Health insurance (statutory or private)

Health insurance in Germany exists in two systems: statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) and private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV). People who live in Germany are required to have health insurance, and if they do not have other coverage, they are either covered by GKV or eligible for PKV depending on their situation. 23

Who needs this

• People with residence in Germany must have health insurance coverage. 23
• GKV is compulsory for many groups, including employees below the annual income threshold, people receiving unemployment benefits, students under certain conditions, pensioners under certain conditions, and some other listed groups. 4
• A voluntary GKV membership is possible in some situations, including after previous compulsory or family insurance, and for some employees and other groups under specific conditions. 4
• A move from GKV to PKV is open only to certain people who are not subject to GKV compulsory insurance, such as self-employed people, civil servants, and employees whose income is above the annual earnings threshold. 1
• A general return from PKV to GKV is not allowed; a return is possible only if insurance obligation in GKV arises again and the special conditions in the source are met. 1

Step by step

1. Check whether you are insured through GKV, PKV, or not yet insured. If you are not insured, contact your last GKV fund, your last private insurer, or another health insurer, depending on your previous situation. If you have never had either type, you can contact any statutory health insurance fund. 23
2. If you are in GKV and considering PKV, compare contributions, premiums, and benefits with the health insurance fund and private insurers. 1
3. If you are a voluntary GKV member and want to switch to PKV, you can declare the cancellation of your voluntary GKV membership so that it ends at the end of the month after next, counted from the month in which the cancellation is declared to the new insurer. 1
4. If your compulsory GKV insurance ends because your income stays above the annual earnings threshold, your health insurance fund will inform you about the end of compulsory insurance and your exit option. If you declare the exit within two weeks after this notice, a switch to PKV is possible immediately; otherwise your membership continues as voluntary GKV membership. 14

Documents

• If you are checking whether you are insured, contact your previous health insurer or a health insurance fund. 23

Cost and time

• The annual earnings threshold is 77,400 euros in 2026, or 6,450 euros per month. 14
• For employees who remain above this threshold for the following year as well, compulsory insurance ends at the end of the calendar year. 14
• Studying members pay a particularly low contribution of 87.38 euros for health insurance, plus the fund-specific additional contribution. 4
• For children in family insurance, coverage is generally free of charge. 234

Deadlines

• If compulsory GKV insurance ends because income stays above the threshold, you have two weeks after the notice from the health insurance fund to declare your exit if you want an immediate switch to PKV. 14
• A cancellation of voluntary GKV membership for a move to PKV is possible to the end of the month after next, counted from the month in which the cancellation is declared to the new insurer. 1
• Family insurance for children usually ends at age 18, at 23 for non-working children, and at 25 during education or certain voluntary service; in some disability cases there is no age limit. 4

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