
Disability Insurance: Must-Have or Waste of Money?
Disability insurance (BU) is hotly debated: some see it as essential protection, others as a waste of money. This video by Finanzfluss helps you make an informed decision.
Arguments in Favor- Existential risk: If you depend on your earned income (rent, living expenses, savings rate), you should secure it – especially as the main breadwinner.
- Statutory gap: The German statutory disability pension (since 2001) is low (avg. €1,099 per month) and doesn't consider your specific occupation – only general work capacity.
- Protecting human capital: Example: A 27-year-old earning the median gross salary (€54,000) will earn about €2.16 million until retirement. BU insures this value.
- Costs: Monthly premiums reduce your investment capacity. €60/month over 40 years could grow to over €150,000 with 7% returns.
- Negative expected value: Insurance is statistically a loss – its purpose is risk coverage, not profit.
- Administrative hassle: Claims can be lengthy; you need financial reserves during the process.
- Optional with financial cushion: If you already have substantial assets or other income sources (e.g., rental income), BU is less critical.
- Definition: Less than 50% of your current occupation expected for more than 6 months.
- Claim approval rate is around 80%. Rejections often due to lack of cooperation (38%) or not meeting the 50% threshold.
- Tip: Seek professional support (broker, specialized lawyer) when filing a claim.
- Personal traits: Occupation (office jobs cheaper than manual labor), health status, BMI, age, risky hobbies.
- Contract features: Duration (better until retirement), BU pension amount, additional clauses.
- Examples: Student (21, €1,000 BU pension) ~€24/month; mechanical engineer (33, €2,500) ~€51; nurse (28, €2,000) ~€160.
- BU pension amount: Calculate fixed costs or use the rule of thumb – 80% of net income.
- Duration: Recommended until age 67 (higher risk later). Can be cancelled later if you build sufficient wealth.
- Key clauses: No abstract referral, worldwide coverage, 6-month prognosis period, guaranteed insurability options.
- Health questions: Answer truthfully, obtain your medical records, consider anonymous risk inquiries.
- Directly from an insurer: Limited comparison.
- Fee-based advisor: Net tariffs (cheaper) but fees apply even without a contract.
- Broker (e.g., Finanzfluss): Commission-based tariffs (free for you) or net tariffs with one-time fee (max. €450). Advantage: broad comparison and ongoing support.
BU is advisable if you rely on your earned income. Signing up early is cheaper and simplifies health screening. Compare tariffs and look for fair terms.






