How much does company health insurance cost per employee in Germany?
In short
How much does it cost? Company health insurance (betriebliche Krankenversicherung, bKV) in Germany usually costs about EUR 10 to 56 per employee a month. A EUR 300 annual budget starts at around EUR 10, a EUR 600 budget costs about EUR 19 to 26 and a EUR 1,200 budget around EUR 36. With budget plans the premium is the same for everyone, regardless of age or health.
Published monthly premiums per employee for employer-paid bKV budget plans in Germany, 2026.
Example
Typical range
EUR 300 annual budget
from about EUR 9.95 a month
EUR 600 annual budget
about EUR 19 to 26 a month
EUR 900 budget with extended catalogue
about EUR 39.50 a month
EUR 1,200 annual budget
about EUR 36 a month
Top level EUR 1,500
up to about EUR 56 a month
Guide values as of October 2026, from published plan prices and comparison sites.
The EUR 900 figure is a single plan;
the range in the table is a guide value from our offer practice.
Your premium is set in the offer.
Worked example
Start-up in Berlin with 20 employees, EUR 600 budget
All 20 staff get the same annual budget, the company pays monthly and there are no other benefits in kind.
Premium per employee
about EUR 19 to 26 a month
20 employees a month
about EUR 380 to 520
Per year
about EUR 4,560 to 6,240
Health budget for the team
20 × 600 = EUR 12,000 a year
The company pays around EUR 4,600 to 6,200 a year, tax-free and contribution-free for staff, and deducts it as a business expense.
Budget plans and modules: two ways of pricing
With a budget plan (Budgettarif) the employer buys each employee an annual health budget, for example EUR 300, 600, 900 or 1,200. The premium per employee is the same for all, and staff can spend the budget on glasses, dental cleaning, alternative practitioners or check-ups. That makes the cost of company health insurance easy to plan.
With modular plans (Bausteine) the employer picks specific benefits such as dentures or a private room in hospital. Some modules cost only a few euros; hospital modules are dearer and sometimes priced by age.
Annual budget
Premium per employee a month
Under EUR 50?
EUR 300
about EUR 10
yes
EUR 600
about EUR 19 to 26
yes
EUR 900
about EUR 30 to 40
yes
EUR 1,200
about EUR 36
yes, without other benefits
EUR 1,500
up to about EUR 56
no, taxed as salary
What drives the premium per employee
The budget level matters most. After that come add-ons such as hospital or dentures, where the age of the workforce plays a part. Headcount affects health questions and waiting periods more than the price per person.
Expect premium increases: German health insurers may raise premiums when claims costs rise. A plan costing EUR 48 today could break the EUR 50 limit next year.
bKV or pay rise: comparing the cost
Company health insurance with a EUR 600 budget costs the employer around EUR 250 to 300 a year per employee, and the employee receives the full benefit without deductions.
A pay rise that brings a similar net amount usually costs the employer several times as much because of income tax and social security. The catch: the bKV only helps employees who actually use health services. Someone who needs no glasses and rarely sees a doctor might prefer the cash.
Costs beyond the premium
Before launch, company health insurance needs a written benefit commitment (Versorgungszusage) and, where there is a works council, a works agreement. HR also spends time on enrolments, leavers and staff questions.
Many group contracts run for at least one to two years. Check the minimum term and notice period before signing.
Step by step
Work out the monthly room left under EUR 50 per employee.
Choose a budget level that fits that room.
Define who is covered, for example everyone after probation.
Get offers from several health insurers with the same budget and catalogue.
Compare minimum term, premium adjustments and options for leavers.
Checklist
Premium per employee with a buffer under EUR 50
Benefit catalogue suits your staff
No health questions and no waiting periods
Monthly payment
Minimum term and notice period clear
Leavers can continue as individual policyholders
Common mistakes
Comparing only the monthly premium and ignoring the benefit catalogue
Choosing a budget that, together with vouchers, breaks the threshold
Leaving no buffer for premium increases
Launching the bKV without explaining it, so the budget goes unused
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Do older employees cost more?
Not with most budget plans; the premium is the same for all.
Hospital modules can be priced by age.
What happens to unused budget?
It usually lapses at year end.
Some plans increase the next year's budget if nothing was claimed for a full year.
Can employees top up the cover themselves?
Often yes, for higher levels or for family members on group terms.
That part is privately funded.
Are part-time staff and mini-jobbers covered at the same price?
Yes, if they belong to the defined group.
The premium does not depend on working hours.
Does a broker charge for arranging it?
No.
The commission is paid by the health insurer.
Norman Nammert arranges cover as an insurance broker at no cost to the company.
