Mutterschaftsgeld (maternity benefits) is paid by public health insurance companies during the protection period (six weeks before and eight weeks after the birth).
Female members of a public health insurance company are entitled who
For example so can students who are publicly insured and work a low-income job (geringfügige Beschäftigung) alongside doing their studies receive maternity benefits from their insurance company.
The amount for women who are working is determined by the net amount of the last three completed months before the beginning of the protection period and amounts to no more than 13 Euro per day. If the net amount per day equals more than 13 Euro per day, then the employer pays the difference (Arbeitgeberzuschuss) as a subsidy for maternity benefits.
Important: Only the difference paid by the employer will be taken into account in determining Elterngeld.
Women who are not employed, however entitled to sick pay from the insurance company (i.e. unemployed persons or self-employed), can receive the sickness benefit as a maternity benefit. Application and more information can be found at the health insurance companies.
Women who are not publicly insured but are insured through their families insurance and have a low-income employment can receive maternity benefits from the Federal Office for Social Security. The maximum amount is 210 Euro. Application are to be submitted to the Federal Office for Social Security (Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 38, 53113 Bonn, Tel.:0228/ 619-1888 ).
Application documents can be found online: www.bundesamtsozialesicherung.de
Tip:
The maternity benefits from the Federal Office for Social Security is not taken into account in determining Elterngeld.