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Deckt eine Versicherung ausschließlich berufliche Risiken ab, sind die Versicherungsbeiträge als Werbungskosten abziehbar. Das gilt z.B. bei berufsbedingten Unfall-, Haftpflicht- und Rechtsschutzversicherungen.

Kommt ein Abzug bei den Werbungskosten nicht in Betracht, können Sie die Versicherungsprämien ggf. im Rahmen des Sonderausgabenabzugs geltend machen (§ 10 Abs. 1 Satz 1 EStG). Dies betrifft u.a. Lebensversicherungen, Kranken- und Pflegeversicherungen sowie Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherungen.

Dieser Text bezieht sich auf die Steuererklärung 2023. Die Version die für die Steuererklärung 2025 finden Sie unter:
(2025): Berufsbedingte Versicherungen



Which insurance policies can I partially deduct as income-related expenses?

Insurance premiums can be deducted as special expenses under "other pension expenses", with the maximum deductible amount limited to 1.900 Euro or 2.800 Euro, provided this amount has not already been exhausted by contributions to health and nursing care insurance.

However, there is a way to claim certain insurance premiums at least partially as income-related expenses. This applies to insurance policies that cover a professional risk, namely:

  • Accident insurance,
  • Liability insurance,
  • Legal expenses insurance.

(1) Accident insurance
For simplicity, you can deduct 50% of the accident insurance premiums as income-related expenses and 50% as special expenses. Simply include the premium invoice with your tax return. A certificate from the insurance company regarding the division of the premium into professional and private risks is not required here.

(2) Liability insurance
Premiums for professional liability insurance are fully deductible as income-related expenses. If you have professional liability insurance combined with private liability insurance, you should split the insurance premium into income-related expenses and special expenses. For this, you need a statement from the insurance company indicating which portion of the total premium relates to the professional sphere according to their calculation.

(3) Legal expenses insurance
Family legal expenses insurance covers not only private risks but also professional risks, especially employment legal protection. Have this portion certified by the insurance company and claim it as income-related expenses.

(2023): Which insurance policies can I partially deduct as income-related expenses?



How do I claim contributions to accident insurance as income-related expenses?

An accident insurance policy covering all accidents in daily life includes both private and occupational risks. Therefore, the insurance premiums can be partially deducted as business expenses and partially as special expenses. For simplicity, you can deduct 50% of the accident insurance premiums as business expenses and 50% as special expenses.

Simply include the premium invoice with your tax return. A certificate from the insurance company detailing the division of the premium into occupational and private risks is not required (BMF letter dated 28.10.2009, BStBl. 2009 I p. 1275, para. 1.3).

Tip

However, if you are engaged in a hazardous occupation and the occupational risk share is greater than 50%, you should have this confirmed by the insurance company. Then you should attach this certificate to your tax return and claim the higher occupational share as business expenses. If in doubt, ask your insurance company.

(2023): How do I claim contributions to accident insurance as income-related expenses?



When can insurance premiums be partially deducted as income-related expenses?

Insurance premiums can be deducted as special expenses under "other pension expenses", with the maximum deductible amount limited to 1.900 Euro or 2.800 Euro. However, if this amount is - as is usually the case - already exhausted by contributions to health and nursing care insurance, there is no room left for other contributions. How nice it would be if insurance premiums could then at least partially be deducted as income-related expenses. And this is indeed possible!

(1) Accident insurance

Accident insurance covering all accidents in daily life includes both private and professional risks. Therefore, the insurance premiums are partially deductible as income-related expenses and partially as special expenses. For simplicity, you can deduct 50% of the accident insurance premiums as income-related expenses and 50% as special expenses (BMF letter dated 28.10.2009, BStBl. 2009 I p. 1275, para. 1.3).

However, if you are engaged in a hazardous occupation and the professional risk share is greater than 50%, you should have this confirmed by the insurance company. Then you should attach this confirmation to your tax return and claim the higher professional share as income-related expenses. So, in case of doubt, ask your insurance company.

SteuerGo

Only include the premium invoice with your tax return. A certificate from the insurance company regarding the division of the premium into professional and private risks is not required.

