Private Health Insurance in Germany (2026)
Can you go private in Germany? Threshold €77,400 in 2026 (planned €84,150 for 2027), who qualifies, what it costs, how to apply and when public is smarter.
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Yes, you can get private health insurance (PKV) in Germany, whatever your nationality, but only if you belong to one of four groups: employees above the income threshold (€77,400 a year in 2026), self-employed people, civil servants and exempt students. An employee below the threshold cannot leave public insurance. The premium follows your age and health when you join, not your income, and the way back to public insurance is restricted.
Whether PKV costs less than public cover depends on your profile, not on the product. This guide shows who qualifies, what it costs in 2026, how the maths works for an employee and a freelancer, how to apply, and when staying in public insurance (GKV, the statutory system) is the better choice.
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Can you get private health insurance in Germany?
Employees above the income threshold, self-employed people, freelancers, civil servants and students who apply for an exemption can get private health insurance in Germany. The threshold is €77,400 a year in 2026 (planned €84,150 for 2027, pending Bundesrat approval). Employees below it must stay public. The public or private quiz gives a first indication in five questions.
It depends on your employment status:
Students are usually in the cheap student tier of public insurance (about €143 to €148 per month in 2026). You can apply for an exemption within 3 months of enrolment, but it is irrevocable for your whole course. Read the student guide before you decide.
2027 threshold note: The federal cabinet approved the 2027 threshold of €84,150 per year (€7,012.50 per month) on 7 October 2026 (Bundesrat-Drs. 576/26). The Bundesrat still has to approve it, expected in November 2026, so it is not final. If you earn between €77,400 and €84,150 and are not yet privately insured, check this with an independent consultant before you act.
Example: You earn €80,000 in 2026. That is €2,600 above the 2026 threshold, so you pass it. But if the €84,150 threshold takes effect as planned, you would be €4,150 below it for 2027. You would then not be expected to exceed the next year's threshold, and you would stay in public insurance. The package also has a transitional rule with a lower limit of €80,550, but it is meant for people who are already exempt and privately insured on 31 December 2026, and €80,000 is below that limit too. Ask an independent consultant before you sign.
What does private health insurance cost in Germany in 2026?
Private premiums depend on your age at joining, health, plan and deductible (Selbstbehalt). Purely as an indication, a healthy employee aged 30 to 40 on a comprehensive plan often sees €450 to €750 per month in total. Treat this as an illustration, not a quote. Two people of the same age can pay very different premiums.
Public premiums follow the opposite rule: a share of your income, up to a ceiling. These are the 2026 reference values:
| Status | Public (GKV) in 2026 | Private |
|---|---|---|
| Employee at or above the ceiling | Employee share up to about €613.22 per month with a child, €648.09 childless (health €508.59, care €104.63 or €139.50) | Premium set by age and health. Employer pays half, up to €613.22. |
| Self-employed at the ceiling | Up to €1,191.56 (reduced rate, with child) to €1,261.31 (with sickness pay, childless) per month | Full premium, no employer share |
| Self-employed at low income | Minimum about €270.26 to €286.08 per month, depending on rate and children | Full premium, owed even in months with no income |
| Student | About €143 to €148 per month | Only after an exemption |
How the 2026 public figures work: the general rate is 14.6% (7.3% employee, 7.3% employer) plus an average additional contribution of 2.9%. Your own fund sets its actual rate. Long-term care is 3.6% (1.8% each), and childless employees from age 23 pay an extra 0.6 points on their own, so 2.4% in total. All of it is calculated on the ceiling of €5,812.50 per month (€69,750 per year).
Employer subsidy: if you are an employee, your employer pays half of your private premium, capped at what they would pay for public cover. In 2026 the cap is €508.59 for health insurance (half of 17.5% of €5,812.50) and €104.63 for long-term care (1.8% of €5,812.50; €75.56 in Saxony), so €613.22 combined. It is also never more than half of your actual premium.
Premium surcharge: by law, insurers add 10% to most full-cover plans from the calendar year after you turn 21 until the year you turn 60. From age 65, that money cushions premium increases, and from age 80 it reduces the premium (§149 VAG).
What do public and private health insurance cost in real examples?
Three examples show how it works. An employee on €90,000 pays public contributions on the €5,812.50 ceiling. A freelancer pays the full public maximum or minimum with no employer share. A family of four often costs less in public insurance because of free family cover. Private figures are illustrations, not quotes.
Public: €90,000 / 12 = €7,500 per month, which is above the ceiling of €5,812.50. Contributions are calculated on the ceiling.
- Health: 8.75% x €5,812.50 = €508.59
- Care: 2.4% x €5,812.50 = €139.50
- Total: €648.09 per month
Private (illustration): assume a total premium of €450 to €750, the indicative range above. The employer pays half, which is below the cap of €613.22. You pay €225 to €375, so in this illustration you could pay about €273 to €423 less per month than at the public ceiling, as long as your actual premium falls in that range.
