Insured persons only have to fill out a form to apply for sickness benefit
It’s very simple: The statutory health insurance company must be informed of the illness within a week of the start of the sick leave by submitting the medical certificate of incapacity for work – either by the doctor’s practice or the insured person himself. This step has already been completed when you apply for sickness benefit.
At the end of the six weeks since the start of the sick leave, the employer informs the insurance company about the end of the continued payment of wages and about the current salary of the insured person. The insured person then automatically receives a digital or postal questionnaire from the insurance company. This must be filled out truthfully and carefully. Finally, the health insurance company only has to check the questionnaire, and then the sickness benefit will be paid out. According to “Die Techniker”, it is 70 percent of the salary, but a maximum of 90 percent of the net salary and in 2023 a maximum of 116.38 euros a day. The insured may still have to pay social and pension insurance contributions. No health insurance premiums are due during the period in which sick pay is being paid.
Attention: Sick pay is only available for employees with statutory health insurance
But not everyone will automatically continue to receive their salary in the first six weeks after sick leave. For example, people who have been employed by their current employer for less than four weeks and the self-employed. The former can apply for sickness benefit right at the beginning of the sick leave, the latter must first sign a so-called declaration of choice with the health insurance company in which they decide on a sickness benefit tariff. You then have to pay higher insurance contributions, but you will receive sick pay from the 43rd day of sick leave.
Even privately insured people are not automatically covered. This is where daily sickness benefit insurance comes in, which takes effect in the event of a longer period of sick leave and offers similar benefits to statutory sick pay.
Editorial office finanzen.net
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