Clarifying your pension insurance account

In order to check that the information relating to your pension is complete and accurate, you can apply for clarification of your insurance account with your pension insurance provider.

If you are or were in the statutory pension insurance scheme, you have a pension insurance account. All data relevant to your pension are stored here.

The German Pension Insurance Fund records periods of employment, training, illness, unemployment and child-rearing in your personal insurance account. You can view the data stored therein at any time.

You can examine your insurance history at any time. When you reach 43 years of age, if they have your current address, your pension insurance provider automatically sends you your insurance history, so that you can check the periods recorded. Subsequently, you receive a copy of your insurance history every six years.

If the information recorded is incomplete or inaccurate, your insurance account should be rectified or supplemented in a timely manner. For this purpose, you must submit an application for account clarification. Only if your insurance account is accurate and complete can your subsequent pension amount be calculated correctly, and your subsequent pension application be processed more quickly. Your pension insurance provider can also then give you better advice about retirement provision.

It is also important to clarify your account in a timely manner because health insurance companies, employment agencies and employers only keep documents for a certain period of time.

German Pension Insurance Fund
Ruhrstraße 2
10709 Berlin

Tel.: 030 8650 
Fax: 030 86527240
Email: drv@drv-bund.de

Your competent German Pension Insurance Fund can be found using the German Pension Insurance Funds information and advice centre search function.

German Pension Insurance Fund
Freephone helpline: 0800 10004800
Office hours:
Monday to Thursday from 7:30 to 19:30
Friday from 7:30 to 15:30

• You will be notified of the evidence and documents required when you submit your electronic application.
• If you use an application form, it will say what evidence is required. These might be, for example
  • references,
  • certificates from health insurance companies, or
  • remuneration statements.

Forms: Yes.
Can I apply online? Yes. 
Do I need to apply in writing? Yes. 
Do I need to apply in person? No.

You are or were insured by the German Pension Insurance Fund.

You can apply for clarification of your pension account online, with or without registration, or in writing.

• If you would like to clarify your pension account online, without identification:
• Go to the German Pension Insurance Fund website and click on "Services", then on "Online-Dienste" [online services]. Select "Online-Dienste ohne Registrierung" [online services without registration] from the drop-down menu.
• Click on "Anträge stellen" [submit applications]. On the homepage for the application wizard, under "Mein Anliegen betrifft" [my issue relates to...] select "das Versicherungskonto" [insurance account] and, on the next page, select "Mein Versicherungskonto wurde bisher nicht geklärt (erstmalige Kontenklärung)" [my insurance account has not yet been clarified (first clarification)].
• You will be assisted in filling out the electronic application and will be shown notes and explanations.
• Depending on the answers you give, you may be asked additional questions or given other forms to complete. Attach any appropriate evidence in accordance with the instructions.
• Send these documents to your pension insurance provider. Uploading documents and electronic transfer is not yet possible, so these documents must be sent by post.
• When the account clarification is complete, you will receive a notice of assessment from your pension insurance provider. This will detail all recorded periods relevant to your pension.

If you would like to clarify your pension account online and register:

• For this you will need your identity card or your residence permit, with activated online ID function or a signature card.
• Go to the German Pension Insurance Fund website and click on "Online-Dienste" [online services] at the top right, and then on "Online-Dienste mit Registrierung" [online services with registration]. Follow the instructions.
• After you have registered, click on "Anträge stellen" [submit applications].
• On the homepage for the application wizard, under "Mein Anliegen betrifft" [my issue relates to...] select "das Versicherungskonto" [insurance account] and, on the next page, select "Mein Versicherungskonto wurde bisher nicht geklärt (erstmalige Kontenklärung)" [my insurance account has not yet been clarified (first clarification)].
• You will be assisted in filling out the electronic application for account clarification and will be shown notes and explanations.
• Depending on the answers you give, you may be asked additional questions or given other forms to complete.
• Attach any appropriate evidence in accordance with the instructions.
• Send these documents to your pension insurance provider. Uploading documents and electronic transfer is not yet possible, so these documents must be sent by post.
• When the account clarification is complete, you will receive a notice of assessment from your pension insurance provider. This will detail all recorded periods relevant to your pension.

If you would like to clarify your pension account in writing:

• Go to the German Pension Insurance Fund website and download the application form. Print this off and send it by post to your pension insurance provider.
• Alternatively, you can contact your pension insurance provider by telephone, email or by post and request that they send you the application documents.

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It varies.

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