Which insurance policies should you review at 50? Mainly three: long-term care, because care home residents pay on average EUR 3,364 a month themselves in the first year and care insurance taken out at 50 still costs about EUR 52 to 99 a month; disability cover up to retirement; and health insurance, because from 55 the way back into statutory insurance is usually closed.
Own share in a care home, first year, national average
EUR 3,364 a month
Care daily allowance, taken out at 50
about EUR 52 to 99 a month
Care daily allowance, taken out at 40
about EUR 32 to 64 a month
Buildings, detached house with good cover
about EUR 400 to 500 a year
Subsidy for private health insurance on a EUR 1,800 pension
EUR 157.50 a month
Figures from published tariff examples and official sources, as of October 2026.
Your premium depends on age, health and cover; we obtain the exact quote.
Worked example
Working out the care gap, age 50, expected pension EUR 1,800
How large the gap would be in the first year in a care home if the pension is the only income. The pension is an assumption.
Own share in a care home, first year
EUR 3,364 a month
Assumed pension
EUR 1,800 a month
Gap per month
EUR 1,564
Gap in the first year
EUR 18,768
Care daily allowance taken out at 50
about EUR 52 to 99 a month
Without cover, about EUR 18,800 is missing in the first care home year and must come from savings.
Long-term care: the key review point at 50
German statutory care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) pays only part of the cost. In a care home, residents pay on average EUR 3,364 a month themselves in the first year, as of July 2026. If the pension is not enough, savings and later possibly the house go towards the costs.
At 50, private care insurance is still affordable: a care daily allowance taken out at 50 costs about EUR 52 to 99 a month, at 40 it was about EUR 32 to 64. Waiting means paying more and risking refusal because of diagnoses.
Health insurance at 50: statutory or private
Privately insured people should do the maths at 50. Anyone who becomes compulsorily insured after their 55th birthday and was not statutorily insured in the five years before usually stays exempt (Section 6(3a) SGB V). A return, if wanted at all, must happen before then.
In retirement the German pension insurance pays privately insured people a subsidy of 8.75 percent of the pension, at most half the premium. At 50, also check premium relief tariffs that lower the premium in old age, and dental cover while your teeth are still healthy.
Disability and income up to retirement
At 50, check the end age of your disability insurance: if the contract ends at 60 or 63, a gap opens until retirement. Also check whether the benefit still matches your income. A new contract from 50 is expensive and subject to health questions.
Without disability insurance, only the statutory reduced earning capacity pension remains. It pays only if you can work less than six hours a day in any job on the general labour market (Section 43 SGB VI).
Term life, loans and family at 50
At 50 the children have often moved out and the mortgage is nearly paid. Compare the term life sum with the remaining loan and your partner's needs. If nobody depends on you any more, the policy can go; otherwise reduce the sum rather than taking out a new one.
If endowment or pension policies still run for many years at 50, check the end date and guarantee. Cancelling often costs money; making the policy paid up is usually the better choice if you no longer want to pay in.
Review house, car and liability at 50
At 50 it pays to look at buildings insurance: does it include natural hazards such as heavy rain and flooding, and is the sum insured right after renovations? A typical detached house with good cover costs about EUR 400 to 500 a year.
From 55 there is no large age discount on car insurance any more, and some insurers add surcharges from 65; 75 year olds pay on average about 48 percent more than 55 year olds. Comparing every few years pays off. Personal liability stays, even after the children have left.
What is usually unnecessary at 50
Funeral expense insurance (Sterbegeldversicherung) is worthwhile for only a few people, according to the consumer testing body Stiftung Warentest: those who live long often pay in more than is paid out. A savings account for the funeral is usually cheaper at 50. New endowment policies rarely pay off at this age either.
Norman Nammert works as an insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler) and reviews care, health insurance, disability cover and all running policies with you at 50. The insurer pays the commission, so the review is free for you.
Step by step
List all policies with premium, sum and end age.
Work out the care gap: care home costs minus pension.
If privately insured, decide before 55 whether to stay.
Check the end age of your disability insurance.
Compare term life with the remaining loan and your partner's needs.
Check buildings insurance for natural hazards and the sum insured.
Checklist
Care gap calculated and decision made
Health insurance reviewed before your 55th birthday
Disability cover lasts until retirement
Term life matches the loan
Natural hazards included in buildings cover
No new policy without a clear purpose
Common mistakes
Postponing care cover until diagnoses prevent it
Hoping to switch back to statutory insurance after 55
Not noticing a disability policy that ends at 60
Buying funeral expense insurance instead of saving yourself
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Is private care insurance worth it at 50?
For many people yes, if savings or a house should be protected.
At 50 a care daily allowance costs about EUR 52 to 99 a month, later more.
Can I still take out disability insurance at 50?
Yes, but it is expensive and requires health questions.
Keeping an existing policy until retirement matters more.
Can I return to statutory health insurance after 55?
Usually not, if you were not statutorily insured in the five years before.
Do I still need term life insurance at 50?
Only if a loan is running or your partner depends on your income.
Does car insurance get more expensive at 50?
From 55 the large age discount ends, and some insurers add surcharges from 65.
At 75 drivers pay on average about 48 percent more than at 55.
