What if you suddenly couldn't drive, couldn't use your hands properly, or couldn't stand for more than a few minutes? Many professions, especially in crafts or care, depend on very specific physical abilities. Basic Skills Insurance is the pragmatic and often more cost-effective alternative to Occupational Disability (BU) insurance. It pays out when a defined ability is lost, regardless of whether you could theoretically still work in a different job.
Key Facts at a Glance
| What is covered | A monthly pension if you lose an insured basic ability such as seeing, walking, climbing stairs, using your hands or driving for a longer period. |
|---|---|
| What is not covered | Mental illness in many tariffs, loss of abilities that are not insured and excluded pre-existing conditions. Details |
| Who needs it | For anyone who cannot get disability insurance or only at a very high price, for example in physical jobs or with pre-existing conditions. |
| What does it cost | For a 30-year-old office worker with a €1,500 monthly pension, around €48 to €55 per month for basic cover according to Finanztip research. (source: Finanztip) Non-binding guide value (as of 2026); your premium depends on your situation. I will gladly prepare a non-binding quote for you: get in touch. |
| What to look out for | As many insured abilities as possible, clear benefit triggers and benefits for serious illness or care as an add-on. |
Stefan's Story: When Hands No Longer Obey
Fictional example for illustration; all persons and events are invented.
Stefan is 42 and a passionate craftsman. His job is physically demanding, but he loves the results of his work. He had ruled out Occupational Disability (BU) insurance early on: "Too expensive for my trade," he always said.
Through my neutral digital consulting, he learned about Basic Skills Insurance. We specifically insured the skills he needs most for his job: kneeling, bending, lifting, and gripping. The premium was absolutely affordable for him.
Three years later, it happened: a severe rheumatic disease affected Stefan's joints. His hands were especially affected. He could no longer perform precise work or handle heavy tools. Since Stefan had "only" lost the ability of "use of hands" and "kneeling," his Basic Skills Insurance kicked in immediately. He now receives a monthly pension of 1,500 euros. Stefan says today: "The BU would have been unaffordable for me. Basic Skills was exactly the right middle ground. Thanks to the digital consulting, I can cover my fixed costs while I reorient myself professionally."
Basic Skills Insurance for Expats in Germany: What Exactly Is It?
Unlike the BU, which focuses on your ability to work in your specific profession, Basic Skills Insurance is linked to biological functions. A catalog of skills is defined (e.g., walking, climbing stairs, seeing, hearing, speaking, driving, sitting, standing). If one of these skills is lost for an expected period of at least six months, the insurance pays the agreed pension.
The advantages at a glance:
- Clear Criteria: There is no long back-and-forth about "percentages of disability." You can either walk 200 meters or you can't.
- Attractive Premiums: Especially for manual and physically strenuous jobs, it is often significantly cheaper than a BU.
- No Referral: It doesn't matter if you could still work in another job. The benefit is tied to the skill.
- Simpler Medical Exam: Often the questions are less strict than for a BU.
Who is this protection ideal for?
As an insurance broker specialized in digital advice for expats, I recommend Basic Skills Insurance especially for:
- Craftspeople: Masons, carpenters, plumbers, whose livelihood depends on their back and joints.
- Healthcare Workers: Who must lift heavy and be mobile every day.
- Lorry and Bus Drivers: Here, the skill of "driving" can often be insured as a separate module.
- Active Individuals: Who want to secure their lifestyle even with physical limitations.
What to Look for When Comparing
The catalogs of insurers differ massively. In my neutral digital consulting, I compare for you:
- Skill Catalog: Which skills are included? Is "mental health" or "intellectual capacity" covered?
- Benefit Period: Does the insurance pay until age 67?
- Waiting Periods: When does payment start after the loss is established?
- Additional Modules: Are there lump-sum payments for severe illnesses (Dread Disease) also to the pension?
Requirements for Expats
- Valid German Address (Anmeldung)
- German Bank Account (IBAN)
- Valid Residence Permit (min. 2-3 years remaining for many providers)
- Medical History (Simplified health check)
- Proof of Income
What Is Not Covered
Basic abilities insurance pays according to fixed criteria. That is clear, but it has limits:
- Mental illness: Burn-out or depression rarely lead to the loss of a basic ability and are therefore usually not covered, unlike disability insurance.
- Abilities not insured: It only pays for the loss of an ability named in the contract, not if you cannot work in your job for other reasons.
- Pre-existing conditions: As with disability insurance, pre-existing conditions can be excluded.
- Duration: Many tariffs require the ability to be lost for at least 12 months.
How I Help You When You Need to Claim Benefits
As your broker, I am legally on your side, not the insurer's, and that matters most when something happens. This is how we proceed:
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1. Report it quickly
Let me know as soon as possible, by WhatsApp, phone, email or directly in the simplr app. Many policy conditions require prompt notification.
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2. Document everything
Keep photos, invoices, reports and the names of everyone involved. Good documentation speeds up processing considerably. How to write the claim report.
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3. Collect medical evidence
Medical findings proving the loss of the ability and its expected duration are decisive. We prepare the claim together.
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4. I take care of the rest
I submit the case to the insurer, follow up and check the settlement. If the insurer refuses or cuts benefits, we look at the reasons together. What to do after a denial.