Apply for voluntary continued insurance in unemployment insurance
Under certain conditions, you can apply for compulsory unemployment insurance so that you can receive unemployment benefit if you become unemployed at a later date. You are entitled to insurance if you
- are self-employed for at least 15 hours per week, or
- are employed abroad outside the EU, the EEA or outside Switzerland for at least 15 hours per week, or
- raise a child over 3 years old on parental leave, or
- continue their professional education and thereby
- be able to advance professionally, or
- receive a vocational qualification, or
- be able to carry out another professional activity.
The monthly contribution in 2023 is
- EUR 88.27 (West) and EUR 85.54 (East) for the self-employed
- In the first year of your self-employment and in the following calendar year, you pay only half of the contribution.
- EUR 88.27 for expatriates
- EUR 44.14 (West) and EUR 42.77 (East) for persons on parental leave and for persons in continuing vocational training.
You pay the monthly insurance contribution alone and directly to the Federal Employment Agency.
If you are employed abroad, there must be no posting. This means that you are not allowed to work temporarily in a foreign company on behalf of your German employer. Otherwise, you would continue to be subject to German social security regulations, and voluntary continued unemployment insurance would not be possible.
If you are employed in another European country in addition to your job, the social security law there applies. In this case, it is not possible to take out compulsory application insurance under German law.
Note: If you end your self-employment or employment abroad and claim compulsory application insurance, you must make a demonstrable effort to find work again as soon as possible.
Process flow
You can apply for compulsory unemployment insurance in writing to the Employment Agency:
- Download the form online from the website of the Employment Agency and print it out or have the form handed over to you on site at the Employment Agency.
- Fill out the form and add the necessary supporting documents.
- Submit the application documents to the Employment Agency. If possible, please submit the completed application documents in person.
- The decision on your application will be communicated to you in writing by post. Your compulsory insurance relationship on application begins on the day on which the requirements are met for the first time, possibly also retroactively.
Alternatively, you can also submit the application online.
- Go to the website of the Federal Employment Agency. Then go to the eServices via the menu, click on "Show all services" and then on "Voluntary compulsory application insurance".
- Here you will find barrier-free and digitally fillable documents as well as the upload for the application and other evidence.
- Download the appropriate application form for your job and fill it out electronically.
- Prepare the necessary evidence. Make sure that the necessary evidence is available in digital form. For example, you can photograph the documents with your smartphone or digital camera and upload them as an image file.
- Log in with your user account.
- If you don't have an account, you'll need to register first. If you don't remember your credentials, follow the steps on the Forgot Username or Forgot Password page.
- Alternatively, you can receive an access code for the online portal by post.
- From your user account, you can upload the application for compulsory unemployment insurance as well as all supporting documents and submit them to the Employment Agency.
- Missing documents and changes can also be submitted or communicated online.
- You will be informed of the decision on your application with a notice. You will find this notification in your profile in the "Notification filing" section – provided that you have agreed to online delivery.
- Your compulsory insurance relationship on application in unemployment insurance begins on the day on which the requirements are met for the first time, possibly also retroactively.
Who should I contact?
You can find the office of the Federal Employment Agency responsible for you via the office finder.
Competent authority
The office of the Federal Employment Agency in whose district you have your domicile or habitual abode is responsible. If you do not live in Germany or do not have a habitual place of residence at the time of application, submit the application to the office of the Employment Agency that was responsible for your last domestic residence or that was responsible for your last employment.
You can find the office of the Federal Employment Agency responsible for you via the office finder.
Requirements
- You have been compulsorily insured in the social security system for at least 12 months within the last 30 months before the start of work/employment abroad or the start of parental leave/further vocational training, for example as an employee or as a trainee or
- Immediately before taking up work/employment abroad or the start of parental leave/further vocational training, they were entitled to a compensation benefit under the Third Social Code (SGB III), for example unemployment benefit, but not citizen's allowance and
- They are neither compulsory nor exempt from unemployment insurance.
- The compulsory insurance relationship is excluded if you were already subject to compulsory insurance as a self-employed person, interrupted your self-employed activity twice and asserted a claim for unemployment benefit during the interruption periods.
Which documents are required?
General:
- Identity card or passport with confirmation of registration or replacement document or copies of the documents
- Certificate that you have been compulsorily insured in social security for at least 12 months within the last 30 months prior to commencing employment/employment abroad or the start of parental leave/further vocational training (e.g. certificate of employment from your employer)
Special:
- In the case of self-employment:
- Business registration or
- Clear, credible explanation of your freelance work, including suitable evidence
- In the case of employment abroad: Employment contract
- In the case of parental leave: "Additional sheet on periods of child-rearing" and notification of parental allowance or childcare allowance
- In the case of continuing vocational training: Proof of further education institution
What are the fees?
There are no costs.
Applications / forms
Forms available: Yes
Written form required: No
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: Yes
Appeal
- Contradiction
- social court action
Technically approved by
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)
Professionally released on
23.05.2023
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
