All about this insurance: Long-term care
Do I need private long-term care insurance in Germany?
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How much does private long-term care insurance cost in Germany?
In short
For a daily care allowance (Pflegetagegeld) paying up to EUR 1,500 a month in care grade 5, you pay about EUR 32 to 64 a month if you sign at 40, EUR 52 to 99 at 50 and EUR 86 to 160 at 60. The state-subsidised tariff (Pflege-Bahr) starts at EUR 15 but pays little. The earlier you sign, the lower your premium stays.
What it costs
Monthly premiums from publicly quoted tariff examples, daily care allowance with up to EUR 1,500 a month.
| Example | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Age 40, basic to strong tariff | about EUR 32 to 64 |
| Age 50, basic to strong tariff | about EUR 52 to 99 |
| Age 60, basic to strong tariff | about EUR 86 to 160 |
| Pflege-Bahr, minimum premium including subsidy | from EUR 15 |
| Own share in a care home, first year, national average | EUR 3,364 a month |
Guide values as of September 2026. Your premium depends on age, health and the benefit you choose; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Signing at 45 or at 55
The same benefit, signed ten years later. Premium halfway between basic and strong tariff, paid until age 85.
| Signed at 45, about EUR 60 a month for 40 years | about EUR 28,800 |
| Signed at 55, about EUR 95 a month for 30 years | about EUR 34,200 |
| Benefit in care grade 5 in a care home | EUR 1,500 a month |
| Share of the average care home gap covered | about three quarters with a EUR 1,400 pension |
Signing ten years later costs more in total, and you must still be healthy enough to be accepted. Premium increases over the years are not included here.
Premiums by entry age
The premium is set by your age when you sign. It can rise later if the insurer's costs rise, but not simply because you get older. That is why signing early is cheaper.
The figures below are for a benefit of up to EUR 1,500 a month in care grade 5 (Pflegegrad 5), the highest level. Cheaper tariffs pay much less in the lower grades.
| Entry age | Basic tariff | Strong tariff |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | about EUR 10 | about EUR 14 |
| 30 | about EUR 20 | about EUR 43 |
| 40 | about EUR 32 | about EUR 64 |
| 50 | about EUR 52 | about EUR 99 |
| 60 | about EUR 86 | about EUR 160 |
Why the same benefit costs different amounts
The difference lies in care grades 1 to 3. A basic tariff may pay 10 percent of the full amount there, a strong tariff 50 percent. Yet many people are cared for at home in these grades for years.
Premium waiver once you need care, full cover for dementia and a lump sum when care begins also cost extra. Each point adds to the premium but saves a lot when it counts.
The subsidised Pflege-Bahr
With subsidised tariffs you pay at least EUR 10 and the state adds EUR 5. There is no health check, but a waiting period of up to five years.
The minimum benefit is EUR 600 a month in care grade 5. That is far from enough for a care home gap of over EUR 3,000. For healthy people a normal daily care allowance is usually the better choice; for people with pre-existing conditions the Pflege-Bahr can be the only way in.
If you may retire outside Germany
Many private daily care allowances only pay while you live in the EU or EEA. The statutory scheme also pays abroad mainly as cash within the EU and EEA. If you plan to retire in your home country outside Europe, ask about this before signing, otherwise you may pay premiums for decades and get nothing.
Premiums are calculated for people who stay insured for a long time. If you leave after a few years, the money is gone; you do not get your reserves paid out.
How much benefit you need
Take the own share for a care home in your federal state and subtract your expected pension. The difference is your gap. A daily rate of EUR 50 brings about EUR 1,500 a month.
Do not choose an amount you cannot afford later. A contract you have to cancel at 70 has given you nothing.
When you do not need it
With very low income and no assets, the social welfare office (Sozialamt) pays in a care case, so your own contract protects little. People with a high pension and large assets can often carry the gap themselves.
Children are only asked to pay for their parents' care if they earn more than EUR 100,000 gross a year.
Step by step
- Look up the own share for a care home in your federal state.
- Estimate your later pension roughly, including pensions from abroad, and work out the gap.
- Choose a daily rate that covers the gap in grades 4 and 5.
- Compare benefits in grades 2 and 3, not just grade 5.
- Check where the tariff pays if you move abroad.
- Answer the health questions completely.
Checklist
- Benefit in care grades 2 and 3 at least 30 percent
- Premium waiver once you need care
- Dementia covered without restrictions
- No waiting period for a normal daily care allowance
- Premium affordable in retirement
- Cover if you live outside Germany clarified
- Option to increase later without a new health check
Common mistakes
- Looking only at the premium and missing weak benefits in the lower grades
- Thinking the Pflege-Bahr is enough
- Waiting until a pre-existing condition blocks the contract
- Choosing a daily rate you cannot afford in retirement
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
How much does it cost at 50?
For up to EUR 1,500 a month, about EUR 52 to 99, depending on the benefit in the lower care grades.
Can I deduct it from my taxes?
As a provision expense yes, but often it has no effect because the maximum is already used up by health and care contributions.
Which is cheaper, a daily allowance or a care cost policy?
Premiums are similar. The daily allowance can be spent freely and is therefore usually preferred.
Is there cover without health questions?
Yes, the subsidised Pflege-Bahr. It has a waiting period of up to five years and a low benefit.
Do I keep paying once I need care?
In many tariffs not, if a premium waiver is agreed. Check from which care grade it applies.
Sources
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