A disability pension of 1,000 euros per month from occupational disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung, BU) sounds like a clear figure, but the premium for it is not the same for everyone. It depends on your entry age, your health, your occupation group, the term and the tariff. This guide shows how you can calculate the premium for your studies yourself, without pulling a number out of thin air.
Short answer: A disability pension of 1,000 euros per month equals 12,000 euros per year. The actual monthly premium can only be taken from the specific offer, because it depends on entry age, health, occupation group and tariff. A simple calculation shows what share of your budget this takes. Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- A pension of 1,000 euros per month amounts to 12,000 euros per year. That is the agreed benefit the insurer pays in a claim (Section 172 para. 1 VVG).
- The premium is not stated in this guide. It comes from the offer, so you need to ask the provider or apply for a quote directly.
- A simple calculation shows the total you pay over the term and what share of your budget that is.
- The occupation group and the student clause can limit the pension. Check this before you fix the amount.
- Pension indexation (Rentendynamik) and the increase guarantee raise the pension, but also the premium. Plan them deliberately.
What does a 1,000 euro pension actually mean?
A disability pension is paid monthly in a claim. The insurer provides the agreed benefits if occupational disability occurs after the policy begins (Section 172 para. 1 VVG). The pension is therefore not a lump sum, but a payment that continues for as long as the conditions are met and the contract provides for it.
The difference between the pension in a claim and the premium you pay regularly is important. The two figures are related. If you only look at the pension, you overlook the costs over the term. If you only look at the premium, you overlook how little cover the tariff actually provides.
How to calculate the premium for yourself
The following method works with any offer. You only need the monthly premium, your entry age and the age at which the policy ends.
- Note the monthly premium from the offer. Ask in writing whether the premium applies to a pension of 1,000 euros.
- Multiply the monthly premium by twelve to get the annual premium.
- Multiply the annual premium by the number of years until the policy ends. This gives the total of all premiums, nominal and without premium adjustments.
- Divide your monthly premium by your available monthly budget. This shows the share of your budget that the cover takes up permanently.
Worked example. Assume you start at 22 and the policy runs until 67, which is 45 years. Assume the monthly premium is 40 euros, so the annual premium is 480 euros. Over 45 years, that adds up to 21,600 euros in premiums. In a claim, you would receive 12,000 euros per year, or 1,000 euros per month. The figures are freely chosen and only show the method. Actual offers and premiums can differ considerably.
| Item | Assumption in the example | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly pension in a claim | 1,000 euros | 12,000 euros per year |
| Monthly premium | 40 euros (assumption) | 480 euros per year |
| Term | 22 to 67 years (assumption) | 45 years |
| Total of premiums | Annual premium times term | 21,600 euros nominal |
| Share of budget | 40 euros with a 900 euro monthly budget (assumption) | About 4.4 percent |
Which factors push the premium up?
The premium depends on several levers. The most important are entry age, the health status at application, the occupation group, the term and the benefit components. Each of these can noticeably change the premium, which is why entry age in particular deserves a close look. The link is explained in the guide on the entry age in disability insurance.
Health questions also affect the premium. Answers on the application must be complete where the insurer has asked for them (Section 19 VVG). Unclear answers can later lead to surcharges or restrictions, which distorts the comparison of monthly premiums.
Why the occupation group matters for students
Many tariffs place students in a separate group. The group determines how high the premium is and which pension is possible at all. Some tariffs set an upper limit on the pension for students. Whether 1,000 euros is within that limit can only be found in the terms. The details of the limit are explained in the guide on the student clause in disability insurance.
- Check whether the pension is limited for students and, if so, what the limit is.
- Ask which occupation group applies to your studies and whether it changes when you start working.
- Check whether the premium stays the same for the whole term or can rise.
Are pension indexation and the increase guarantee worth it?
Pension indexation (Rentendynamik) raises the pension each year, usually by a fixed percentage. This protects against a loss of purchasing power, but makes the premium more expensive. An increase guarantee (Nachversicherungsgarantie), in contrast, allows increases on certain occasions without a new health check. Both are building blocks you should choose deliberately, rather than adding them by default. How the increase guarantee works is shown in the guide on the post-issue increase in disability insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 1,000 euro pension too high for a student?
That cannot be said in general. The right amount depends on your ongoing costs, your future income and the amount you would actually need in an emergency. A pension should cover your fixed costs, not more. Work out your fixed costs and compare the difference with the premium.
Can I lower the premium with a smaller pension?
Yes. In general, a lower pension reduces the premium. Whether that makes sense depends on how large the gap would be in an emergency. A pension that is too low can miss the purpose of the cover, while one that is too high costs you money every year. Weigh both carefully.
When should I ask for the offer in writing?
Whenever you compare offers or are unsure about the premium and the benefit. A written offer is the basis for your calculation. Make sure the pension amount, the term, the premium and the indexation are clearly stated.
How often should I check the calculation?
Keep it in a spreadsheet and update it when your income, budget or term changes. The total over 45 years is only a guide, because premiums can change. That is why an annual review helps.
So what should you do now?
- Make a list of your monthly fixed costs and decide which pension you actually need in an emergency.
- Ask two or three tariffs in writing for the premium at the same pension and the same term.
- Calculate the annual premium, the total premium and the budget share for each tariff and compare the results.
Related reading
- Student clause in disability insurance: what the upper limit means
- BU StartPolice for young adults: what the premium advantage really brings
- When should you take out disability insurance? The entry age in the calculation
- Disability insurance increase guarantee: what to check when you start work
- Disability insurance after a mental illness: how the health check works
Sources: Section 172 VVG (occupational disability) and Section 19 VVG (duty to disclose), each from Gesetze im Internet (the official German law database), accessed October 2026. Premium amounts do not come from this source and appear here only as assumptions.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
