Wegweiser Occupational disability · Pension & insurance Deutsch

🧑‍💼 Occupational disability among self-employed people

Most self-employed people are not covered by statutory pension insurance and, without private provision, fall back on basic income support (Grundsicherung) in case of occupational disability – early private cover is all the more important here.

Self-employed Compulsory pension insurance § 2 SGB VI § 7 SGB VI Private provision

In brief

Most self-employed people are not subject to compulsory statutory pension insurance. Exceptions exist under § 2 SGB VI for, among others, certain craftspeople, teachers, carers, artists and publicists (via the Künstlersozialkasse, artists' social insurance fund) and for self-employed people similar to employees with essentially only one client. Without compulsory membership and without voluntary contributions (§ 7 SGB VI), there is generally no access to the statutory reduced earning capacity pension.

For this reason, for most self-employed people private occupational disability insurance is often the only realistic protection against occupational disability. For comprehensive old-age and risk provision for self-employed people – including the politically debated mandatory old-age provision and company insurance – see the in-depth articles in the separate topic area "Self-employed" of this platform.

Step by step

  1. Check compulsory pension insurance under § 2 SGB VIOnly certain occupational groups are compulsorily insured by law.
  2. If you have no compulsory insurance, consider voluntary contributionsVoluntary contributions under § 7 SGB VI can preserve access to the statutory reduced earning capacity pension.
  3. Take out private BU insurance earlyIdeally before an illness begins, as otherwise the health assessment can lead to exclusions or rejection.
  4. Read the in-depth articles in the topic area "Self-employed"On mandatory old-age provision and on company insurance for self-employed people.

Deadlines

No statutory deadline
There is no general statutory deadline for voluntary insurance or for taking out private BU – but there are deadlines in individual cases, for example for the application for voluntary insurance after starting self-employed work.
Watch out – common mistakes
  • Without compulsory statutory pension insurance and without voluntary contributions, self-employed people in case of occupational disability usually have no access to the statutory reduced earning capacity pension and, without private provision, depend on basic income support (Grundsicherung).
  • As to the politically debated mandatory old-age provision for self-employed people, it is, as far as is currently known, open whether and how cover for reduced earning capacity could become part of a future mandatory provision – this page deliberately makes no statement of its own on this, since the current state is documented in the topic area "Self-employed".
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

§ 2 SGB VI: compulsory pension insurance of certain self-employed people

The provision lists exhaustively certain occupational groups for which compulsory statutory pension insurance exists despite self-employed work.

§ 7 SGB VI: voluntary insurance

Anyone who is not compulsorily insured can insure themselves voluntarily in the statutory pension insurance and thereby in principle also preserve access to the reduced earning capacity pension, provided the other requirements (qualifying period, insurance requirements) are met.

Why private BU is particularly important for self-employed people

Since statutory safety-net protection is lacking for most self-employed people, early private cover carries particularly great weight here.

Who is responsible
  • Deutsche Rentenversicherung (compulsory or voluntary insurance)
  • Private insurer (BU insurance)
Further reading
Private occupational disability insurance: contract basics

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Occupational disability among self-employed people“?
Most self-employed people are not covered by statutory pension insurance and, without private provision, fall back on basic income support (Grundsicherung) in case of occupational disability – early private cover is all the more important here.
Which deadlines and figures matter?
No statutory deadline: There is no general statutory deadline for voluntary insurance or for taking out private BU – but there are deadlines in individual cases, for example for the application for voluntary insurance after starting self-employed work.
What should I do first?
  • Check compulsory pension insurance under § 2 SGB VI: Only certain occupational groups are compulsorily insured by law.
  • If you have no compulsory insurance, consider voluntary contributions: Voluntary contributions under § 7 SGB VI can preserve access to the statutory reduced earning capacity pension.
  • Take out private BU insurance early: Ideally before an illness begins, as otherwise the health assessment can lead to exclusions or rejection.
What do I need to watch out for?
  • Without compulsory statutory pension insurance and without voluntary contributions, self-employed people in case of occupational disability usually have no access to the statutory reduced earning capacity pension and, without private provision, depend on basic income support (Grundsicherung).
  • As to the politically debated mandatory old-age provision for self-employed people, it is, as far as is currently known, open whether and how cover for reduced earning capacity could become part of a future mandatory provision – this page deliberately makes no statement of its own on this, since the current state is documented in the topic area "Self-employed".
Evidence
  • §§ 2, 7 SGB VI (gesetze-im-internet.de)
As of

September 2026 · Sources and method

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