Your DRV refund does not include your company pension
If approved, the money is paid directly to the bank account you provide. CompanyPension does not receive, hold or forward approved pension money.
Made for people who no longer want to deal with German paperwork
Company pension cases are often confusing after you leave Germany.
Your provider may write in German. Your former employer may no longer be involved. Your documents may mention bAV, VBL, ZVK, VddB or VddKO without clearly explaining what you can do next.
CompanyPension turns this into a guided online process:
- You enter your pension details online
- You upload your provider documents or add the details manually
- The platform builds the right cash-out or refund flow based on your answers
- You review your details and sign online
- You submit your request digitally inside the platform
- Human support is available when translation, clarification or follow-up is needed
The goal is simple: help you handle your German company pension cash-out or refund without getting lost in German paperwork
Does your DRV refund include your company pension?
No.
A DRV refund covers eligible German state pension contributions paid into Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
If you had a company pension in Germany, it may still need its own cash-out or refund application—even if your DRV refund has already been approved and paid.
It does not include:
- A bAV
- Direktversicherung
- Pensionskasse
- Pensionsfonds
- Unterstützungskasse
- BVV or another provider-based company pension
- VBL
- ZVK
- VddB
- VddKO
Already received a DRV refund but still have another pension document?
Your company pension may still be separate if:
- You received your DRV refund and now want to check whether any other pension money remains.
- A former German employer arranged a company pension for you.
- Your document says bAV, Direktversicherung, Pensionskasse, Pensionsfonds, Unterstützungskasse or Entgeltumwandlung.
- Your pension document shows Allianz, AXA, Swiss Life, ERGO, R+V, Nürnberger, HDI, BVV or another provider.
- You paid into VBL or a ZVK while working for a university, public hospital, research institute, municipality or another public-sector employer.
- You worked in theatre, stage, opera, dance or orchestra employment and paid into VddB or VddKO.
- You are unsure whether a document belongs to DRV or a separate company pension.
DRV is your German state pension. Your company pension comes from your employment.
Deutsche Rentenversicherung—often shortened to DRV—administers Germany’s statutory pension system.
If you apply for a DRV refund, you are requesting the refund of eligible statutory pension contributions recorded by Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
A company pension is different.
It is normally connected to an employer, industry or occupational pension scheme.
Your documents may show:
- bAV or betriebliche Altersversorgung
- Direktversicherung
- Pensionskasse
- Pensionsfonds
- Unterstützungskasse
- Entgeltumwandlung
- VBL or ZVK
- VddB or VddKO
- The name of an insurance company or pension provider
The two systems use different rules, documents and applications.
What does a DRV refund cover?
A DRV refund concerns eligible contributions recorded in Germany’s statutory pension system.
The refund must be applied for separately. It is not automatically paid simply because the eligibility requirements may be met.
You may recognise the process from wording such as:
- Deutsche Rentenversicherung
- DRV
- German state pension refund
- Beitragserstattung
- Versicherungsverlauf
- Rentenversicherungsnummer
- Antrag auf Beitragserstattung
DRV applies its own eligibility, residence, nationality, contribution and waiting-period rules.
Which pension money is not included in your DRV refund?
Many people assume that receiving their “German pension refund” finishes everything connected to their employment in Germany.
That is not necessarily true. Your company pension may still be held by a former employer, insurer, pension institution or supplementary pension scheme.
A DRV refund does not:
- Cash out a bAV
- Cancel a Direktversicherung
- Pay out a Pensionskasse or Pensionsfonds entitlement
- Check a pension held by Allianz, AXA, Swiss Life, ERGO, R+V, Nürnberger, HDI, BVV or another provider
- Refund VBL or ZVK contributions
- Start a company pension application on your behalf
What does your company pension document say?
Start with the wording on your letter, statement, contract or old payslip.
bAV or German company pension
You may have a bAV if a German employer arranged a pension for you. Whether it can be paid out early depends on the pension arrangement, current value, vesting status, former employer, provider and available settlement route.
Direktversicherung, Pensionskasse or Pensionsfonds
These are common ways a bAV may be arranged. They are separate from DRV and normally require their own company pension cash-out check.
Allianz, AXA, Swiss Life, ERGO, R+V, Nürnberger, HDI or BVV
Your pension may appear under the name of an insurer or pension institution rather than the term “bAV.” Start with the provider name and the pension document you have.
VBL or ZVK
You may have paid into VBL or a ZVK if you worked for a university, public hospital, research institute, municipality or another public-sector employer. Eligible employee contributions may require a separate refund application.
VddB or VddKO
You may have paid into VddB or VddKO through theatre, stage, opera, dance or orchestra employment. These pensions follow their own refund process.
