Well taken care of from day one
To ensure that everything goes smoothly as you get started with Sächsische Ärzteversorgung, we’ve compiled the most important information for new members here. If you have any further questions, our service team is happy to assist you!
Incidentally, you are entitled to our benefits immediately, provided that at least one month’s contribution has been paid and the other eligibility criteria are met. Members whose membership is first established whilst they are on maternity leave or parental leave can even claim SÄV benefits without having paid their first contribution.
1. Determine which chamber you belong to and register:
Chamber membership is determined by your place of work or, if you do not practice veterinary medicine or medicine, by your primary residence. If you have any questions, please contact the Sächsische Landesärztekammer.
2. Become a member of the SÄV:
Please register with us immediately after receiving your medical license or changing jobs, and fill out the digital registration form.
3. Apply for a DRV exemption:
Avoid double insurance coverage and contribution obligations by applying for an exemption from the German Pension Insurance (DRV) in a timely manner.
Frequently Asked Questions About Membership in General
Compulsory members of the Saxon State Veterinary and Medical Association are compulsory members of the Sächsische Ärzteversorgung. Even if you are not practising as a doctor or vet, you are therefore required to pay contributions (half the minimum contribution). Under certain conditions, it is possible to pay contributions to the Sächsische Ärzteversorgung from income derived from non-professional activities, or to apply for exemption from compulsory membership. (It should be noted that an exemption results in restrictions on insurance cover. Pension benefits will then only be granted on the basis of the contributions paid up to that point. In particular, no fictitious contributions will be added up to the age of 62 in the event of early occupational disability or for the calculation of survivors’ pension benefits. Furthermore, there is no entitlement to an early retirement pension.)
Exemption from compulsory membership of the SÄV is only possible under certain conditions. These are as follows:
- if you are a civil servant practising as a veterinary surgeon or doctor, or if you are a member of the German Armed Forces,
- if you are not practising your profession as a doctor or veterinary surgeon, or
- if you had already reached the age of 62 at the time of your admission to the Saxon Veterinary or Medical Association.
Important: If these grounds for exemption no longer apply and all conditions are met, the obligation to be a member and to pay contributions applies once again.
Frequently Asked Questions About Changing Pension Plans
If, as a result of practising several professions simultaneously in different federal states, you are a member of several state medical associations or state veterinary associations, this constitutes dual membership. To avoid membership and therefore the payment of contributions to several pension schemes at the same time, all contributions can be settled through a single pension scheme. Which pension scheme is responsible for you and from which you can be exempted from compulsory membership depends on various factors. We would be happy to advise you on this.
- Voluntary continuation of your existing membership or a refund of contributions already paid is only possible under certain conditions and, in most cases, only to a limited extent.
- Periods of cover from a previous insurance scheme are generally recognised by the participating pension schemes or social security systems. This is particularly relevant for qualifying periods, which are a prerequisite for entitlement to benefits in many countries.
- If you have been a member of several pension schemes or systems during your working life, you will receive partial pensions from the respective institutions upon retirement – in accordance with the regulations applicable there and based on your contribution periods or periods of residence.
A pension transfer allows contributions to be consolidated so that future pension entitlements are, where possible, not spread across multiple pension schemes. From a financial perspective, it is not possible to provide general advice or recommendations, as different pension schemes use different methods to calculate accrued entitlements and pursue different investment strategies.