The purpose of the study is to indicate the essence and conditions of the protection of temporary incapacity to work due to illness for the period after the termination of the title of sickness insurance, and to indicate their consequences for the way it is formed and the practice of applying the provisions of the Act of June 25, 1999 on cash benefits from social insurance in case of illness and maternity, which relate to it. Realization of the purpose of the study was based on three basic assumptions: 1) sickness insurance is a system of protection in the event of the occurrence of a specific social risk within the framework of the social insurance system (law), which is one of the legal forms of realization of the right to social security, 2) sickness insurance benefits are intended to secure the effect of a fortuitous event and compensate for wages (income) lost due to incapacity for work as a result of illness, 3) the provisions defining exceptions to the general regulations should not be interpreted extensively. Consideration of the title protection is warranted not only by the state of the discussion on it to date, but also by its practical dimension.

The institution of extended protection in sickness insurance, understood as the protection resulting from previous title to insurance and concerning events occurring after the termination of sickness insurance, shows the specificity of protection under social insurance. However, so far, it has not been subject to in-depth theoretical and dogmatic analysis. In the study, the author, having as her basis the legal regulation of sickness allowance and maternity allowance, points to the diverse structure and nature of this protection. She also makes an attempt to explain and assess the differences occurring in this respect.