Your DRV refund can matter when checking a larger vested bAV
Your DRV refund and bAV are separate, but there can be an important connection between them.
Small company pensions can sometimes be settled under the small-benefit rules. For a larger vested bAV, an approved refund of your statutory pension contributions can establish the basis for requesting a lump-sum settlement under §3(3) BetrAVG.
Germany Pension Refund is a separate service operated by ATLAES GmbH.
An approved DRV refund can establish the legal basis for requesting a lump-sum settlement under §3(3) BetrAVG where the statutory requirements are met.
The employer or pension provider still reviews the individual pension arrangement and the applicable conditions before processing the request.
A DRV refund does not automatically pay out the bAV.
Already received your DRV refund?
Upload your DRV refund decision together with your bAV or provider document. Proof of the approved refund may be relevant when requesting a separate lump-sum settlement of your vested company pension.
The DRV payment did not include the bAV. The company pension still needs its own application.
Have not claimed your DRV refund yet?
If your vested bAV is above the small-benefit threshold, you may need an approved DRV refund before requesting this type of lump-sum settlement.
Your eligibility for the DRV refund depends on separate rules, including your nationality, current residence, contribution history and applicable waiting period.
Your VBL or ZVK refund is separate from your DRV refund
If you worked for a German public-sector employer, you may have paid into both:
- Deutsche Rentenversicherung, and
- VBL or a Zusatzversorgungskasse
Receiving your DRV refund does not refund your VBL or ZVK contributions.
A separate VBL or ZVK refund may be possible if the relevant pension rights have not become vested and the scheme’s other requirements are met.
Example
You worked for a German university and paid into both DRV and VBL. Later, Deutsche Rentenversicherung approved and paid your DRV refund.
Your VBL pension was not included in that payment. You must still check whether your VBL contributions qualify for a separate refund.
Your VddB or VddKO contributions are also separate
If you worked in theatre, stage, opera, dance or orchestra employment, you may have paid into VddB or VddKO in addition to DRV.
A DRV refund does not include those contributions.
If you have a VddB or VddKO letter, contribution record or membership number, check whether a separate refund may be possible.
You may qualify for more than one separate process
The answer is not always “DRV or company pension.” You may need both.
Each pension institution reviews only the pension money it administers.
One application does not automatically complete the others.
You may need both:
- A DRV refund and a separate bAV cash-out
- A DRV refund and a separate VBL refund
- A DRV refund and a separate ZVK refund
- A DRV refund and a separate VddB or VddKO refund
- More than one company pension from different employers
DRV refund vs company pension cash-out or refund
The table shows the practical difference between the two processes.
| Topic | DRV refund | Company pension refund / cash-out |
|---|---|---|
| Pension system | Germany’s statutory state pension | A pension connected to an employer, industry or occupational scheme |
| Responsible institution | Deutsche Rentenversicherung | Employer, insurance provider, pension institution, VBL, ZVK, VddB or VddKO |
| What it may cover | Eligible statutory pension contributions | A bAV cash-out or eligible company pension contributions |
| Common document wording | DRV, Rentenversicherung, Versicherungsverlauf, Beitragserstattung | bAV, Direktversicherung, Pensionskasse, VBL, ZVK, VddB or VddKO |
| Is an application required? | Yes | Yes |
| Does the DRV refund include the company pension? | No | The company pension requires its own process |
| Can both apply? | Yes | Yes |
| Important connection | The DRV refund remains a separate statutory pension process | An approved DRV refund can be relevant to a lump-sum settlement request for a vested bAV |
| Who decides? | Deutsche Rentenversicherung | The relevant employer, provider, pension scheme or institution |
| Who pays the money? | Deutsche Rentenversicherung | The relevant employer, provider, pension scheme or institution |
Start with the pension document you still have
You do not need to understand every German pension term before starting.
If you are still unsure, upload the document or enter the provider name. The platform will guide you toward the relevant process.
Check the wording on your document:
- bAV, Direktversicherung, Pensionskasse or Pensionsfonds: start a company pension cash-out check.
- Allianz, AXA, Swiss Life, ERGO, R+V, Nürnberger, HDI or BVV: start with your provider document.
- VBL or ZVK: check whether your public-sector contributions may be refundable.
- VddB or VddKO: check your stage or orchestra pension refund.
- DRV or Deutsche Rentenversicherung: use the separate German state pension refund process.
Start your VBL refund online
CompanyPension is built for bAV cash-outs and VBL, ZVK, VddB and VddKO refunds. Start with the document, provider or scheme name you have.
