Apply for child sickness benefit for people with statutory health insurance

If you are unable to work due to your child's illness, you can receive child sickness benefit from your statutory health insurance fund.

Child sickness benefit replaces your lost wages or earned income if you have to look after or care for your sick child. This applies both if you look after or care for your sick child at home and if you are admitted to a hospital while your sick child is receiving inpatient treatment.

Amount of your entitlement

Children's sickness benefit is generally 90 percent of your lost net salary. If you received one-off payments from your employer in the year before your child's illness, such as a Christmas bonus, the children's sickness benefit amounts to 100% of your lost net salary.

For self-employed persons whose main occupation is self-employment, children's sickness benefit is paid in the amount of the sickness benefit in the event of your own incapacity to work. Children's sickness benefit for seriously ill children is paid in the amount of the sickness benefit for own incapacity to work. Due to the statutory contribution assessment ceiling, the maximum amount of children's sickness benefit is capped.

Children's sickness benefit is subject to social insurance contributions. This means that your health insurance fund automatically deducts nursing care, pension and unemployment insurance contributions. Health insurance contributions are not due.

Duration of your entitlement

If you are caring for your sick child at home, you can receive 10 working days of child sickness benefit per child per year. This entitlement applies to both parents. If you are a single parent, your entitlement increases to 20 working days per child per year. If you have 3 or more children, you can receive up to 25 working days of child sickness benefit per year; single parents can receive up to 50 working days per year.

This entitlement has been increased for 2026. As a parent, you are entitled to child sickness benefit for up to

• 15 working days per child per year
  • 30 working days per child per year if you are a single parent
• 35 working days per year if you have 3 or more children
  • 70 working days per year if you are a single parent

If you are admitted to a hospital for medical reasons while your sick child is receiving inpatient treatment, you are entitled to child sickness benefit. This applies for as long as the admission lasts and your accompaniment is necessary for medical reasons. If an insured child who has not yet reached the age of 9 is treated as an inpatient, the admission of an accompanying person is automatically considered medically necessary. In the case of such accompaniment, your entitlement to children's sickness benefit is unlimited in time.

The entitlement to child sickness benefit for seriously ill children is not subject to any time limit. It is therefore generally valid until the day on which the child dies.

If your employer gives you paid leave from work, this time will count towards your entitlement to child sickness benefit. This means that your entitlement to children's sick pay is suspended for as long as your employer gives you paid leave. For example, if your company has continued to pay your salary for 5 days, you will still be entitled to child sickness benefit for 10 working days in 2026.

• for care at home:
  • Medical certificate about your child's illness and care needs
• for the inpatient admission of a parent:
  • Certificate from the inpatient facility such as the hospital or preventive care or rehabilitation facility
  • The certificate must contain
    • medical reasons for the inpatient admission for children over 9 years of age who are to be accompanied and
    • the duration of the inpatient admission

• in the case of seriously ill children, additionally if necessary
  • medical certificate stating that your child is suffering from a serious, fatal illness
  • Indication of the expected life expectancy of your child
• for children with disabilities, additionally if necessary
  • medical certificate stating that your child has a disability and is dependent on your help

• You and your child are covered by statutory health insurance.
• You yourself are entitled to sickness benefit.
• Your child is ill and under 12 years old or has a disability and is dependent on help.
• You are absent from work to care for your sick child and are granted unpaid leave by your employer.
• for home care:
  • Your doctor has diagnosed a need for care due to your child's illness.
  • Your doctor will issue you with a corresponding certificate.
  • No other person in the household can look after the child.
• In the case of inpatient admission:
  • You have a certificate from the hospital or preventive care or rehabilitation facility certifying the duration of the inpatient co-admission and, in the case of children aged 9 and over, the medical reasons.

• for seriously ill children:
  • Your child is terminally ill and has a life expectancy of a few weeks or months.
  • Your child's illness is already at an advanced stage and requires palliative medical treatment or you or your partner would like this treatment.
  • You will receive a certificate from your doctor stating the seriousness of your child's illness and the expected life expectancy.

• Objection
• Action before the social court

You can submit your application for child sickness benefit by post, in person at the offices of many statutory health insurance funds or online.

If your child is ill, proceed as follows:

• You will receive a medical child sickness certificate (sample 21) if your child is being cared for at home or a certificate from the inpatient facility if your child is admitted as an inpatient.
  • If necessary, your health insurance company can send you a blank certificate for the inpatient facility.
• Fill in the back of your child's sick note. If necessary, your health insurance company will request further information in a separate application.
• Submit the child sickness certificate or the certificate from the inpatient facility together with any other documents required to your health insurance fund.
• Inform your employer about the sick note or the inpatient admission.
• The health insurance fund will check your application and transfer your child sickness benefit to you.
  • For employees: Your health insurance fund will only pay your child sickness benefit after your employer has provided the health insurance fund with the necessary information on your lost net pay.

There is no deadline.

Processing normally takes around 4 to 9 working days, but may vary in individual cases.

Your health insurance company must have the necessary information and any required documents in a complete and meaningful form in order to process and decide quickly.

There are no costs.

If you have private health insurance and the other parent has statutory health insurance, your entitlement depends on where the child is insured. If the child has statutory insurance, the parent with statutory insurance can apply for child sickness benefit.

If you are registered as unemployed and are unable to continue your job search due to the illness and the resulting need to care for your child, the employment agency will continue to pay unemployment benefit for a limited period.