What is Krankengeld?
Krankengeld is a sickness benefit paid by the statutory health insurance fund (gesetzliche Krankenkasse) to employees who remain unable to work for a longer period than the employer is obliged to continue paying their salary (usually after 6 weeks of paid sick leave from the employer).
The purpose of Krankengeld is to compensate part of the lost income during long-term illness and inability to work.
The first six weeks:
During the first 6 weeks of sickness, the employer usually continues to pay the full salary
(so-called Entgeltfortzahlung), provided that the employment relationship has existed for at least 4 weeks.
From the 7th week of illness onwards:
If the illness continues for more than 6 consecutive weeks (for the same medical condition),
the statutory health insurance fund starts paying Krankengeld.
Amount of Krankengeld:
The Krankengeld amounts to around 70% of your last gross income subject to social insurance contributions,
or 90% of your net income, whichever is lower.
There is a legal maximum daily amount
(2024: around €120.75 per day; for 2025, please check with your health insurance fund).
Duration of payment:
Krankengeld is paid for up to 78 weeks (roughly one and a half years)
within a 3-year period for the same illness.
Medical certificate (AU-Bescheinigung):
Your incapacity to work must be proven by a medical certificate of incapacity for work.
Ongoing sickness certificates (“follow-up certificates”) must be sent to the health insurance fund
without interruption (often electronically by the doctor’s practice directly to the insurer).
Formal application:
The health insurance fund usually sends you a letter,
informs you about your potential entitlement to Krankengeld,
and may ask you to provide certain information or complete a form.
Krankengeld does not fully cover pension and unemployment insurance contributions,
so you should be aware of the long-term financial effects.
If you return to work even for one day and then become sick again for the same illness,
the six-week Entgeltfortzahlung period may start anew.
Self-employed persons (Selbstständige) are not automatically entitled to Krankengeld;
they must opt for additional cover or special tariffs within their health insurance
to obtain a right to sickness benefit.
Krankengeld = sickness benefit paid by the statutory health insurance fund
after the employer’s continued salary payment ends (from the 7th week of illness).
It is normally about 70% of gross income
(or 90% of net income, if lower)
and can be paid for up to 78 weeks for the same illness.
Our team of writers and editors strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and multiple sources. However, errors may occur or some information may be incomplete or not definitively confirmed. Therefore, please treat the information in our articles as an initial point of reference and always contact the relevant authorities or professional bodies for binding and official information.
