Contents (9 sections)
- Private health insurance Germany FAQ: the key numbers for 2026 and 2027
- Eligibility: who may choose private health insurance?
- Costs, employer contribution and the long run
- Family, short stays and leaving Germany
- Switching, health questions and the way back
- Your situation: professions and countries of origin
- English service and German terms
- Five misunderstandings we hear most often
- How we answer these questions
- Employees may choose private health insurance only above €77,400 (2026) or €84,150 (2027, draft); freelancers and civil servants may choose regardless of income.
- An employee above the contribution ceiling pays up to €729.94 a month for public insurance in 2027 (childless, scenario); full-cover private tariffs cost €649–€1,137 at age 35; employers pay half within separate legal caps for health and long-term care.
- Public insurance covers a spouse without income and children free of charge; in private insurance every person pays.
- From 55 the way back to public insurance is usually closed (§ 6 (3a) SGB V), and outside the EU/EEA a German private policy usually ends when you move.
This private health insurance Germany FAQ in one paragraph: employees may choose private insurance only above €77,400 (2026) or €84,150 (2027, draft); freelancers and civil servants may choose regardless of income. Full-cover private tariffs cost €649–€1,137 a month at age 35, half paid by employers within legal caps; public insurance costs employees up to €729.94 in 2027 but covers the family free of charge. From 55 the way back is usually closed (as of October 2026). The 15 answers below go into detail.
Private health insurance Germany FAQ: the key numbers for 2026 and 2027
Most questions come back to a handful of numbers. Here they are in one place, with their legal status. We update them as soon as the 2027 values are final.
| Topic | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Income threshold for employees (choice of private) | €77,400 | €84,150 |
| Threshold if privately insured on 31 December 2026 | – | €80,550 |
| Contribution ceiling per month | €5,812.50 | €6,375 |
| Employee's maximum public share, childless | €648.09 | €729.94 |
| Maximum employer contribution to private insurance (sum of the separate health and care caps) | €613.22 | €672.56 |
| Income limit for free family insurance (per month) | €565 | €590 |
| Full-cover private tariffs, age 35 (Finanztest) | €649–€1,137 | – |
| Blue Card minimum salary | €50,700 | about €53,100 |
Three deadlines matter more than any price: three months to join public insurance voluntarily in your first job above the threshold (§ 9 (1) no. 3 SGB V), one month to take out private insurance after returning to Germany if you were last privately insured (§ 193 (4) VVG), and the turn of the year as the earliest switching date in an existing job (§ 6 (4) SGB V).
Eligibility: who may choose private health insurance?
Whether you may choose depends on your status, not your nationality. Employees need a regular salary above the threshold; what counts as “regular” and when the switch is possible is explained on the income threshold 2027 page, the practical side in private health insurance for employees. Freelancers and the self-employed may choose freely – but newcomers from outside the EU often have no route into public insurance, see health insurance for freelancers. Civil servants are usually private because the state's allowance (Beihilfe) pays part of their bills.
Your residence permit doesn't decide your insurance either. The Blue Card minimum salary is far below the threshold, so most Blue Card holders are publicly insured: health insurance with a Blue Card. Job seekers usually start with an incoming policy: health insurance with the Opportunity Card. In all visa questions, the German mission or the immigration office decides whether your cover is sufficient – we don't give immigration advice.
Costs, employer contribution and the long run
Public insurance costs a percentage of your income up to the contribution ceiling; private insurance costs a premium that depends on your entry age, the tariff and the health questions. For employees, the employer pays about half in both systems. Published price examples and their limits are on the private health insurance costs page; the cap on the employer's share is explained in employer contribution to private health insurance.
Both systems get more expensive over time: from 2006 to 2026 contributions per insured person rose by 3.9% a year in public and 3.4% a year in private insurance on average, according to the PKV association's research institute. Single tariffs can jump much more. The public vs private cost calculator projects ten years with adjustable assumptions.
Family, short stays and leaving Germany
Three life situations shift the balance towards public insurance more than any other: a spouse without own income, children, and a short or uncertain stay. Public insurance covers the family free of charge; private insurance charges per person – see private health insurance with a family. If you plan to stay only a few years, read why private insurance rarely pays off for short stays.
