Social security for designers

VG BILD-KUNST

VG BILD-KUNST is the copyright association of German artists, photographers and filmmakers. It protects the interests of its members relating to copyright on visual arts when individual members are unable to pursue these interests for practical or legal reasons. Photographic designers, photojournalists, graphic designers, cartoonists and press illustrators are assigned to Berufsgruppe II (Occupational Group II). Membership is free and can be secured simply by signing a contract of acceptance, establishing that the right to ensure adherence to copyright is transferred to the VG BILD-KUNST. Just like GEMA for musicians, VG BILD-KUNST represents the rights of its members deriving from artistic and design activities.

Address:
VG BILD-KUNST r.V.
Weberstr.61
D-53113 Bonn
Tel: +49. (0)228. 915 34 0
Fax: +49. (0)228. 915 34 39
Email: info(at)bildkunst.de
www.bildkunst.de

Artists‘ social security

Health insurance and membership in a pension scheme is obligatory for almost all self-employed designers, according to the KSVG (Artists’ Social Security Act) in Germany. The KSK (the state-run social security department for free-lance professionals in artistic work) pays the “employer’s share” of the insurance premiums, i.e. approximately 9.6% for pension insurance and approximately 8.1% for health insurance, amounting to 17.7%. You also have to pay 17.7%. This means that if you earn 12,000 euros per year, your share of the insurance premium - 17.7% - will be 2124 euros or 177 euros per month.

A further 2124 euros will be paid on your behalf to the KSK by the government in recognition of artistic services rendered. Thus the amount deposited in your pension account is doubled, though you only pay half the contribution, like an employee. When you are insured in this way you are also entitled to participate in the German government‘s Riester-Rente (additional pension) scheme.

You can request an information pack to establish your insurance liability by postcard or email.

Address:
Künstlersozialkasse (KSK)
Gökerstraße 14
D-26384 Wilhelmshaven
Tel: +49. (0)4421. 754 39
Fax: +49. (0)4421. 754 58 6
www.kuenstlersozialkasse.de

Accident insurance with the Professional Association of Printers and Paperworkers

Obligatory insurance for all independent graphic and photographic designers: recently there have been an increasing number of queries from AGD designers who have been notified by the Professional Association of Printers and Paperworkers (Berufsgenossenschaft Druck and Papier) that they are liable for obligatory accident insurance. According to the Professional Association of Printers and Paperworkers, free-lance designers working on creative projects are one of the professional groups covered by the statutes of the Association. Independent graphic and photographic designers are subject to obligatory accident insurance with the Professional Association of Printers and Paperworkers. This Association is an employers‘ association under public law, with its headquarters in Wiesbaden, which provides accident insurance in accordance with German legal provisions. Its task as defined by German Insurance Law is to use all appropriate means for the prevention of work-related accidents and illnesses and the avoidance of health risks at the workplace. It is also committed to ensuring that efficient First Aid is available, and when an accident does occur at the workplace, or a work-related illness is detected, the Association is obliged to employ all appropriate means to restore the health and working ability of the insured, and to compensate the insured or his relatives financially.

This means that every self-employed photographic, graphic or communications designer is obliged to have accident insurance with the Professional Association of Printers and Paperworkers to compensate for the consequences of accidents at the workplace and work-related illnesses, in addition to health and pension insurance. This also applies to the designer‘s spouse if he or she is employed in the enterprise. This insurance provides protection from all costs that arise as a result of an accident during the performance of free-lance artistic activities: at the paper cutting machine in the studio, in the car on the way to the client, and also at a trade fair when checking an exhibition stand. Obligatory accident insurance is required from the moment the business entity is founded or from the commencement of the designer‘s free-lance commercial activities.

The Association provides the designer with written confirmation of the start and finish of the insured period, and the insurance cannot be put into effect retrospectively. Further information: AGD Sachinfo 9.2

Address:
Berufsgenossenschaft Druck and Papierverarbeitung
Rheinstraße 6–8
D-65185 Wiesbaden
Tel: +49. (0)611. 131 0
Fax: +49. (0)611. 131 10 0