When you start your career, your income often rises, and with it your need for a higher pension from occupational disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung, BU). The increase guarantee (Nachversicherungsgarantie) is a contract clause that lets you raise your cover under certain conditions without a new health check. Whether it helps depends on its triggers, deadlines and limits.
Short answer: An increase guarantee lets you raise your disability pension after certain life events without a new health check. Which triggers apply, how long you have and how high the limit is appears only in your contract. Starting work is one of the most common triggers, but it is not included in every tariff. Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- The increase guarantee is a contract option, not a legal entitlement.
- Typical triggers are completing a degree, starting work, getting married or the birth of a child. The exact list is in your terms.
- Deadlines usually run from the event. If you miss them, you lose the option to increase without a new check.
- An increase is only possible within the protection the contract allows. A disability that has already occurred is not increased afterwards.
- A higher pension usually means a higher premium. Plan the increase into your budget.
What does the increase guarantee cover?
The guarantee describes the conditions under which you can adjust the insured benefit without a new health check. It is an option you can use, not an obligation. The insurer usually checks whether the trigger has occurred, whether the deadline was met and whether the increase stays within the agreed limits.
The law does not regulate the guarantee. The benefit in a claim follows the contract. As Section 172 VVG provides, the insurer pays the agreed benefits if occupational disability occurs after the policy begins. What the agreed benefits include is set out in the contract documents, and the increase guarantee is part of them.
Which triggers are typical, and what matters?
Triggers differ from tariff to tariff. The following overview shows typical events from life planning. Check whether the trigger is named in your contract and which evidence is required.
| Trigger | Typical evidence | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Completed degree or state examination | Certificate or diploma | Whether the degree counts as a separate trigger and which deadline applies |
| Start of work or salary increase | Employment contract and proof of income | Whether the pension is linked to income and how high the limit is |
| Marriage | Marriage certificate | Whether this trigger is provided for in your tariff at all |
| Birth of a child | Birth certificate | How long after the birth the increase is possible |
Why starting work is a special moment
With your first permanent job, the picture changes. Many tariffs calculate the insurable pension in relation to income. During your studies, the benefit may have been set lower because your income was lower. After you start work, your cover can therefore fall behind your actual need.
This is where an increase guarantee helps. Without one, you would need a new health check for a higher pension. That check involves the same questions as the original application, and the duty to disclose under Section 19 VVG applies just as well. Health changes between the original application and the increase can lead to surcharges or exclusions if you do not report them correctly.
How to work out how much you need
An increase should be based on your needs, not on a gut feeling. Work through the steps below and use assumptions that you can check later.
- List your monthly fixed costs: rent, insurance, loans, living expenses and obligations to others.
- Add a reserve for unexpected costs. The result is the amount you would need in an emergency.
- Compare this amount with your existing pension and with the income you could expect in an emergency.
- Check the difference and decide whether an increase through the guarantee makes sense.
A worked example: assume your fixed monthly costs are 2,000 euros and you plan a reserve of 300 euros. Your need is then 2,300 euros per month. If your existing pension is 1,000 euros, there is a gap of 1,300 euros, which you would have to close with an increase, with other sources or with both. The figures are only an example and do not replace a personal calculation.
Which limits and deadlines should you know?
Increase guarantees usually contain limits up to which the pension can be raised. The limit often depends on income, on the existing benefit or on a fixed maximum amount. Deadlines come on top of that: within them you must report the trigger. Deadline and limit are the two levers you should check first.
Also make sure that an increase after occupational disability has occurred is usually excluded. If you are already entitled to benefits, you can no longer raise the pension through the guarantee. For your planning, this means the increase has to happen in time, not only once a claim is on the table.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a new health check for the increase?
In principle not, as long as the conditions are met. Some tariffs still require confirmation that your health has not changed significantly. Read the clause carefully and ask if it is unclear.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
In general, the option to increase without a new check then lapses. You would have to submit a new application and answer the health questions again. Note the start of the deadline right after the event.
Is the guarantee worth it if I am not yet sure?
A guarantee is an option, not an obligation. If you are unsure, first make sure you understand the terms and do not use the increase automatically. Especially if your occupational path is still changing, it can make sense to keep the guarantee as a reserve.
Can I change my occupation group with an increase?
That depends on the contract. A higher pension does not automatically change your classification. If your occupation changes, check whether you need to notify the insurer. The rules on increased risk are set out in Section 23 VVG, and the details are in your contract.
Can the increase make my premium more expensive?
Yes. The premium usually rises with the benefit. The additional cost also depends on your age at the time of the increase and on the tariff. Ask for the change in premium in writing before you decide.
When should I check the increase?
A sensible time is any major change in income or in your life plans, such as your degree, your first job in your field or starting a family. Note the triggers in a calendar and add the deadlines next to them. That way you do not lose sight of the option when everyday life gets in the way.
So what should you do now?
- Read the increase clause and note the triggers, deadlines and limits.
- Collect the evidence the insurer requires for the trigger and keep it ready.
- Work out your need using the steps above and compare it with your existing pension.
- Submit the request in text form before the deadline expires.
Related reading
- Disability insurance and dropping out: what counts as an occupation
- Referral clause in disability insurance: what a course change does
- BU StartPolice for young adults: what the premium advantage really brings
- When should you take out disability insurance? The entry age in the calculation
Sources: Section 172 VVG (occupational disability), Section 19 VVG (duty to disclose) and Section 23 VVG (increased risk), each from Gesetze im Internet (the official German law database), accessed October 2026. The actual increase clause is in your contract documents.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