Upload your document or answer guided questions
Check whether your pension may qualify
Secure your claim
Complete your information
Review, sign and submit online
Receive approved money directly
Which documents can help identify your pension?
Start with whatever you still have.
You do not need every document before starting.
Begin with the clearest pension letter, statement or provider name you have. The platform shows what information is still missing.
Helpful documents may include:
- DRV refund decision
- DRV contribution record or Versicherungsverlauf
- bAV contract or company pension letter
- Direktversicherung policy
- Pensionskasse or Pensionsfonds document
- Provider statement from Allianz, AXA, Swiss Life, ERGO, R+V, Nürnberger, HDI, BVV or another provider
- VBL letter or VBL insurance number
- ZVK or Zusatzversorgungskasse document
- VddB or VddKO letter
- Old payslip showing company pension deductions
- Former-employer pension information
Explore the right pension
Cash-Outs & Refunds
See all company pension cash-out and refund routes supported by CompanyPension.
Company Pension Cash-Out
Check a bAV, Direktversicherung, Pensionskasse, Pensionsfonds or provider-based company pension.
VBL Pension Refund
Check whether eligible employee contributions paid into VBL may be refundable.
VddB & VddKO Refunds
Check pension contributions from German stage, theatre, opera, dance or orchestra employment.
BVV Cash-Out
Check a company pension connected to German banking or financial-sector employment.
Questions about company pensions and DRV refunds
A company pension and the German state pension are separate systems.
The German state pension is managed by Deutsche Rentenversicherung. A DRV refund concerns eligible statutory pension contributions.
A company pension may involve:
- A bAV or Direktversicherung
- VBL
- ZVK
- VddB
- VddKO
- Another employer or provider-based pension arrangement
A DRV refund does not automatically include or pay out any of these company pensions.
Pension wording you may see on German documents
DRV
Deutsche Rentenversicherung, Germany’s statutory pension system.
Company pension
A pension connected to an employer, profession, industry or supplementary pension scheme.
VBL and ZVK
Supplementary pension schemes for many German public-sector employees.
Beitragserstattung
The German term for a contribution refund. The term can appear in both DRV and company pension documents, but the applications remain separate.
VddB and VddKO
Pension institutions connected to German stage, theatre, opera, dance and orchestra employment.
Abfindung
A one-time or lump-sum settlement of a pension entitlement.
Direktversicherung
A common insurance-based way of arranging a bAV through an employer.
DRV refund
A refund of eligible statutory pension contributions recorded by Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
bAV
Short for betriebliche Altersversorgung. The German term for an occupational or company pension.
Pensionskasse and Pensionsfonds
Other ways a German employer may arrange a bAV.
Separate pension systems and separate decisions
CompanyPension is a digital application platform and brand operated by ATLAES GmbH. The platform supports bAV cash-outs and VBL, ZVK, VddB and VddKO refunds.
A DRV refund concerns eligible statutory pension contributions paid into Deutsche Rentenversicherung. It does not include company pensions.
If you continue with CompanyPension:
- The platform prepares the relevant application from the information you provide.
- You review and sign the application yourself.
- You remain the applicant and claimant.
- The signed application is technically transmitted through the CompanyPension platform.
- The responsible employer, provider, pension scheme or institution makes the final decision. You may give ATLAES GmbH limited authorization to receive and forward relevant correspondence and information about the decision and approved amount.
This allows the platform to display next steps and calculate the agreed service fee. It does not make ATLAES GmbH the applicant or claimant.
CompanyPension does not:
- Decide whether a cash-out or refund is approved
- Provide pension advice
- Provide legal or tax advice
- Provide financial advice
- Provide insurance advice or brokerage
- Argue your legal position
- Receive, hold or forward approved pension money
Source basis
- DRV contribution refunds apply to eligible statutory pension contributions under the rules of Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
- bAV cash-outs follow the German occupational pension framework and the relevant pension or contract terms.
- An approved DRV refund can establish the legal basis for requesting settlement of a vested bAV under §3(3) BetrAVG where the statutory requirements are met.
- VBL, ZVK, VddB and VddKO follow their own pension-scheme or institution-specific refund rules.
- For VBL contribution refunds, eligible employee-paid contributions may be refunded, while employer-paid amounts are not paid to the employee.
- LAST REVIEWED
- [Add actual review date]
- REVIEWED BY
- [Add reviewer name and role]
Check what DRV did not cover
Already received your DRV refund? Your company pension may still be waiting. Start with your bAV document, provider statement, VBL or ZVK letter, or VddB or VddKO document. The platform identifies the relevant cash-out or refund route and shows what information is still needed.
If approved, the money is paid directly to the bank account you provide. CompanyPension does not receive, hold or forward approved pension money.