Sources and method – Occupational disability

These 15 topic pages are based primarily on statutory texts (gesetze-im-internet.de), the Rules of Procedure of the Insurance Ombudsman (Versicherungsombudsmann e.V.) and publicly available information from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (German Pension Insurance), the social associations and the consumer advice centres. The "Sources" field of each topic page gives the specific references.

Why these pages treat the statutory reduced earning capacity pension and private occupational disability insurance separately, but together

"Reduced earning capacity" (Erwerbsminderung, SGB VI) and "occupational disability" (Berufsunfähigkeit, VVG) are legally different concepts with different standards, but in everyday speech they are often treated as the same. This collection of topics explains both systems separately, each with its own legal bases, and at the same time shows how they are connected – without mixing up content that must be treated separately in law.

Sources

1. Gesetze im Internet (gesetze-im-internet.de), Federal Ministry of Justice and Federal Office of Justice, retrieved September 2026: consolidated versions of SGB VI (esp. §§ 2, 7, 9, 43, 50, 53, 59, 96a, 99, 102, 116), SGB IX (§§ 152, 167, 168), SGB XII (§§ 41, 43, 94), VVG (§§ 19, 21, 172), BGB (§§ 195, 199, 204), SGG (§§ 84, 87, 103, 109, 183), EStG (§§ 10, 22), AltZertG (§ 1) and KSchG (§§ 4, 5, 7). Basis for all sections cited in the text.
2. Rules of Procedure of the Insurance Ombudsman (Verfahrensordnung des Versicherungsombudsmanns e.V., VomVO), in particular §§ 12 and 14, retrieved via versicherungsombudsmann.de, date of inspection September 2026. Basis for the information on free-of-charge proceedings and the binding effect of ombudsman decisions up to €10,000 in dispute.
3. Deutsche Rentenversicherung (German Pension Insurance), publicly available self-description of information and advice centres, retrieved September 2026 (deutsche-rentenversicherung.de). Basis for the information on free pension advice.
4. Social associations VdK and SoVD as well as consumer advice centres (Verbraucherzentralen), in each case publicly available self-descriptions on membership, legal advice and insurance advice, retrieved September 2026. Basis for the information in the topic area "Advice and contact points".

Where information is explicitly marked as uncertain

For some figures and announcements, no direct official primary source could be found or cross-checked during research. This applies in particular to:

• Reports in the financial press that supplementary protection against reduced earning capacity or inability to perform official duties (Dienstunfähigkeit) in newly concluded Riester contracts is to be restricted from 2027. A comparison with the currently consolidated version of § 1 AltZertG (date of inspection: September 2026) showed no indication of a corresponding change in the law that has already been adopted. The page "Occupational disability in Riester and Rürup contracts" states this uncertainty explicitly instead of presenting the press reports as settled law.
• The figure circulating in the consumer press that roughly one in five applications for a private occupational disability pension is rejected. An officially verified, uniform rejection rate could not be confirmed; the actual rate depends heavily on the individual insurer, tariff and survey year. The page "Rejection and referral to another occupation in private occupational disability insurance" therefore explicitly does not adopt this figure as established fact.
• The exact euro amount of the earnings limit for additional income with the reduced earning capacity pension for 2026: since this value results from the reference value (Bezugsgröße) set anew each year under § 96a SGB VI, the page "Additional income with the reduced earning capacity pension" deliberately gives only the statutory calculation formula, not a fixed euro amount.
• The exact tax treatment of private occupational disability pensions outside a supplementary insurance to a pension insurance: it depends heavily on the individual contract design and is therefore not given as a flat figure on the page "Taxes on the reduced earning capacity pension and private occupational disability pension".

In all these cases, the topic page in question explicitly states the uncertainty instead of presenting a figure or assessment as settled law.

What this platform does – and what it does not

• Figures, deadlines, amounts and legal bases come from the sources named. Nothing was added that is not supported there. Where information could not be reliably verified, this is stated on the page in question, instead of guessing.
• Topics already covered in detail in the Wegweiser "Disability" (severe disability card) or in the Wegweiser "Self-employed" (mandatory old-age provision, company insurance) link here instead of duplicating content.
• Social and insurance law is in flux; courts settle some questions – for example on the reasonableness of a specific referral to another occupation in an individual case – only gradually. The information does not replace legal advice in an individual case.
• Deadlines are often short and run from service of a notice of decision (Bescheid). If in doubt, go immediately to an advice centre, the Deutsche Rentenversicherung, the Insurance Ombudsman or a lawyer – see Advice and contact points.