What is a dormant private health insurance policy in Germany?
In short
What a dormant private health insurance policy in Germany (Anwartschaftsversicherung) does: it freezes your contract while you are publicly insured or abroad, so you can return later without new health questions. The small version usually costs 5 to 10 percent of your previous premium, the large one, which also keeps your entry age, about 30 to 45 percent.
Guide values from published German guides, based on your previous monthly premium.
Example
Typical range
Small Anwartschaft
about 5 to 10 percent of the previous premium
Large Anwartschaft
about 30 to 45 percent, some sources from 20 percent
Previous premium EUR 500, small version
about EUR 25 to 50 a month
Previous premium EUR 500, large version
about EUR 150 to 225 a month
As of October 2026, based on publicly quoted ranges.
The amount depends on insurer, tariff and age;
compulsory long-term care insurance (Pflegepflichtversicherung) has its own dormant option with
its own premium.
The one to two month deadlines are common tariff rules, not law; your contract decides.
We obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
British freelancer, 38, two years in a salaried job
He pays EUR 560 a month for private health and long-term care insurance in Germany. For two years he takes a job below the threshold and becomes publicly insured. Afterwards he plans to go freelance again.
Small version, 5 to 10 percent
about EUR 28 to 56 a month
Cost over two years
about EUR 670 to 1,350
Large version, 30 to 45 percent
about EUR 168 to 252 a month
Cost over two years
about EUR 4,000 to 6,050
Asthma diagnosed during the pause
no effect with a dormant policy, surcharge or refusal possible without
For a two year pause the small version is usually enough. It secures his return on today's health terms; the slightly higher premium due to age weighs less than the cost of the large version. Calculation with guide values.
How a dormant policy works
Instead of ending, your German private health insurance (PKV) is put on hold. The insurer pays no medical bills in that time. In return you keep the right to go back into the same tariff later without answering health questions again.
That is the real value for expats and career changers alike: an illness that appears during the pause, such as high blood pressure, asthma or a course of psychotherapy, does not count when you return. Without the dormant policy you would have to apply again and could face surcharges, exclusions or a refusal.
Small or large version
The small version (kleine Anwartschaft) freezes your health status. Ageing reserves already built up stay with you but do not grow. When you return, your premium is based on your age at that point.
The large version (große Anwartschaft) also keeps your original entry age and continues building reserves. It costs much more, but your premium barely rises after the pause.
Feature
Small version
Large version
Return without health questions
yes
yes
Entry age kept
no, your age on return counts
yes
Ageing reserves
kept, but do not grow
keep growing
Cost
about 5 to 10 percent of premium
about 30 to 45 percent of premium
Suits
short pauses of up to a few years
long pauses with a firm plan to return
When people use it
The most common trigger is becoming compulsorily insured in the public system (GKV): your salary drops below the compulsory insurance threshold of EUR 77,400 in 2026, you take a salaried job after self-employment, you claim unemployment benefit or you qualify for free family cover.
Other triggers are longer stays abroad with compulsory insurance in the host country, vocational training, and service with free state medical care, for example in the German armed forces or police.
Deadlines for a dormant policy
If public insurance becomes compulsory for you by law, section 205 (2) VVG lets you cancel the private policy retroactively within three months. That also applies to an existing dormant policy. So decide on the dormant option before you send any cancellation.
Many tariffs ask you to apply for the dormant policy within one to two months of the trigger, and to apply for full cover again within one to two months after the reason ends. The exact deadlines are in your tariff conditions.
When you do not need a dormant policy
If you are sure you will not want or be allowed to return to private cover, every euro spent on it is lost. That applies, for example, to employees who will stay below the threshold for good and to people moving back to their home country permanently.
For a short trip abroad where your tariff already covers you worldwide, you do not need it either. Just check how long the foreign cover lasts.
Step by step
Check the trigger: compulsory public insurance, family cover, a move abroad or state medical care.
Do not cancel yet; ask your insurer about a dormant policy and its cost.
Get quotes for the small and large version for health and long-term care insurance.
Arrange other health cover for the pause, for example a public fund (Krankenkasse).
Note the deadline for returning and report the end of the reason immediately.
Enter the premiums in your German tax return.
Checklist
Dormant policy requested for health and long-term care insurance
Version chosen to fit the length of the pause
Daily sickness allowance and add-ons consciously kept or ended
Other health cover in place without gaps
Return deadline in your calendar
Proof of compulsory public insurance sent to the insurer
Common mistakes
Cancelling the private policy before deciding on a dormant policy
Forgetting the dormant option for long-term care insurance
Assuming you still have cover during the pause
Choosing the large version for a short pause and paying far too much
Missing the deadline for returning
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does private insurance pay medical bills while the policy is dormant?
No.
There are no benefits in the pause.
You need other cover then, such as a public fund or health insurance abroad.
How long can a dormant policy run?
That depends on the tariff.
Many allow several years, some set a limit.
Ask about a maximum before you apply.
Is the premium tax deductible in Germany?
Yes, it counts as a provision expense (Vorsorgeaufwendung) and can be claimed as a special expense.
How much it helps depends on your other contributions.
Do I have to answer health questions when I return?
Not for the tariff the dormant policy protects.
If you want more cover than before when you return, the extra part may need a check.
Is a dormant policy worth it if I am over 55?
Often yes, because from 55 the way into public insurance is usually closed,
so keeping your private option matters.
Have your case checked.
Can I keep a dormant policy if I leave Germany for good?
Usually only if you may realistically come back.
If you will never return, the money is better spent on cover in your new country.
