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Receiving an orphan's pension from the statutory accident insurance fund

If your parent has died as a result of an insurance accident, you will receive an orphan's pension from the statutory accident insurance under certain conditions.

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Procedure details

The statutory accident insurance pays a half or full orphan's pension to the children of insured persons. You can receive this orphan's pension if your parent died as a result of an insured event. This includes accidents at work, accidents on the way to work and occupational diseases. It is not necessary to file an application.

Natural children are entitled to the orphan's pension, as well as stepchildren, foster children, grandchildren and siblings under certain conditions.

They receive the orphan's pension until they reach the age of 18.

Under certain conditions, however, it can also be granted until the orphan reaches the age of 27. These conditions are met if the orphan

  • is undergoing school education or vocational training, or
  • is doing voluntary service, or
  • is unable to support himself or herself because of a physical, mental or psychological disability.

If periods entitling to an orphan's pension do not follow on seamlessly from one another, an entitlement to an orphan's pension may also exist during a transitional period of no more than 4 calendar months (for example, the period between the end of school education and the start of a course of study).

If you are a half-orphan, the orphan's pension is 20 percent of your parent's earnings in the year before the accident; if you are a full orphan, the orphan's pension is 30 percent. You will receive the orphan's pension monthly.

It may be that other persons besides you are entitled to money from the statutory accident insurance, for example, your siblings or a widow or widower. In this case, the sum of the pensions may not exceed 80 percent of the deceased person's annual earnings. Your orphan's pension will be reduced proportionately in this case. If you are a foster child, the entitlement to an orphan's pension may be waived altogether.

You will receive the orphan's pension if the person died as a result of an insured event. This includes accidents at work, accidents on the way to work and occupational diseases.

You receive the orphan's pension as

  • natural child,
  • stepchild or foster child, if you lived in the household of the deceased person and were cared for and looked after there, and as a
  • grandchild or sibling, if you lived in the deceased person's household and were cared for and looked after there.
  • You may also receive the orphan's pension if the deceased person was mainly responsible for your living expenses.

Under these conditions, you will receive the orphan's pension even if you are 18 to under 27 years old:

  • You are in school or vocational training; or
  • you cannot support yourself because of a physical, mental or psychological disability, or
  • you are in a transitional period of no more than 4 calendar months
    • between one stage of training and the next stage, or
    • the completion of compulsory military or civilian service, or
    • the performance of voluntary service.

  • Required Documents

    Depending on the case, different documents and information are required:

    • Death certificate of the parent
    • Birth certificate or certificate of descent
    • Bank account details
    • If applicable:
      • Proof of step-childship or foster-childship or proof of adoption
      • Proof of education or training (for orphans over 18 years of age)
      • Death certificate of the 2nd parent (for orphans)
      • Certificate of survivorship from the statutory pension insurance (if already available, otherwise the pension insurance number)
      • Information on annual work earnings (in case of occupational accident with direct death)

In principle, you do not have to apply for an orphan's pension. The relevant employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund will determine the entitlement and the amount of the orphan's pension on its own initiative ("ex officio").

You have the option of initiating the process online or by mail.

Online service:

  • Call up the online service.
  • You will be guided through the process on the accident insurance service portal.
  • You can log in.
    • If you would like to receive the response from your employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund in the mailbox of your BundID account or My Company Account, you must have an account and authenticate yourself.
    • If you would like to receive the response by mail, you can also proceed without logging in.
  • Select your responsible employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund or determine it using the industry search.
  • Upload the required documents.
  • Fill out the online form and submit it.
  • Your report will automatically be forwarded to your employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund.
  • You will receive a response by the requested method.

Online service Your employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund:

  • If you have access to the portal of your employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund, you can also submit the notification electronically there, if necessary.

Message by mail:

  • Contact your employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund with an informal letter.
  • Make sure you provide the required information and enclose the necessary documents.

There are no costs involved.

There is no deadline.

1 bis 3 Monate

  • Opposition
    • Detailed information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in the notification from your employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund.

Status: 09.03.2025
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales
Source: Federal Portal