All about this insurance: Private health insurance
Should I choose public or private health insurance in Germany?
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How much does private health insurance cost in Germany?
In short
A healthy employee around 30 usually pays EUR 450 to 700 a month for a good private health insurance tariff (private Krankenversicherung, PKV). Your employer pays half, at most EUR 508.59. Basic tariffs start at about EUR 250. What counts is your age at entry, health, deductible and benefits, and the premium rises over the years.
What it costs
Guide figures from publicly quoted tariff examples, monthly premium before the employer share.
| Example | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Employee, 30, basic cover | from about EUR 250 a month |
| Employee, 30, good tariff with chief physician and single room | about EUR 450 to 700 a month |
| Average across all insured people | about EUR 600 to 650 a month |
| Employer share 2026 | at most EUR 508.59 a month |
Guide values as of September 2026. Your premium depends on age, health and tariff; we obtain the exact quote after the health assessment.
Worked example
Employee, 32, healthy, EUR 85,000 salary
How the premium for a good tariff is split.
| Monthly premium, tariff with chief physician, EUR 600 deductible | about EUR 560 |
| Employer share (half) | about EUR 280 |
| Own share | about EUR 280 |
| For comparison: public insurance, own share at the ceiling, with long-term care | about EUR 600 |
Today he saves around EUR 300 a month. He should put that saving aside to cushion later increases and old age.
How the premium is calculated
Public health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) charges a share of your income. Private insurance charges by risk instead: your age at the start, your answers to the health questions and the benefits you choose.
Part of every premium goes into ageing reserves (Alterungsrückstellungen), a cushion for later. It is meant to slow the increase in old age but does not prevent it.
| Factor | Effect on the premium |
|---|---|
| Age at entry | strong, every year later costs more |
| Pre-existing conditions | surcharge or rejection possible |
| Deductible | a higher amount lowers the premium noticeably |
| Single room and chief physician | considerably more |
| Sick pay (Krankentagegeld) | noticeable, depending on the amount |
What employees really pay
Your employer pays half, but no more than it would pay for a publicly insured employee at the contribution ceiling, which is EUR 508.59 in 2026.
Self-employed people pay the full premium themselves. Civil servants (Beamte) receive state aid for medical costs (Beihilfe) and only insure the rest, which usually makes private cover cheap for them.
What expats should think about first
Private insurance can look like a bargain in your first years, especially if you know US prices. It is built as a lifelong contract, though. Premiums rise, family members each need their own policy, and once you are 55 the way back into public insurance is almost closed.
If you may leave Germany again, ask before signing what happens to your ageing reserves and whether you can keep the policy dormant while abroad (Anwartschaftsversicherung). Health questions are in German and must be answered completely, including treatment you had in your home country.
The premium in old age
Premiums rise when healthcare costs rise, sometimes by 10 percent or more in a single year. Plan for increases over the decades.
From 60 the statutory 10 percent surcharge usually ends. In retirement there is no employer share any more, only a subsidy from the pension insurance.
When private insurance does not fit
If you plan children and your partner does not earn well, you pay a separate premium for each family member. If you expect low income in old age, be careful, because returning to public insurance from 55 is almost impossible.
Step by step
- Check whether you may switch at all: salary, job, status.
- Collect your medical history for the last five to ten years, including treatment abroad.
- Decide which benefits you do not want to give up.
- Choose a deductible that matches your savings.
- Compare quotes with the same cover, including how premiums developed in past years.
- Answer the health questions completely and truthfully.
Checklist
- Income above EUR 77,400, self-employed or civil servant
- Family plans taken into account
- Savings for premium increases in place
- Sick pay arranged if self-employed
- Plan for a possible move abroad clarified
- Health questions answered completely
Common mistakes
- Taking the entry premium at 30 as the premium at 65
- Choosing the cheapest tariff and later missing benefits that can only be added with a new health check
- Leaving out pre-existing conditions, including those treated abroad, which can cost you your cover
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
How much does private health insurance cost in old age?
Much more than at the start. Many retirees pay EUR 700 to 1,000 a month, and the pension insurance pays only a subsidy.
Does my employer contribute to private insurance?
Yes, half, at most EUR 508.59 a month in 2026.
How much does a child cost in private insurance?
Usually EUR 100 to 200 a month, depending on the tariff. In public insurance children are often covered free of charge.
Sources
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