Which insurance do I need as an apprentice in Germany?
In short
As an apprentice (Azubi) in Germany you get health, pension and accident insurance through your training company. Liability cover often still runs through your parents during a first vocational training; otherwise it costs about EUR 40 to 120 a year. What matters most now is occupational disability insurance (BU): taken out young and healthy, it often costs a half to a third of the later premium.
Published premium examples for young people in Germany.
Example
Typical range
Own personal liability, single
about EUR 40 to 120 a year
BU, roofer, age 20, EUR 1,000 benefit to 65
about EUR 100 to over 200 a month
BU, office clerk, age 30, EUR 1,000 benefit to 67
about EUR 50 to over 100 a month
BU starter tariff in the starter phase, then full premium
about EUR 14 to 47 a month, then about EUR 35 to 82
Guide values as of October 2026 from publicly quoted tariff examples.
The order of priority for apprentices is a guide value from quoting practice.
Your premium depends on occupation, age and health; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Apprentice roofer, 18, still living with his parents
He starts training as a roofer. His parents have family liability and household contents insurance.
Health, pension, accident insurance
through the company
Liability
through the parents, check the policy
Household contents
through the parents while he lives there
BU with EUR 1,000 benefit
own policy, premium depends on tariff
At first he needs only one policy of his own: occupational disability insurance. Everything else is covered through the company and his parents until he moves out.
What your training company already covers
With your training contract you become compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance, the pension scheme and statutory accident insurance. Free family health insurance through your parents ends, as you are now insured yourself. You choose a health insurer and tell the company.
If your training pay is EUR 325 a month or less, the company pays all social insurance contributions alone. Above that, you share them with the company.
Insurance
Which cover apprentices have
What you do
Health insurance
compulsory through the company
choose a health insurer
Pension insurance
compulsory through the company
nothing
Statutory accident insurance
company, vocational school, commute
nothing
Personal liability (Privathaftpflicht)
often through your parents
check your parents' policy
Occupational disability (BU)
none
take it out now
Liability: often still through your parents
Adult children are often included in their parents' family liability policy during a first vocational training or degree, but not indefinitely. Age, marital status, own household and own income all play a part.
If you move out or start a second training afterwards, cover often ends. Your own single policy then costs about EUR 40 to 120 a year, with at least EUR 10 million of cover.
Occupational disability: the key policy for an apprentice
The state pension for reduced earning capacity (Erwerbsminderungsrente) is on average below basic income support level. It asks whether you can still work at all, not whether you can still do the trade you learned.
Occupational disability insurance pays if illness or accident stops you working in your trade. In over 90 percent of cases illness is the cause, not an accident. That is why BU matters more for an apprentice than accident insurance.
Why now is the best time for BU
The premium depends on age, health and occupation. Taking it out early usually means good health and often a favourable job classification that stays even if your later job is riskier. A roofer who signs up while still at school pays about a half to a third of what a qualified roofer would pay.
Starter tariffs for apprentices have a low premium at the start. It rises later, and over the full term they are usually more expensive. Answer the health questions fully, or the insurer can withdraw from the contract.
What apprentices usually do not need
Which insurance can you skip? Private accident insurance is rarely the first choice, because statutory cover protects you at work, at vocational school and on the way, and BU also pays for illness. It can make sense for risky hobbies.
Household contents insurance (Hausrat) is only needed once you have your own flat. Car insurance comes only with your own car.
Step by step
Choose a health insurer and tell the company.
Ask your parents whether their liability policy includes you during training.
Request a BU quote while you are healthy.
With pre-existing conditions, have an anonymous risk enquiry made.
Check liability and household contents again when you move out.
Checklist
Health insurer chosen
Liability through parents confirmed, or own policy
BU quote requested
Health questions answered fully and correctly
No duplicate policies for what is already covered
Common mistakes
Putting off BU until the first diagnosis is on file
Taking accident insurance instead of BU
Answering health questions loosely
Assuming your parents' liability cover continues after you move out
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Do I need my own health insurance as an apprentice?
You are insured compulsorily through the company and family insurance ends.
You only need to choose a health insurer.
Do I pay social insurance contributions?
With training pay up to EUR 325 a month the company pays everything.
Above that you share the contributions.
Am I insured at vocational school?
Yes, vocational school and the way there are covered by statutory accident insurance,
as is work in the company.
Is a BU starter tariff worth it?
It lowers the premium at the start but becomes more expensive later,
and over the term it usually costs more than a normal tariff.
It suits you if money is tight now.
Do apprentices already get a reduced earning capacity pension?
After an accident at work the waiting period counts as met.
For full reduced earning capacity within six years after training,
one year of compulsory contributions in the last two years is enough.
