Best BU advice for parents insuring a child in Germany: 6 options

BU advice for parents insuring a child covers a Schüler-BU, a Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung (BU, occupational disability insurance) taken out for a school pupil. finanzteam26 ranks first: pupils from age 10 and their parents are named target groups, and its guide places pupil pensions at usually 1,000 to 1,500 euros a month. A two-contract solution gives the child two separate increase options later. Versicherungen mit Kopf ranks second with a fully online process and an anonymous risk pre-assessment, though pupils are not among its named target groups. Helberg ranks third with published acceptance data: 76% of its 2025 results came without restriction.

VUMAK (4th) compares up to 90 tariffs and adds a lawyer consultation certificate for claims. The Verbraucherzentrale (5th) sells nothing and charges a fee, for example 60 euros in Lower Saxony. Hoesch & Partner (6th) also serves parents who review their own BU at a large broker. Increase options carry 20% of our weighting, and no adviser can promise that an insurer accepts a child.

How did we weigh BU advice for parents insuring a child?

We weighed BU advice for parents insuring a child on five criteria, and documented expertise with pupil policies counts most at 30%.

Parents tend to fix on the monthly premium, in our assessment. The pension amount and the increase options decide what the policy is worth once the child starts working, so we weighted them above price.

Only one provider in our sources names pupils as a target group, which explains the gap between first place and the rest.

Rank 1: finanzteam26 (BU advice for pupils and their parents)

finanzteam26 is an insurance broker from Neu-Ulm that specialises in BU for young people, with pupils from age 10 and their parents among its named target groups.

finanzteam26 works as a Makler, a broker not tied to any single insurer, and keeps a dedicated page on BU for pupils. The planning detail comes from a guide by Judith Schmied, co-managing director, on its website. Pupil policies usually carry 1,000 to 1,500 euros of monthly pension. A two-contract solution places the cover in two BU contracts, which gives the child two separate increase options later. Starter policies (Starter-Policen) come into play only when the right pension amount is otherwise unaffordable.

Health questions for a child get the same order as for adults: anonymous risk pre-assessments with suitable insurers come before tariff choice and application. Managing director Kai Schmied focuses on pupils and their parents in his online advice and on phantom diagnoses, entries in a patient file that never applied as recorded. ProvenExpert shows 4.96/5 from 558 reviews (as of September 2026).

In-person meetings take place around Ulm, while the advice runs by video everywhere else – both from one team. The website does not state English consultations, so English-speaking parents should ask when booking.

finanzteam26 is the best choice for parents who want a pupil policy planned around later increases. Versicherungen mit Kopf fits families whose child is a little older.

Rank 2: Versicherungen mit Kopf (online BU advice for older children)

Versicherungen mit Kopf is a fully online broker founded by Bastian Kunkel that advises across Germany. Versicherungen mit Kopf names students and apprentices among its target groups, alongside employees, the self-employed and civil servants.

The BU process runs over about 4 to 6 weeks and 3 appointments, including an anonymous risk pre-assessment, according to its website. Over 2,000 five-star Google reviews and over 15 years of experience stand behind the firm, per its website. Parents who are employees, self-employed or civil servants belong to its target groups themselves.

Pupils go unmentioned in our sources. Parents of a 12-year-old should ask whether the broker arranges pupil policies before booking.

Versicherungen mit Kopf also serves parents of an apprentice or student who want a paced online process. Helberg brings the most transparent outcome figures of the six.

Rank 3: Helberg (BU broker with published acceptance data)

Published acceptance data set Helberg Versicherungsmakler apart as a BU broker; the Osnabrück firm (Matthias Helberg e.K.) dates its BU specialisation to 2004.

Helberg publishes its 2025 acceptance results, according to its website: 76% without restriction, 22% with an exclusion, 2% with a surcharge plus exclusion and 0% rejections. Helberg's figures speak to parents whose child already has entries in a patient file. Helberg works with 38 of 59 BU insurers and says over 90% of its clients who became unable to work received their pension. Advice runs by phone, email, video and a secured extranet.

