At 25, many students reach a turning point: training is coming to an end and working life begins. This is also the phase in which the question of disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung, BU) becomes concrete. This guide explains why signing after your final exams is usually more expensive, which reasons speak for an early contract and when waiting is justifiable.
Short answer: The premium for disability insurance generally rises with your age at entry, because the risk of becoming occupationally disabled increases over the years. After your exams, other factors often come into play, such as new pre-existing conditions or a different classification of your occupation. Signing at 25 is not automatically cheaper, but it fixes the premium earlier. Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points
- As a rule, the premium rises with your age at entry, because the risk of occupational disability increases over the course of life.
- Health details refer to the date of the application. An illness that appears after your exams can make signing more difficult.
- When you start working, the classification can change. This depends on the tariff and on the specific activity.
- An early contract secures the terms, but ties up money in a phase when funds are tight.
- If you wait, you carry the risk yourself until you sign.
Why does the premium rise with age?
Disability insurance calculates the risk of becoming occupationally disabled in the coming years. This risk increases with age, because illnesses, wear and tear and accidents become more frequent. That is why the premium for a contract signed at 25 is usually lower than for one signed later.
The health check also plays a role. Those who sign at 25 have on average fewer pre-existing conditions than someone who starts later. This is not an automatism, because every health history is different. The details in the application decide in each individual case.
What changes with your exams?
With your final exams or the start of your career, the classification can change. A job with a higher risk, for example one involving physical strain, can lead to a surcharge. An occupation with a lower risk can, on the other hand, be classified more favourably. How the insurer assesses this is set out in the policy terms.
It is also important to note § 23 VVG. Without the insurer’s consent, you may neither cause nor allow an increase in risk (Gefahrerhöhung). If you move into a riskier activity, you must therefore report it.
| Feature | Signing at 25 | Signing after your exams |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | Usually lower, because the age at entry is younger | Usually higher as the age at entry rises |
| Health check | Pre-existing conditions are statistically less common | More time for illnesses that must be stated in the application |
| Occupation | Studies or career start, depending on the tariff | Occupation is fixed, classification is clearer |
| Financing | Premium runs alongside studies and side job | More income, but a later start |
| Risk until signing | You are already insured | You carry the risk yourself until you sign |
When is an early contract worthwhile?
An early contract is mainly worthwhile if you depend on your future earned income and the premiums fit your budget. Disability insurance is a safeguard, not a savings product. Do not therefore base your decision on the premium alone, but on the gap that would arise in an emergency.
Four steps to check the timing:
- Work out how much income you would lose in an emergency and which expenses would continue.
- Check what else would support you, such as savings or help from your parents. Statutory pension for reduced earning capacity requires mandatory contributions and is often only part of the answer (§ 43 SGB VI).
- Fit the premium into your budget and compare it with the cost of a possible gap.
- Decide whether to sign now or wait until your exams. Both options have consequences that you should name clearly.
When does waiting make sense?
Waiting can be justifiable if you are financially secure and your state of health is clear. However, family insurance for students also ends at 25: during a course of study it runs until age 25 at most (§ 10 para. 2 no. 3 SGB V), with no extension to the end of the semester. After that, you have to insure yourself, and this also applies to the time until your exams.
If a condition is already known, a surcharge or an exclusion may apply. In that case, an early application no longer helps, but a careful review of the terms does. More on family insurance during your studies can be found in Student Family Insurance: Until When Are You Covered?.
Which questions help with comparing offers?
A comparison of offers is only meaningful if it is based on the same assumptions. Otherwise you compare apples with oranges, for example a pension with adjustment against one without. The following questions help you put the offers side by side.
- How is the occupation defined, and does the studies or only the later occupation count?
- Is there a referral clause, and how far does it reach for activities in the field?
- Which proofs of income are required, and how does a low income affect the amount of the pension?
- Which adjustment options exist, and which life events are they linked to?
- How long does the contract run, and from when does it become premium-free if the benefit is paid?
For each offer, take the same questions and write down the answers. The result is usually clearer than comparing premium figures alone. If you are unsure, you can go through the documents with an adviser before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Is disability insurance at 25 always cheaper than later?
The premium is usually lower at your age at entry. However, the comparison also depends on the tariff, the occupation and your health. A later contract can be cheaper in individual cases, for example if the classification turns out better. Therefore always compare offers with the same conditions.
Are there disability insurance tariffs for students?
Many tariffs take students or trainees into account with their own rules. Whether they suit you is set out in the terms. Ask how the occupation is defined there and which proofs of income apply during your studies. If you have a side job, the guide Disability Insurance as a Working Student: What a Minijob Changes will also help.
What changes if I have a pre-existing condition?
Pre-existing conditions must be stated in the application. Depending on the type and course of the condition, the insurer may ask for a surcharge, exclude certain benefits or reject the application. An early application does not solve this situation, but a careful review of the tariffs with all the details does.
Can I increase my cover later without a new health check?
Some tariffs offer guaranteed future insurability (Nachversicherungsgarantie) or dynamic adjustment (Dynamik). This allows you to adapt the cover to your income and life situation. The occasions and deadlines differ between providers and must be stated in the contract. Without a commitment in the contract, there is no entitlement to it.
So what should you do now?
- Work out how much income you need in an emergency and which resources would support you otherwise.
- Have at least two offers prepared with the same conditions and compare classification and pension amount.
- Check health details and pre-existing conditions before the application and answer all questions completely.
- Make your decision with your budget and the gap in an emergency in mind, not on the premium alone.
Related reading
- Disability Insurance for Students: Costs and Start
- Disability Insurance Checklist for Students: What to Check First
- Student Family Insurance: Until When Are You Covered?
- Glossary: Family insurance during your studies (in German)
Sources:
- § 23 VVG, Increase in risk (last updated October 2026)
- § 10 SGB V, Family insurance (last updated October 2026)
- § 43 SGB VI, Pension for reduced earning capacity (last updated October 2026)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
