Administrative services A-Z

• Forms: see link
• Online procedure possible: no
• Written form required: yes
• Personal appearance required: no.

• Künstlersozialkasse: Media center for artists and publicists

Self-employed artists and publicists are compulsorily insured for statutory pension, health and long-term care insurance via the Künstlersozialkasse (KSK). You must register with the Künstlersozialkasse in order to be admitted.

According to the Artists' Social Insurance Act (KSVG), you are an artist if you create, perform or teach music, performing or visual arts. You are considered a publicist if you work as a writer, journalist or in a similar capacity or teach journalism.

You must pay monthly contributions to the KSK. Calculation factors for the contribution payments are

• the expected income from self-employed artistic or journalistic work and
• the contribution rates for the individual branches of insurance.

Due to the fluctuating income situation in the case of self-employment, the monthly income is not used as the basis for calculating the monthly insurance contributions. Instead, the expected annual income from self-employed artistic or journalistic work is used as the basis for calculation.
However, the expected income from self-employed artistic or journalistic work must exceed EUR 3,900 per year (marginal earnings threshold).
Exceptions apply, for example, to young professionals: as such, you will be insured under the Artists' Social Insurance Act even if your income is not expected to exceed the marginal earnings threshold.
If you are insured with the KSK, you only pay 50% of the statutory pension, health and long-term care insurance contributions to the KSK. The other half of the contribution is paid by the federal government and companies or clients (e.g. galleries, publishing houses, broadcasters or concert organizers) who exploit artistic and journalistic services and have to pay a so-called artists' social security contribution.
Self-employed persons who are compulsorily insured are entitled to the same benefits from the statutory health insurance fund in the event of incapacity to work as employees. This means that a self-employed person receives sick pay from the health insurance fund from the seventh week of incapacity for work.

The Artists' Social Insurance Act provides for various exemptions from compulsory insurance. Further information can be obtained from the KSK.

As a self-employed artist or publicist, you are generally insured if you

• exercise the artistic or journalistic activity on a commercial and not merely temporary basis and
• do not employ more than one employee in connection with the artistic or publishing activity. Exception: The employment is for vocational training or is marginal.

• Questionnaire for checking the insurance obligation for artists and publicists
• Proof of activity: current contracts with clients or statements of account, invoices and bank statements.
• Other supporting documents: advertising material, proof of artistic or journalistic training, certificate of membership in professional interest groups, photocopy of your identity card/passport with current confirmation of registration
• if you are already a member of a statutory health insurance fund: Certificate of membership from the health insurance fund. Otherwise, a provisional certificate from the chosen health insurance fund
• if you are bringing up or have brought up a child:
  • Copy of your child's birth certificate
  • Proof of parental status

• Registration: none
• Monthly contribution: 50 percent share of statutory pension, health and long-term care insurance

You must register with the Künstlersozialkasse in writing or verbally:

• You can download the questionnaire for checking the insurance obligation for artists and publicists, completion instructions and information leaflets from the KSK website. Please complete it and send it to the KSK.
• You will receive an unsolicited confirmation from the KSK that your documents have been received.
• If all insurance requirements are met, the KSK will issue a notice of assessment. The KSK will register you with the statutory health or long-term care insurance fund of your choice and with the data office of the pension insurance provider.
• Compulsory insurance under the Artists' Social Insurance Act begins on the day on which the application is received by the KSK. If you are incapacitated for work at the time you register with the KSK, compulsory insurance only begins when you are able to work again.
• The insurance obligation ends on the day on which you give up your self-employed artistic or journalistic activity. You are therefore obliged to inform the KSK immediately of any change in your activities.

As soon as you meet the requirements for admission to the KSK as a self-employed artist or publicist, you must submit the application.

Artists' Social Security Fund (KSK)

Artists' Social Security Fund (KSK)
26380 Wilhelmshaven

Homepage: www.kuenstlersozialkasse.de
E-mail: auskunft@kuenstlersozialkasse.de

Phone: Künstlersozialkasse Service Center: +49 4421 - 9734051500

Office hours:

Monday to Friday
from 9:00 to 16:00

Fax:
Insured persons +49 4421 7543-5080
Legal department +49 4421 7543 5050

• Artists' Social Insurance Act (KSVG)

• For the first six weeks of incapacity for work, you can agree an earlier entitlement to sickness benefit with your health insurance fund for an additional contribution. Please contact your health insurance fund about this.
• Self-employed artists or publicists may be entitled to the benefits of the Artists' Social Security Act, while at the same time they may also be required to pay social security contributions if they regularly commission other self-employed artists or publicists.

• Künstlersozialkasse: Media center for artists and publicists
• Künstlersozialkasse: Media center for artists and publicists

Artists' Social Security Fund