A disability insurance policy (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung, BU) is meant to protect you if you can no longer practise your occupation permanently. During studies this standard is hard to apply, because students usually do not yet practise an occupation. This guide explains what a claim during studies is measured against and what to check in your tariff.
Short answer: A BU pays out if, because of illness or accident, you are probably permanently unable to practise your last occupation and the policy conditions are met (section 172 VVG). During studies there is often no practised occupation, so the policy terms of your tariff decide the standard. Last updated: October 2026.
Key points
- The statutory definition refers to the last occupation practised (section 172 (2) VVG). During studies there is often no such occupation.
- For a claim, what matters is how your tariff assesses your studies or intended occupation.
- A referral to other activities applies only if it is agreed in the contract (section 172 (3) VVG).
- The insurer checks evidence. Good documentation shortens the process.
- If a claim is refused, check the reasoning closely against the policy terms.
When is a claim triggered?
The insured event occurs when occupational disability arises after the insurance has begun. Section 172 (1) VVG provides for this. The insurer must then pay the agreed benefits. This sounds clear, but during studies it raises a question: how do you measure an occupation if none is practised yet?
The definition in section 172 (2) VVG requires that you can no longer, wholly or partly and probably permanently, practise your last occupation because of illness, injury or a decline in strength beyond normal age-related levels. Anyone who has never worked has no practised occupation in the formal sense. Tariffs may provide their own rules for this, for example by referring to the intended occupational profile or the degree. Which standard applies to you is set out in your policy terms.
What to check in the policy terms
| Check | What you should find out |
|---|---|
| Link to studies or occupation | Does the occupational profile of your degree apply, or another standard? |
| Definition of occupational disability | Does it match section 172 VVG, or is it narrower or broader? |
| Referral | Is reference made to other reasonable activities (section 172 (3) VVG)? |
| Waiting period or qualifying period | Is there a time after the start of the contract during which no benefit is paid? |
| Review | May the insurer review the disability later, and at what intervals? |
How a benefit claim proceeds
Procedures differ between insurers. Typically a claim follows these steps.
- Report the insured event in writing and as early as possible.
- Submit medical records and evidence of your studies where requested.
- The insurer reviews the information and may request further details or an expert report.
- You receive a decision. Read the reasoning carefully and compare it with the policy terms.
- If the claim is refused, you can object and seek personal advice.
Why benefits can be refused despite illness
Not every illness leads to a benefit. The limitation must be lasting and affect the relevant occupation. Short-term absences, for example during an exam period with an infection, generally are not enough. A frequent point of dispute is incomplete health information in the application. If you concealed a pre-existing condition when you applied, you must expect consequences. This is closely linked to the duty to disclose (section 19 VVG).
How permanence is assessed
Occupational disability must probably last permanently. The insurer usually relies on medical findings, treatment history and prognoses. A prognosis is always an assessment, not a certain result. That is why it matters to document the course completely, even if your condition improves in between.
Tariffs may also provide for periodic reviews of the disability. If your health improves, you may then have to report it. These duties are set out in the contract and are worth knowing in advance.
Example for orientation (assumption)
Assumption: you study teaching, your BU is tailored to the teaching profession you are aiming for, and in your fourth semester you become so ill that you cannot continue studying. Whether a claim arises then depends on whether your tariff names the intended occupational profile as the benchmark and whether the limitation is likely to be permanent.
Medical findings and the course of treatment are the most important documents in such a case. The insurer will also check whether the contract contains a referral clause. How teaching students are classified is explained in the guide Disability insurance in teacher training (in German).
Typical points of dispute in a claim
- The insurer assesses the occupation differently from you, for example because the activity was described vaguely in the application.
- The health information given at the start differs from later findings.
- A referral to another activity is judged reasonable although you see it differently.
- Deadlines are missed because documents arrive late.
Most of these disputes can be avoided with precise documentation and timely replies. During studies it helps to describe the intended occupation concretely early on, so the standard does not have to be negotiated later.
Frequently asked questions
Does the BU pay if I have to end my studies because of illness?
Ending your studies alone does not create an entitlement. What matters is whether a lasting limitation exists that, under the terms, leads to occupational disability. An interruption is more a reason to secure evidence early. The guide Studium abbrechen: Diese Alternativen hast du (in German) covers the options.
Does the BU pay for a short period of sick leave?
Generally not. The disability must probably last permanently, as section 172 (2) VVG shows. Short-term illnesses do not fall under it, even if they are stressful.
Can the insurer refer me to another activity?
Only if the contract contains a corresponding clause. This follows from section 172 (3) VVG. Whether an activity is reasonable depends on your training and abilities and must correspond to your previous social standing, as the law puts it.
How long does a claim take?
That depends on the case and the documents needed. Procedures take longer if an expert report is required. Ask the insurer for the timetable, keep to deadlines yourself and document every query.
What should I do if a claim is refused?
Check the reasoning, compare it with the policy terms and get professional help before deadlines run out. An objection should be made in writing and on time.
What to do next
- Read your policy and mark the passages on occupational disability, referral and review.
- Document the onset and course of health limitations with medical records.
- Report a possible claim early and in text form.
- Compare the insurer’s decision with the policy terms before accepting it.
- Seek personal advice if anything is unclear before deadlines pass.
Related guides
- BU after your studies: classification as an academic
- Medical student disability insurance: timing and rules
- Teacher disability insurance: occupational vs. inability to serve
- Leaving your studies: the alternatives (in German)
Sources: Insurance Contract Act (VVG), section 172, benefits of the insurer (German text) (last updated: October 2026), VVG, section 19, duty to disclose (German text) (last updated: October 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
