012 it was possible to start receiving pension when reaching the age limit of 65. Since 2013 the retirement age is slowly raised in steps to 67. From 2029 onwards, the age limit of 67 years will apply for everybody who was born after 1964.Special rules can be approved.

The contributions for the pension insurance are deducted from the gross salary and payed in half by the employer. How much has to be paid, depends on how high the salary is. However, from a certain salary size upwards, the contributions does not rise any more.

The state pension will be less than the regular income. Because of this you should consider to hedge additionally, while you are still actively working. For instance, with a private pension insurance.

The statutory health insurance belongs to the mandatory insurances and covers medical costs and check ups. In addition, it takes care of other costs that are health related. In case the illness lasts longer than 6 weeks, the health insurance takes over your salary by paying you a salary replacement benefit.

If you are self employed, you can either insure yourself statutory or by means of a private heath insurer.

In case you would like to be using a private heath insurance, be advised, that there are tremendous differences. Do inform yourself extensively about the scope of services and how high the monthly premiums are. In the end, comparing offers will be your personal gain and may save a lot of money.

The nursing care insurance ensures that you, as all mentioned insurances before, can retain your existence. It will offer financial support when you have become elderly. The insurance will also cover you, when you need care based on an illness and require care that has to be provided by others. In addition, people are being compensated monetarily by the nursing insurance, if they provide nursing care for relatives and at the same time cannot finance their own livelihood. Statutory health insured people are automatically nursing care insured. Privately health insured people have to cover this particular risk extra.

The statutory accident insurance covers financial consequences of accidents at work as well as occupational diseases. Accidents can happen travelling to work or to school. These accidents also qualify as being accidents at work. Additionally, also the way back home again from school or work, qualifies.

In case of involuntary unemployment, financial support is provided by the state. In addition, you are entitled to more offers, for instance counselling, continuing educational seminars and all kinds of assistance. The competent authority for the unemployment insurance is the Federal Labour Office.

Unemployment benefit

Entitlement to unemployment benefits is only earned, if the last employment was subject to compulsory insurance and did last for at least 12 months. The application has to be filed personally at the competent Federal Labour Office. Before receiving any unemployment benefits, it has to be checked if conditions are fulfilled. Unemployment benefits are paid for a maximum duration of 12 months. If you are aged 50 and above, it is paid for a maximum of 13 months. If you are aged 55 and above, the time period increases to 18 months. Finally, if aged 58 and above, the duration reaches its longest period of 24 months.

If you have a temporary contact, you must register yourself as seeking employment 3 months before the contract ends.

Please keep in mind, that if you do not register in time, a blocking period can be implemented. During this time you are not entitled to any benefits. If you have been given notice by your employer (written confirmation ), you have to report in personally at the Federal Labour Office as soon as possible. However, at the latest, this has to be done on the 3rd day after.

Entitlement to unemployment benefits is only earned, if the last employment was subject to compulsory insurance and did last for at least 12 months. The application has to be filed personally at the competent Federal Labour Office. Before receiving any unemployment benefits, it has to be checked if conditions are fulfilled. Unemployment benefits are paid for a maximum duration of 12 months. If you are aged 50 and above, it is paid for a maximum of 13 months. If you are aged 55 and above, the time period increases to 18 months. Finally, if aged 58 and above, the duration reaches its longest period of 24 months.

If you have a temporary contact, you must register yourself as seeking employment 3 months before the contract ends.

Please keep in mind, that if you do not register in time, a blocking period can be implemented. During this time you are not entitled to any benefits. If you have been given notice by your employer (written confirmation ), you have to report in personally at the Federal Labour Office as soon as possible. However, at the latest, this has to be done on the 3rd day after.

If you have been unemployed longer than 12 months, you are still entitled to financial support provided by the state. Information concerning unemployment benefit It can be found under the menu item „social benefits“.