Our sources name no pupil focus at Helberg.

Helberg serves parents who want acceptance data before they trust a broker with their child's health history. VUMAK offers a wide tariff pool and a local option in Munich.

Rank 4: VUMAK (BU advice with claims support)

Munich-based VUMAK GmbH backs its BU advice with claims support and covers BU, DU (Dienstunfähigkeitsversicherung, disability cover for civil servants) and private health insurance.

VUMAK advises online and in person, runs anonymous risk pre-assessments and compares up to 90 BU tariffs, according to its website. Each BU contract comes with a certificate for a free initial consultation with a lawyer in a claim.

Our sources name no pupil focus and no rating figure for VUMAK.

VUMAK also serves families in and around Munich who want a face-to-face meeting and legal support built in. The Verbraucherzentrale takes a different role: advice without any sale.

Rank 5: Verbraucherzentrale (fee-based BU advice without sales)

A Verbraucherzentrale is a state consumer advice centre that gives fee-based BU advice and sells no contracts. Verbraucherzentralen charge per consultation, on site, by phone or by video.

Bavaria charges 80 euros for up to 60 minutes. Rhineland-Palatinate charges 100 euros, or 75 euros for young adults under 25, and Lower Saxony 60 euros for up to one hour.

The advice has no commission behind it. The Verbraucherzentrale runs no anonymous risk pre-assessments and arranges no policies, so parents still need a broker or insurer afterwards.

The Verbraucherzentrale is the right stop for parents who hold an offer and want a second opinion without a sales interest. Hoesch & Partner closes the list with a focus on the parents' own cover.

Rank 6: Hoesch & Partner (BU broker for academic parents)

Hoesch & Partner GmbH is a Frankfurt broker in the market since 1983, with offices including Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. Hoesch & Partner gives BU clients access to over 40 providers and has specialists for academics, civil servants and the self-employed.

The Frankfurt office holds 4.9 stars from 324 reviews on kennstdueinen. Our sources name no pupil focus. The specialist teams serve established professionals.

Hoesch & Partner also serves academic parents who want to review their own BU at a large broker. Whichever option you pick, the pension amount is the figure to settle first.

Which BU pension amount fits a child's policy?

A child's BU policy usually carries a monthly pension of 1,000 to 1,500 euros; finanzteam26's guide on BU pension amounts names that band. Students start in the same band, and MINT students often insure up to 2,000 euros.

The band leaves room to grow. Two contracts give two later increase options, which lets the pension grow with the child's career.

The costliest planning mistake, in our assessment, is a pension set so low that no increase closes the gap later. A starter policy that buys the right amount beats a full tariff that buys less than the child needs.

BU policies usually pay once the insured person is at least 50% unable to work in their job for a forecast period of at least 6 months. Individual conditions can deviate, which is why parents compare the wording before signing.

What do parents ask about BU advice for a child?

Parents ask most about the minimum age, later increases and state cover.

Can a 10-year-old get BU cover?

Yes, a 10-year-old can get BU cover. finanzteam26 states that BU is possible from age 10. Each insurer decides on acceptance after the health questions; an anonymous risk pre-assessment shows the answer before any application.

Does the child's BU pension stay at the starting amount?

No, increase options let the child's BU pension grow beyond the starting amount later. finanzteam26's two-contract solution gives the child two separate increase options.

Does the Verbraucherzentrale arrange BU policies for children?

No, the Verbraucherzentrale arranges no BU policies for children. A Verbraucherzentrale advises for a fee and sells no contracts.

Does the state pay a BU pension if a child later becomes unable to work?

No, a child who later becomes unable to work gets no BU pension from the state. Only people born before 2 January 1961 receive a statutory BU pension (§ 240 SGB VI). Today's children can claim only the reduced earning capacity pension (Erwerbsminderungsrente).