“Disability insurance without health questions” sounds like a simple solution. Anyone who wants to take out a Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung (BU, occupational disability insurance) otherwise has to answer questions about diagnoses, treatment and medication, and that puts some people off. The term promises that these questions will not be asked. How such offers are built and what they pay in an emergency is worth looking at closely, though.
Short answer: A BU policy without health questions does not ask about your health state when the contract is concluded. Insurers often compensate with other levers, such as a lower pension, waiting periods or exclusions. Whether it suits you depends on your health and your needs. Last updated: November 2026.
Key points at a glance
- Without health questions, the check at application falls away, but the benefit review in a claim does not.
- The statutory duty to disclose under section 19 VVG only applies to questions the insurer has asked in text form.
- Dropping questions often means limits elsewhere, for example on the pension amount or through exclusions.
- Under section 172 VVG, a claim still depends on the occupation, the illness and the expected lasting nature of the limitation.
- Compare the conditions, not only the premium, before you sign.
What “without health questions” actually means
Health questions are the usual way for an insurer to assess the risk of a disability policy. The insurer asks about diagnoses, treatment and sick leave over recent years. If these questions are dropped, the insurer has to cover the risk differently. That usually happens through conditions that can affect you when you claim, not for free.
Your state of health therefore plays no role at the point of signing, but it can matter in a claim. If you become unable to work in your occupation, the insurer checks whether the contract requirements are met. That includes the type of illness, when the occupational disability began and how long the limitation lasts.
Why the duty to disclose works differently here
Under section 19 (1) VVG, you must disclose material circumstances about which the insurer has asked in text form before you submit your declaration. Where no questions are asked, the statutory duty in this sense does not arise. That sounds like an advantage, but it is only part of the picture. Insurers balance the risk through the contract itself.
It is therefore important to read the clauses that do not sit next to the health question. These include benefit limits, any waiting periods, exclusions for particular conditions and the rules on the pension amount. These points determine what is actually paid out in an emergency.
Which levers insurers use
The terms of different tariffs vary widely. The table shows which points are typically affected and what to check. Concrete figures are set in the tariff and must be read there.
| Lever | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Pension amount | The monthly benefit can be capped in the tariff | Does the pension match your actual needs, and is the cap clearly set out? |
| Waiting period | Benefits start only after an agreed period | How long is the period, and does it apply to all causes? |
| Exclusions | Certain conditions or causes are excluded from cover | Which conditions are affected, and how are they defined? |
| Term and adjustment | Cover runs until a set age, and the pension may be adjusted to income | Is there a guaranteed right to increase cover later, or a dynamic adjustment? |
An older evaluation by the Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen (consumer advice centre), status 15 March 2016, describes that tariffs for people with pre-existing conditions often work with exclusions, surcharges or limited pensions. These figures come from an earlier survey and do not reflect today’s market exactly, but the direction of the statement is clear.
Who a tariff without questions may suit
Such a tariff can be of interest to people who do not want to disclose their health in the application, or who already have complaints that would otherwise lead to a rejection. It is not a standard solution, however. If you are healthy and can answer the questions, you should first compare tariffs that do include health questions.
For students and new graduates, the question of need also arises. A low pension may not be enough to cover ongoing living costs. Calculate in advance what benefit you would actually need in an emergency. Think too about how your income will develop in the coming years.
Look at the premium with a critical eye. A tariff without health questions is often not cheaper, because the insurer prices in the higher risk. Whether the premium is justified only becomes clear when you compare the benefits. Set the premium against the pension and ask how the premium can develop over the term.
Frequently asked questions
Is a BU policy without health questions always worse?
Not automatically, but it is often linked to limits. Whether the offer suits you depends on comparing its benefits with a policy that includes health questions, if you are eligible for one. Looking at both variants is therefore sensible.
Do I have to disclose anything with such a tariff?
You must read the conditions and the application form carefully. If the form contains questions, the general rules on the duty to disclose under section 19 VVG apply. The form itself shows whether the application really has no questions.
Can the insurer raise pre-existing conditions later?
That depends on the contract. If certain conditions are expressly excluded, that exclusion applies. Without questions the insurer has no basis for a query at the application stage, but that does not necessarily mean it has no means of regulating exclusions in the contract.
What is the difference from an anonymous risk pre-assessment?
A risk pre-assessment shows how an insurer evaluates your specific situation without committing you. A tariff without health questions is a product decision. Both can be checked together, but one does not replace the other.
Does such a tariff make sense for young people?
That depends on how healthy you are and what benefit you need. People in good health usually have access to tariffs with health questions that offer more cover. A tariff without questions should only be chosen if the comparison clearly favours it.
What to do next
- Check whether you have access to a tariff with health questions, and compare both variants.
- Read the terms on pension, waiting period, exclusions and term in full.
- Have an anonymous risk pre-assessment carried out to see how your case is assessed before you commit.
- Ask for the offers to be explained in writing before you sign.
Related reading
- How do I protect my ability to work? The overview for new graduates
- BU with health questions: what students need to disclose
- BU health questions during studies: psychotherapy, allergies, sport
- Anonymous risk pre-assessment for BU: how it works
- Occupational disability pension of 1,000 euros: what students pay per month
Sources: Section 19 VVG, duty to disclose, gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed November 2026 (German text); Section 172 VVG, insurer’s obligations (occupational disability), gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed November 2026 (German text); Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen, evaluation of occupational disability insurance, status 15 March 2016 (older status, German text).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
