Receive wage replacement benefits and suspend contributions to the Artists' Social Security Fund

If you are unable to work due to illness or pregnancy and receive wage replacement benefits from another agency, you do not have to pay social security contributions through the Künstlersozialkasse.

Are you working as an independent artist or publicist and subject to statutory health and long-term care insurance through the Künstlersozialkasse (artists' social security fund)? Then, under certain conditions, you are entitled to income replacement benefits.

The responsible service provider checks the requirements for:

• Sickness benefit
• Sickness benefit for a sick child
• Maternity benefit
• injury benefit
• transition allowance or other wage replacement benefits

Depending on the type of service, this can be:

• the statutory health insurance fund,
• an accident insurance institution or
• a statutory pension insurance provider

If you are entitled to a wage replacement benefit, you do not have to pay social security contributions through the Artists' Social Security Fund. In order for the Artists' Social Security Fund to determine the so-called exemption from contributions, you must report the receipt of benefits. You should also provide proof of this to avoid additional correspondence.

The exemption from contributions lasts as long as you receive the wage replacement benefit.

If you are unable to work due to your own illness, the illness of your child, or a pregnancy:    

• Contact your attending physician to obtain a certificate of incapacity to work, your child's illness, or your pregnancy.
• Unless this certificate is transmitted electronically by the doctor's office to your competent health insurance fund, please submit it there.
• Please answer questions from your health insurance company immediately.
• If you receive a replacement income benefit, have the start and, if applicable, the already known end of the benefit receipt confirmed in writing.

You can then notify the Künstlersozialkasse about the receipt of the income replacement benefit online or by post.

Online message:

• Go to the online form on the federal portal verwaltung.bund.de. It will guide you step by step through the required information, which you can enter electronically.
• Note: You need a valid ELSTER certificate to log in to the online form. Alternatively, you can use your electronic ID document.
• You will need approximately 10 minutes to complete the online application.
• First, enter your personal details, including your insurance number. You can find this in the top right corner of letters from the Künstlersozialkasse.
• On the next page, you select the wage replacement benefit you received.
• With the selection, you will receive general information on the respective benefit receipt.
• You can then enter the details of your benefit receipt and, if available, upload supporting documents.
• When receiving maternity benefit, there are also a few more questions regarding your future employment.

Notification by mail:

• If you are receiving sickness benefit, complete the PDF form "Notice of illness/incapacity for work while receiving sickness benefit" on the Künstlersozialkasse website.
• If you receive maternity benefit, fill out the PDF form "Mitteilung wegen des Bezuges von Mutterschaftsgeld" on the Künstlersozialkasse website.
• Please also include your insurance number. You can find it in the upper right corner of the letters from the Artists' Social Insurance Fund.
• Print out the completed PDF, sign it, and send your change notification to the Artists' Social Security Fund.
• If you are receiving sickness benefit for a sick child, injury benefit, or transition allowance, please inform us of the benefit period informally, quoting your insurance number.
• Please attach proof of receipt of benefits to your communication, if you have one available.

You will receive written confirmation of the determined exemption from contributions.

Please notify us immediately of the receipt of a replacement income benefit.

There are no costs.

No appeal is possible.