The premium is an assumption, not a quote. Private premiums usually rise over time. Your own offer decides.
Public, maximum:
- Health: 16.9% x €5,812.50 = €982.31
- Care: 4.2% x €5,812.50 = €244.13
- Total: €1,226.44 per month
Public, minimum: the minimum income base is €1,318.33 per month. 16.9% = €222.80, plus care at 4.2% = €55.37, so about €278.17 per month.
Private: no employer share, so you carry the full premium. Against the indicative range of €450 to €750, private can be well below the public maximum at high income. At low income, the public minimum of about €278 beats every plan in that range. Add sickness pay (Krankentagegeld) to any private plan.
In public insurance, a spouse with no or very low income and your children can be covered for free through Familienversicherung, if the conditions are met. You pay only your own contribution.
In private insurance, each of the four people has a separate contract and premium. The employer subsidy applies to your own contract.
For this household, public insurance is often cheaper overall. Request quotes for all four before you decide. Details in the family comparison.
What really differs between private and public health insurance?
Private insurance prices your age and health instead of income, works by reimbursement, and the insurer cannot cancel for illness. Public insurance charges a percentage of income up to a ceiling and covers family members for free when conditions are met. Employers pay half of the contribution or premium in both, up to a cap on the private side.
| Public (GKV) | Private | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium basis | Percentage of income, up to a ceiling | Age and health at entry, plan, deductible |
| Employer contribution | Half of the rate | Half of the premium, capped at €508.59 + €104.63 (2026) |
| Family members | Free if conditions are met (e.g. very low own income) | Separate premium per person |
| Billing | Insurance card, direct billing | You get the bill and claim it back |
| Hospital room | Usually shared ward | Single or double room if your plan includes it |
| Dental (dentures) | Fixed subsidy: 60% of standard treatment, 70% with 5 years of an unbroken Bonusheft, 75% with 10 years | Depends on plan, often with annual caps in the first years |
| Can the insurer cancel? | No | No, not for illness |
| Premiums over time | Follow your income | Can rise with age and medical costs. Reserves soften this. |
| Tax | Contributions deductible | Basic-cover share fully deductible |
Taxes: premiums for basic cover are fully deductible as special expenses (Sonderausgaben, §10 EStG). Optional extras such as a single room or dental top-ups are only partly deductible, within set caps. A deductible (Selbstbehalt) is not a special expense. Ask your tax adviser how this plays out for you.
What should you check in a private health insurance tariff?
The cheapest plan is rarely the best. Check five points before you sign: what is actually covered, the deductible (Selbstbehalt), sick pay (Krankentagegeld), premium history and ageing reserves, and never compare alone. An independent consultant can compare the market and explain your options in English, for free.
Look at inpatient and outpatient care, dental caps, psychotherapy, alternative medicine and cover abroad. Check whether fees are reimbursed at the standard rate or at a higher multiple of it (Gebührensätze). A small monthly saving can turn into a large bill at the wrong moment.
A higher deductible lowers your monthly premium, but you pay the first costs each year yourself. Only choose a high one if you are healthy and can afford the bills.
If you are self-employed, you have no employer sick pay. Add Krankentagegeld and check from which day it starts. Employees are usually covered by their employer for the first six weeks.
Insurers must build ageing reserves (Alterungsrückstellungen) to keep premiums manageable later. Ask how premiums changed in past years, not only what the entry rate is.
There are many insurers and plan variants, all in German contract language. An independent consultant compares the market and explains your options in English, for free.
How do you apply for private health insurance?
Confirm that you qualify, compare tariffs and get offers, answer the health questions fully and truthfully, wait for written acceptance, then leave your public fund with two full months' notice. Do not cancel your public insurance before you hold the written acceptance.
Check your regular gross annual pay against €77,400 (planned €84,150 from 2027), or your status as a self-employed person, civil servant or exempt student.
Request offers based on your real age, deductible and cover wishes. Offers are non-binding.
You must disclose health information fully and truthfully (§19 VVG). Wrong or missing answers can cost you your cover later. The insurer then accepts you, adds a surcharge, excludes some conditions, or declines.
Approval can take several weeks. Do not cancel your public insurance before you hold the written acceptance.
For a normal fund change, notice is two full months, to the end of the second calendar month after you give it (§175 SGB V). For an exemption, your fund confirms the end date, so ask early. Then send your employer the proof of private cover so the subsidy starts.
Timeline example: you pass the 2026 threshold, expect to exceed the 2027 threshold too, and want private cover from 1 January 2027. Start the comparison in September or October, because insurer checks can take several weeks and your fund needs its notice period. Waiting until December makes a gap more likely.
Which private insurers offer English-language service?
