Is supplementary health insurance for children worth it?
In short
Supplementary health insurance for children in Germany is mostly worth it as dental cover with orthodontics, taken out at age three to six, for about EUR 4 to 20 a month. Glasses, hospital stays and co-payments are largely covered for children anyway: up to 18 public insurance pays for lenses and children pay no co-payments. An outpatient plan only pays off if your child needs new glasses often.
Children's premiums from published plan data and tests, as of 2026.
Example
Typical range
Children's dental plan with orthodontics
about EUR 4 to 20 a month
Outpatient plan, age group up to 25 including children
about EUR 12 to 20 a month
Glasses budget in outpatient plans
about EUR 100 to 375, per year or every two years
Braces for mild misalignment, fully private
about EUR 2,500 to 7,000
Guide values as of October 2026 from published plan data.
In our quoting practice a children's hospital plan usually costs a low single or double digit
amount a month; we obtain the right children's plan for you.
Worked example
Child aged 5, both parents had braces
How a dental plan with orthodontics works out over ten years.
Premium EUR 10 a month, 10 years
EUR 1,200
Braces at KIG grade 2, invoice
EUR 4,000
Reimbursement at 80 percent
EUR 3,200
Frames through an outpatient plan
not needed, child has no glasses
If braces are needed you are about EUR 2,000 ahead. If not, you have paid EUR 1,200 without a payout.
What public insurance already pays for children
In German public health insurance (GKV), children are usually covered free of charge through family insurance, always up to 18 and up to 25 while in education. They get the same benefits as adults and often more.
Up to their 18th birthday children are entitled to glasses lenses, adults only with strong prescriptions. Co-payments for medical aids and for days in hospital only apply from 18. If a parent has to stay in hospital with the child, the fund pays for this when it is medically necessary.
Area
Public insurance for children
What remains open
Glasses
lenses at the contract price up to 18
frame, thinner lenses, replacement after breakage
Braces
for severe misalignment from KIG grade 3
mild misalignment in full, extras
Hospital
shared ward, no co-payment
single room, chief physician
Alternative practitioner, osteopathy
as a rule nothing
the bill
Hearing aid
contract price, new device after 5 years
surcharge for better devices
Which supplementary health insurance for children pays off
The most expensive gap for children is orthodontics. Braces for mild misalignment are paid entirely by parents. A children's dental plan with orthodontics costs about EUR 4 to 20 a month and pays off if it starts before the first diagnosis.
An outpatient children's plan pays for frames, spare glasses, alternative practitioners (Heilpraktiker) and osteopathy. In childhood it often costs EUR 12 to 20 a month. That adds up for a child who needs new glasses every year or regularly sees an osteopath, otherwise rarely.
Hospital: chief physician and family room
Hospital supplementary insurance for children pays for a single or double room and the chief physician. A parent can often stay anyway, because public insurance covers a companion when medically necessary, which is frequently the case for small children.
A side effect matters more than comfort: a child insured early is assessed without later illnesses. A child with asthma or allergies may not get a good plan at 18.
When your child does not need supplementary insurance
If your child has healthy teeth, wears no glasses and rarely sees a doctor, an outpatient supplementary health insurance for children is usually money wasted. Put the premium aside instead.
If you are privately insured and your child is on your private policy, no top-up is needed. More important for children are family liability insurance and child disability or accident cover.
Step by step
Check whether parents or siblings needed braces.
Take out a dental plan with orthodontics at age three to six.
Add an outpatient children's plan only for glasses or frequent osteopathy.
Check the premium after the switch to the adult rate.
Answer health questions completely, including minor findings.
Checklist
Child registered in family insurance
Orthodontics covered even at KIG grades 1 and 2
No diagnosis or recommended treatment before the start
Glasses budget and period known
Premium after age 15, 16 or 21 checked
Common mistakes
Taking out dental cover only after the orthodontist has planned treatment
Choosing an expensive outpatient plan for a child without glasses
Overlooking the premium jump to the adult rate
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
From what age can I insure my child?
Usually from birth.
For dental cover, age three to six is sensible, before any misalignment is found.
Does public insurance pay for children's frames?
No.
The entitlement to glasses explicitly excludes the frame, for children too.
Do I pay anything for my child in hospital?
No.
The EUR 10 daily co-payment only applies from age 18.
Does the children's plan continue automatically?
Yes, it usually moves into a youth or adult rate without new health questions,
but with a higher premium.
We are only in Germany for a few years. Is it still worth it?
Check whether the plan pays outside Germany and how you can cancel it when you leave.
For a stay of a few years, a top-up rarely pays off unless dental cover starts well before any