Leaving Germany is where many expats lose money: a private policy continues within the EU/EEA, but usually ends if you move elsewhere, and the ageing reserves stay behind. The full exit plan is in what happens to your health insurance when you leave Germany; the leaving-Germany planner tells you whether to cancel, pause or keep. Coming back later? The rule of the last insurance decides – see health insurance when returning to Germany.
Switching, health questions and the way back
Switching from public to private follows a fixed order: check eligibility and timing, get offers, apply with complete answers to the health questions, and only then leave public insurance – step by step in switching from public to private. How underwriting works, including the anonymous pre-check, is explained in private health insurance and health questions. The way back is narrow, and from 55 usually closed: switching back to public. The honest list of downsides: disadvantages of private health insurance.
Your situation: professions and countries of origin
Some groups have specific questions. Resident doctors often stay below the threshold for years: private health insurance for doctors. Tech salaries with bonuses and equity need a careful look at “regular pay”: IT professionals. Researchers on scholarships have had a route into public insurance since 2024: researchers and postdocs; doctoral candidates and students over 30 lose cheap student insurance: PhD over 30.
By country of origin, the differences are mostly about social security agreements and the exit plan: Americans (US periods don't count), Indian professionals (Blue Card, family, visiting parents) and UK citizens (coordination continues after Brexit).
English service and German terms
You can get service in English from several insurers, digital intermediaries and public funds – but the binding contract documents are often German. What to check is listed in private health insurance in English, and a fair comparison of a popular public fund with private insurance in TK vs private. German terms such as Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze, Zusatzbeitrag or Anwartschaft are explained in the glossary. A short summary in German for partners and employers: Krankenversicherung für Fachkräfte aus dem Ausland.
Five misunderstandings we hear most often
- “Expats need private insurance.” No – most employees in Germany, including most newcomers, are publicly insured by law.
- “My travel or incoming policy is enough.” Only as a bridge. Once you live and work here, you need German public insurance or a full private policy.
- “I can switch back any time.” No – the way back needs a job below the threshold or family insurance, and from 55 it is usually closed.
- “My private policy works worldwide.” Under the model terms it continues only within the EU/EEA after a move.
- “Public insurance doesn't speak English.” Several funds offer English service; ask before you choose.
How we answer these questions
German-PKV.de is a free information and calculator portal, not an insurance broker. Every number on this page has a source and a date; values for 2027 are marked as drafts until they are final. And we say so when public insurance fits you better. All answers are general information as of October 2026, not individual advice and not immigration, legal or tax advice.
Your question isn't here? The free 60-second decider gives you an honest answer for your situation – without health questions – and if you like, a specialised expert from our partner network goes through it with you in English.
Frequently asked questions
How much does private health insurance cost in Germany?
It depends on entry age, tariff and the health questions in the application. Stiftung Warentest found full-cover tariffs for 35-year-olds at €649 to €1,137 a month (Finanztest 3/2025); employers pay half, capped separately for health (€508.59) and long-term care (€104.63) in 2026 – €613.22 at most in total. More: private health insurance costs.
Is private health insurance worth it in Germany?
For young, single high earners who plan to stay long term it can be cheaper and offer more. For families on one income, short stays and people over about 50, public insurance is often the better deal. The cost calculator compares both for your situation.
What is the minimum salary for private health insurance in Germany in 2027?
€84,150 gross a year, according to the Federal Cabinet decision of 7 October 2026 (Bundesrat approval pending); in 2026 it is €77,400. If you are already privately insured on 31 December 2026, €80,550 applies in 2027. Check: income threshold 2027.
Is there a “best” private health insurance in Germany?
No single tariff fits everyone – the right one depends on your age, health, family and plans. What you can check: full-cover benefits at least at public level, a deductible you can afford, and the terms for moving abroad. Only 384 of 1,245 tariff combinations met Stiftung Warentest's full-cover criteria (Finanztest 3/2025).
