All about this insurance: Long-term care
Do I need private long-term care insurance in Germany?
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Is private long-term care insurance worth it in Germany?
In short
For many people yes: care home residents in Germany pay on average EUR 3,364 a month themselves in the first year, because statutory long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) covers only part. A private daily care allowance (Pflegetagegeld) closes the gap and protects your savings. If you have very little money or already need care, it helps little or you cannot get it.
What it costs
Guide figures from public statistics and tariff examples.
| Example | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Own share in a care home, first year, national average | EUR 3,364 a month |
| Daily care allowance, minimum benefit, age 40 | about EUR 14 a month |
| EUR 50 a day in care grade 5, age 50 | about EUR 100 to 230 a month |
| Model customer in a consumer test, age 45 | about EUR 75 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
Care home from 82, care grade 4, two years
This is how big the gap is, and how much of it a daily care allowance closes.
| Own share a month, first year | about EUR 3,364 |
| Net pension | about EUR 1,500 |
| Monthly gap | about EUR 1,860 |
| Daily care allowance of EUR 60 in care grade 4 | about EUR 1,800 |
Without a policy, more than EUR 40,000 is missing over two years, paid from savings or by the social welfare office.
Why the statutory scheme is not enough
Statutory long-term care insurance only covers part of the cost. It pays fixed amounts per care grade (Pflegegrad 1 to 5). You pay the rest yourself: accommodation, meals, investment costs and part of the care.
If your pension and savings are not enough, the social welfare office (Sozialamt) steps in. It can ask your children for money if they earn more than EUR 100,000 a year.
What is different if you come from abroad
In Germany you pay into long-term care insurance automatically with your health insurance, whether public or private. If you know the UK, where care is largely means-tested, or the US, where you often have to use up your assets first, the German scheme looks generous. It still leaves a large gap in a care home.
If you plan to spend your retirement in another country, check this before signing. Statutory benefits abroad are mostly limited to cash payments within the EU and EEA, and many private daily care allowances only pay while you live in the EU or EEA. Answer the health questions on the German application form completely, even if the wording is unfamiliar.
Who it makes sense for
For anyone who wants to keep savings or property or pass them on to their children, and for anyone who does not want their children to pay.
| Situation | Worth it? |
|---|---|
| 40 to 55, healthy, with savings or property | yes |
| Living alone without relatives who could provide care at home | yes |
| Very low income, no savings | rather no, the social welfare office pays |
| Already has a care grade or serious illness | hardly insurable |
| Over 65 | often very expensive |
Which type fits
A daily care allowance pays a fixed amount per day that you can spend as you like. For most people this is the most flexible option.
Care cost insurance (Pflegekostenversicherung) only refunds proven costs. Subsidised tariffs with the EUR 5 allowance accept everyone, but usually pay less.
The honest limit
The later you sign, the higher the premium, and you pay it for decades. If you can no longer afford it in old age, you often lose the cover. Choose an amount you can keep paying for the long term.
Step by step
- Estimate your pension in old age, including pensions from other countries.
- Look up the own share in a care home in your federal state.
- Work out the monthly gap.
- Choose a daily allowance that covers the gap in care grades 4 and 5.
- Keep the premium affordable for the long term.
- Answer the health questions completely.
Checklist
- Benefit in care grades 4 and 5 covers the gap
- Care at home also covered
- No premiums to pay while you receive care
- Dementia included
- Clear rules if you move abroad
- Premium affordable for decades
Common mistakes
- Waiting until you can no longer answer the health questions positively
- Insuring only care grade 5, although many people are cared for at home in grades 2 to 4 for years
- Choosing a daily rate that is too high and giving up the policy later
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
When should I take out long-term care insurance?
Often between 40 and 55, while you are healthy and the premium is still moderate.
How much does it cost?
Depending on age and benefit usually EUR 30 to 150 a month, simple tariffs from about EUR 15.
Do children have to pay for their parents' care?
In Germany only if a child earns more than EUR 100,000 gross a year.
What is the difference between a daily allowance and care cost insurance?
The daily allowance pays a fixed amount you can use freely. Care cost insurance only refunds receipts.
Is the subsidised version worth it?
Often for people with health problems, because there are no health questions. The benefit is usually small.
Does it pay for care at home?
A good daily care allowance does, in all care grades, also when relatives provide the care.
What happens if I leave Germany?
Check the residence clause. Many policies keep paying within the EU and EEA, fewer do so worldwide. We check this for you before you sign.
Sources
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