Skip to content
amtomatic
Language: English

Choose a language

What does Krankengeld mean?

Krankengeld (sickness benefit) is money from the Krankenkasse when you are ill for a long time. It comes when your employer stops paying wages.

das Krankengeld

Usually your employer first keeps paying your wages. After that, the Krankenkasse can pay Krankengeld.

Krankengeld is less than your normal wages. The Krankenkasse's Bescheid says how much you get.

Make sure your sick notes follow on without a gap. If a day is missing, the Krankengeld can end.

You can file a Widerspruch against a Bescheid from the Krankenkasse. The deadline is in the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung.

Example sentence

Ihnen wird ab dem 07.10.2026 Krankengeld in Höhe von täglich 58,20 € gezahlt.

You will be paid Krankengeld of 58,20 € per day from 07.10.2026.

What you can do

See your doctor again no later than the last day of the old sick note. That way there is no gap.

Calculate your deadline

  • Krankenkasse The Krankenkasse is your statutory health insurance. It pays for doctors, hospitals and many medicines.
  • Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung The Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung (sick note) shows that you are ill and cannot work. It is also called Krankmeldung.
  • Bescheid A Bescheid is a letter in which an office decides something about your case.
  • Widerspruch With a Widerspruch, you tell the office: I do not agree with this Bescheid.