Which is better, TK or AOK?
Benefits in public insurance are largely set by law and the same at every fund. Funds differ in their additional contribution – from 2.18% to 4.39% in October 2026 – and in service, including English. See our fair TK vs private comparison.
Can foreigners get private health insurance in Germany?
Yes, under the same rules as Germans: employees above the income threshold, freelancers, the self-employed and civil servants. Your nationality doesn't decide, your status and income do – and the insurer's health questions.
Can freelancers get public health insurance in Germany?
Only with enough prior public insurance periods, declared within three months (§ 9 SGB V). EU/EEA, Swiss and UK periods can count; periods in countries such as the USA or India don't. Newcomers from outside the EU therefore often need private insurance. More: health insurance for freelancers.
Is private health insurance cheaper than public in Germany?
At the start it often is for young, single high earners. It is usually not for families on one income, because public insurance covers the family free of charge. And private premiums don't follow income – also not in retirement.
Does my employer pay for private health insurance?
Yes. Employers pay half of the premium, but the health and the long-term care part are capped separately: in 2026 at €508.59 and €104.63 a month (€613.22 in total), in 2027 at about €557.81 and €114.75 (€672.56 in total, scenario) – also covering dependants who would be family-insured in public insurance (§ 257 SGB V, § 61 SGB XI). Details: employer contribution.
Do I need private health insurance for a Blue Card?
No. Most Blue Card holders earn less than the income threshold and are publicly insured by law. Before the job starts, some missions require private cover as a bridge. The mission or the immigration office decides whether your cover is sufficient. More: health insurance with a Blue Card.
Is my family covered by my German health insurance?
In public insurance, a spouse without own income (up to €565 a month in 2026) and children living in Germany are insured free of charge. In private insurance each person pays a premium – children's tariffs typically €120 to €250. More: health insurance with a family.
Can I switch back from private to public health insurance?
Only in limited cases – for example through a job below the threshold or family insurance, under 55. From 55 the way back is usually closed if you were not publicly insured in the previous five years (§ 6 (3a) SGB V). More: switching back to public.
What happens to my private health insurance if I leave Germany?
Within the EU/EEA it continues and pays up to German levels (§ 207 (3) VVG). If you move elsewhere it usually ends unless your insurer agrees otherwise; a temporary move can be bridged with a dormant policy for about 5 to 10% of the premium (Allianz). More: leaving Germany.
How do health questions work in private health insurance?
The insurer asks about your health in the application; you must answer completely (§ 19 VVG). The result can be normal acceptance, a surcharge, an exclusion or a rejection. Brokers can run an anonymous pre-check first. More: how underwriting works.
Can I get private health insurance in English?
Service is often available in English – some insurers and digital intermediaries specialise in expats, and some public funds offer English service too. Contract terms and the application may be binding only in German, so check before you sign. More: private health insurance in English.
Sources
- § 6 SGB V – income threshold, age 55 rule
- § 9 SGB V – voluntary insurance
- § 10 SGB V – family insurance
- § 257 SGB V – employer contribution
- § 193 VVG – obligation to insure, premium surcharge
- § 207 VVG – continuation within the EU/EEA
- Federal Government: contribution ceilings 2027 (Cabinet decision) – 7 October 2026, Bundesrat pending
- Stiftung Warentest: private health insurance compared (Finanztest 3/2025) – 19 February 2025
- PKV association: model terms MB/KK 2009 – as of June 2024
- GKV-Spitzenverband: list of health insurance funds and additional contributions – as of October 2026
This article provides general information on health insurance in Germany (as of 13 October 2026). It does not replace individual advice. Which solution suits you depends on your personal situation, e.g. age, health, income, family and length of stay. Despite careful review we cannot guarantee completeness and accuracy; laws and tariffs change. It is not immigration advice: whether your insurance is sufficient for a visa or residence permit is decided by the German mission abroad or your immigration office. Publisher: German-PKV.de. German-PKV.de is not an insurance broker and does not provide insurance, legal or tax advice; individual advice is provided exclusively by specialised cooperation partners licensed under § 34d GewO.