The Ärzteversorgung Westfalen-Lippe is the professional pension fund (Versorgungswerk) of the Ärztekammer Westfalen-Lippe. Its bylaws cap the contribution through a maximum that is tied to the average paid by members, and that affects how you plan the start of your career.
Short answer: Under the 2015 bylaw amendment the maximum contribution is 1.3 times the average contribution of the second-last financial year (§ 22 para. 4). On informal application a contribution of 1.1 or 1.2 times that average can be approved. Exemption from statutory pension insurance follows § 6 SGB VI and needs an application within three months (as of October 2026; check the 2015 text against the current bylaws).
The Most Important Points
- Compulsory membership rests on § 6a of the Heilberufsgesetz NRW (in German) and the chamber bylaws.
- The maximum contribution is linked to the average contribution of the second-last financial year (factor 1.3).
- A reduced contribution (factor 1.1 or 1.2) is available on informal application, and no income tax assessment has to be submitted for it.
- Since 1 January 2016 members who wish to pay more can agree top-up insurance, limited by the tax-free ceiling.
- The chamber fee and the contribution to the pension fund are two separate payments.
How is the contribution capped in Westfalen-Lippe?
The bylaw amendment was published in the Ministerialblatt NRW (MBl. NRW 2015 p. 500, in German). It replaces the earlier factor of 1.1 with 1.3 and removes the option of a higher contribution from the wording. Top-up insurance is also new.
| Rule | Provision | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum contribution | § 22 para. 4 sentences 3 and 4 | 1.3 times the average contribution of the second-last financial year |
| Reduced contribution | § 22 para. 4 sentence 5 | 1.1 or 1.2 times on informal application, without a tax assessment |
| Top-up insurance | § 25 para. 1, from 1 Jan 2016 | Additional payments alongside contributions up to 1.3 times, limited by the tax-free ceiling, written declaration required |
| Transfers and back-insurance | § 25 para. 5 | Amounts above the annual limits received after 31 Dec 2015 count as additional payments |
Worked example. Assumption: the average contribution of the second-last financial year is EUR 10,000, a freely chosen placeholder with no connection to real figures. The maximum contribution would then be EUR 13,000, the reduced contribution EUR 11,000 or EUR 12,000. The actual average is stated by the fund.
These provisions come from the 2015 amending resolution, not from the full current bylaws. Request the current version before relying on any factor.
Why are the chamber fee and the pension contribution two payments?
Many members mix them up. The chamber fee finances the Ärztekammer, and its schedule is published in the Ministerialblatt (MB.NRW 2026 No. 167, in German). The contribution to the Ärzteversorgung, by contrast, funds retirement provision and follows the fund’s own bylaws.
| Payment | Recipient | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Chamber fee | Ärztekammer Westfalen-Lippe | Chamber contribution schedule |
| Pension fund contribution | Ärzteversorgung Westfalen-Lippe | Bylaws of the fund |
| Statutory pension contribution | Deutsche Rentenversicherung | falls away with an effective exemption |
When are you compulsory in Westfalen-Lippe, and how does the exemption run?
The Heilberufsgesetz allows chambers to make their members join, and leaves the start, end and exemptions to the bylaws (§ 6a paras. 1 and 6). Neither the employment contract nor the licence alone decides; chamber membership together with the bylaws does.
The exemption from pension insurance runs through the fund and needs an application within three months, otherwise it applies only from the date the application is received (§ 6 para. 4 SGB VI). The procedure is described in the general guide and is unchanged in Westfalen-Lippe.
When does top-up insurance make sense?
Top-up insurance is voluntary and concerns members who already pay up to 1.3 times. It fits if the compulsory contribution leaves too little room and your retirement provision is meant to sit in the fund anyway. It fits less well if liquidity is tight during specialist training, because contributions to the fund are not available at any time. For a case-by-case assessment, a personal consultation with Academycon is available: How we work.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fixed contribution for career starters?
Not in the verified material of the 2015 amendment, which regulates only the maximum and the reduced contribution. Whether and how the current bylaws treat career starters you have to ask the fund.
Do I have to submit tax documents for the reduction?
Not under the 2015 amendment: whoever applies for the reduced contribution need not submit the income tax assessment (§ 22 para. 4 sentence 5).
What counts as top-up insurance?
Payments beyond the compulsory contribution that you declare in writing and that stay within the tax-free ceiling (§ 25 para. 1). Amounts above the annual limits from a transfer after 31 December 2015 are included.
Where do I find the current bylaws?
From the pension fund and in the Ministerialblatt NRW. Note the date of the version, because factors and deadlines get adjusted.
What to do now
- Request the current bylaws and the latest contribution notice from the fund.
- Ask for the average contribution of the second-last financial year and the maximum contribution that follows from it.
- Decide whether to apply for the reduced contribution at factor 1.1 or 1.2.
- File the exemption application within three months and keep proof of receipt.
Related guides
- Ärzte in Weiterbildung: PKV, Versorgungswerk und BU richtig kombinieren
- Ärzteversorgung Nordrhein: Beitrag 2026 und Befreiung
- Assistenzarzt Gehalt: Tarif, Stufen und Nachtdienst
- Ärzteversorgung Niedersachsen: Beitrag, Befreiung und Leistungen für Berufseinsteiger
Sources: Amendment of the bylaws of the Westfälisch-Lippische Ärzteversorgung, MBl. NRW 2015 p. 500 (in German) (as of 2015); Contribution schedule of the Ärztekammer Westfalen-Lippe, MB.NRW 2026 No. 167 (in German) (accessed October 2026); § 6a Heilberufsgesetz NRW (in German) (accessed October 2026); § 6 SGB VI (in German) (accessed October 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