Germany has dozens of private health insurers, and a few are digital-first with English-language service. The eight insurers below are a starting point, not a ranking. Most traditional insurers rely on a health questionnaire. We list no prices because they depend on your personal profile.
- Comprehensive plan range
- Well-known national brand
- Dental and vision options
- Broad range of tariffs
- Plans for different budgets
- Check premium history before you join
- Flexible tariff structures
- Family plan options
- Mid-range pricing
- Entry-level plans
- Upgrade options later
- Core cover included
- Strong civil-servant focus
- Established insurer
- Large member base
- International brand
- Check cover-abroad clauses
- Comprehensive plans available
- Full English language support
- App-based claims and management
- Telemedicine included
- Range of private plans
- Specialist and dental options
- Expat-focused products
Related questions: private health insurance for families and children, pre-existing conditions, the employer contribution, tax deductibility of premiums, visa and residence permit requirements and how to return to public health insurance.
Each logo links to a profile of that insurer. Also see the profiles of Continentale and DKV, the guide to why premiums increase and the insurer financial strength comparison.
Important: This page shows no premiums per insurer. Your premium depends on your age, health history, plan and deductible, and two people of the same age can pay very differently. Independent consultants compare personalised quotes from the market for you, for free.
When is private health insurance the wrong choice?
Private health insurance is a long-term decision and the wrong choice for some people. Stay in public insurance, or think carefully, if you have a non-working spouse or children, join at an older age, have low or unstable freelance income, might drop below the threshold or leave Germany soon, or have significant pre-existing conditions:
- You have a non-working spouse or children. Public insurance can cover them for free (Familienversicherung), if the conditions are met. In private cover, every family member pays their own premium. Run the family numbers first.
- You are older when you join. Entry premiums rise with age, and they do not fall when your pension income is lower than your salary was. The savings case weakens with age.
- Your freelance income is low or unstable. Your private premium is owed in full even in zero-income months. At low incomes, the public minimum (about €270 to €286 per month in 2026) can beat most private plans, and KSK members get half of their public contribution paid.
- You might drop below the threshold or leave Germany soon. If your regular pay falls below the threshold (€77,400 in 2026) as an employee, you usually become compulsorily insured in public insurance again. If you plan to leave within a year or two, the switching effort rarely pays off.
- You have significant pre-existing conditions. Private insurers can add surcharges or exclusions. Public insurance takes everyone at the same rate.
A good independent consultant tells you when not to switch. That is what a free consultation should establish first.
Can you go back to public insurance, or leave Germany?
Under 55 you can return to public insurance when you become subject to compulsory insurance again, for example as an employee below the threshold or on unemployment benefit (ALG I). From 55 returning is largely blocked. The basic tariff (Basistarif) is a fallback, and most contracts can be ended or suspended if you leave Germany permanently.
- Under 55: you can return when you become subject to compulsory public insurance again, for example as an employee earning below the threshold or as a recipient of unemployment benefit (ALG I).
- From 55: returning is largely blocked if you had no public cover in the previous 5 years and were exempt, not subject to compulsory insurance, or self-employed for at least half of that time (§6 (3a) SGB V).
- Basic tariff (Basistarif): insurers must accept eligible applicants for it without risk surcharges. In 2026 the premium is capped at €1,017.19 per month (the public maximum), and halved to about €508.59 if you need social assistance.
- Leaving Germany: most contracts can be ended or suspended if you move away permanently, but check the terms. Some insurers offer international cover.
- Visa and residence: a residence permit requires adequate health insurance (§2 (3) AufenthG). Travel insurance is accepted only in limited cases, so ask your Ausländerbehörde.
Common questions about private health insurance
Can I switch from public to private health insurance as an employee?
How much does private health insurance cost per month in Germany?
Is private health insurance cheaper than public?
Can I get private health insurance with a pre-existing condition?
Are my partner and children covered by private health insurance?
Can I go back to public health insurance later?
Does my employer contribute to private health insurance?
What if the income threshold rises above my salary?
Sources and legal basis
Figures checked on 14 October 2026. Calculated amounts are based on the official 2026 values. 2027 values were approved by the federal cabinet and are not final until the Bundesrat approves them.
- Deutsche Rentenversicherung: Sozialversicherungs-Rechengrößen 2026 (thresholds and contribution ceiling)
- §6 SGB V: exemption from compulsory insurance, 55+ rule
- §241 SGB V and §243 SGB V: general and reduced contribution rates
- Bundesanzeiger, 10 Nov 2025: average additional contribution 2026 (2.9%)
- §257 SGB V and §61 SGB XI: employer subsidy for private health and long-term care insurance
- §149 VAG, §152 VAG, §19 VVG, §175 SGB V, §10 EStG: surcharge, Basistarif, disclosure duty, fund change, tax deduction
- §2 AufenthG: health insurance and residence permits
- Bundesrat-Drs. 576/26: values for 2027 (Bundesrat approval pending)
