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Protect your ability to work — your most important capital. A monthly pension if you can no longer work in your profession.
Occupational disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung, BU) pays you a monthly pension if you are permanently unable to work in your profession because of illness, accident or loss of strength. It is one of the most important forms of protection of all, because your ability to work is your greatest asset. In most cases the state invalidity pension (Invaliditätspension) in Austria is not enough to maintain your previous standard of living.
Statistics show that the risk of becoming unable to work in your profession is much higher than many people think:
Regular payment of the agreed monthly pension in case of occupational disability — for as long as the disability lasts.
When benefits are paid, premiums are waived — you receive the pension without making further payments.
Option to increase the BU pension on important life events (marriage, birth of a child, buying a home) without a new health assessment.
Annual adjustment of the BU pension to inflation so that your cover keeps pace with the rising cost of living.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Previous net income | €2,400 / month |
| assumed state benefit in case of incapacity for work | €1,300 / month |
| Monthly gap | €1,100 |
| Gap over 25 years until retirement (€1,100 × 12 × 25) | €330,000 |
The state benefit in the example is an assumption: its amount depends on your insurance periods and income, and it is only granted under strict conditions — in the worst case not at all. It is worth choosing the BU pension so that it closes this gap.
Simplified example calculation with sample values — not a substitute for an individual offer.
Occupational disability insurance makes sense for everyone who works — regardless of age or profession:
These details determine your premium: age, profession, health, high-risk hobbies, and the amount and payment period of the desired pension. Having them to hand means you get an offer that can really be compared more quickly.
Why honest information matters: an offer is only as good as the information it is based on. Anyone who omits or misstates pre-existing conditions, ongoing treatment or medication risks the insurer withdrawing from the contract or refusing to pay in the event of a claim (§§ 16 ff. VersVG). That is why we prefer to calculate on the basis of complete information — the offer may then not be the cheapest, but you can rely on it.
In most cases, no: the state benefit is often much lower than your previous income and is granted under stricter conditions than a private occupational disability pension.
Because the risk of occupational disability depends heavily on pre-existing conditions, insurers check particularly carefully here. Complete, correct information secures your entitlement to benefits when you need them.
Occupational disability (Berufsunfähigkeit) refers to your specific, most recently practised profession. Incapacity to earn a living (Erwerbsunfähigkeit) is a broader term and concerns the ability to do any kind of paid work.
Many tariffs offer a guaranteed increase option, allowing you to raise the sum on certain occasions (e.g. a pay rise, starting a family) without a new health assessment.
Payment of the pension then usually ends, because the benefit is linked to the existence of occupational disability.
Content reviewed by: Agnieszka Valenta, insurance broker · As of October 2026
We check how big your protection gap would be in case of occupational disability and compare tariffs that suit your profession and health.
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