(2) Liability insurance

Many insurers offer combined professional and personal liability insurance. In this case, you should divide the insurance premium into income-related expenses and special expenses. But what share of the insurance premium is attributable to the professional area? Ask your insurance company about the professional share of the insurance premium. If the company provides "information on what share of the total premium according to their calculation is attributable to insurance coverage related to the professional sphere, a division of the premium into a professionally induced and a private share would be easily possible" (BFH ruling of 19.2.1993, BStBl. 1993 II p. 519). The contributions are deductible as income-related expenses to the extent of the professional share.

In many professions, there is an increased risk of being held liable for errors in professional activities. This applies, for example, to teachers, educators, police officers, architects, doctors, lawyers, tax advisors, notaries, land registry officials, mayors, managing directors, board members. Professional liability insurance - also referred to as service, official, or financial loss liability insurance - protects against the financial consequences of professionally justified claims for damages. The contributions are fully deductible as income-related expenses.

SteuerGo

If you cannot provide information from the insurer about the professional premium share, estimate the professional share at around 80% and claim this as income-related expenses. This is justified by the predominance of professional liability. In the case of combined professional and personal liability insurance, the professional liability insurance clearly takes precedence, while the personal liability insurance is included at a favourable rate. The rest is deductible as special expenses.

(3) Legal expenses insurance

A combined legal expenses insurance is family legal protection insurance and family and traffic legal protection insurance. These insurances cover not only private risks but also professional risks, especially employment legal protection. Contributions to legal expenses insurance are not deductible as special expenses. The insurance premium is deductible as income-related expenses with the part that, according to the claims statistics of the insurance company, is attributable to employment legal protection (BMF letter dated 23.7.1998, DB 1998 p. 1590).

SteuerGo

You must therefore enclose a certificate from the insurance company with your income tax return each year, confirming the professional share of the insurance premium. Ask your insurer to send you this certificate automatically each year.

(2023): When can insurance premiums be partially deducted as income-related expenses?

Field help

Name of the insurance

Enter the name of the insurance company in the first field, for example, the name of the insurance company and the insurance number.

In the second field, enter the amount of work-related expenses.

Many legal expenses insurance companies offer family legal expenses insurance that covers not only private risks but also occupational risks ("protection of employment rights").

As income-related expenses, you can only claim the part of the insurance premium which covers occupation risks. As a rule, it is difficult to determine the occupational portion in one amount, which is why a flat rate of one-third is calculated if, for example, the insurance covers transport, family and work.

However, the tax office now more often demands a statement from the insurer. This statement provides detailed information on the share of contributions that is attributable to the protection of employment rights.

Name of the insurance

Enter the name of the insurance company in the first field, for example, the name of the insurance company and the insurance number.

In the second field, enter the amount of work-related expenses.

The insurance premiums for professional liability insurance are deductible in full as income-related expenses for all salaried employees.

Civil servants can conclude their own service liability insurance, which covers only professional liability risks. If this insurance policy is taken out as a separate insurance policy, the contributions are fully deductible as income-related expenses.

Name of the insurance

Enter the name of the insurance company in the first field, for example, the name of the insurance company and the insurance number.

Enter the amount of work-related expenses in the second field.

Occupational accident insurance only:

If the accident insurance covers only occupational accidents, the insurance premiums are to be considered income-related expenses in full. Occupational accidents are, for example, accidents at work or on the way to work.

Mixed accident insurance policies:

An accident insurance policy against all accidents in everyday life covers both private and occupational risks. Therefore, the insurance premiums are partly deductible as income-related expenses and partly as special expenses. For reasons of simplification, you can deduct 50 % of the contributions to accident insurance as income-related expenses and 50 % as special expenses.

Just enclose the contribution invoice with your tax return. A statement from the insurance company that the premium is divided between professional and private risks is not required here (the letter of the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) dated 28.10.2009, BStBl. 2009 I p. 1275, para. 1.3).

Name of the insurance

In the first field, enter the name of the insurance, for example, the name of the insurance company and the insurance number.

In the second field, enter the amount of work-related expenses.

Important: Contributions to luggage insurance are deductible as income-related expenses if they are limited to the risk of external work.

Total amount

Total expenses for work-related insurances