Health insurance in Germany

Yes. Health insurance is mandatory (Versicherungspflicht) for everyone residing in Germany. You must enroll in either a statutory fund (GKV) or — if you qualify — a private insurer (PKV). Without coverage, employers cannot legally register you, and visa or residency renewals will be blocked.

GKV and PKV are for residents. If you are applying for a Schengen visa (stay up to 90 days), you cannot enroll in GKV or PKV — you need a separate travel health insurance with at least €30,000 in coverage, valid for the entire Schengen area and your full length of stay, covering emergencies and repatriation. The four binding requirements come from Art. 15 of the EU Visa Code.

The Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze (JAEG) is the income threshold above which employees can opt out of statutory insurance into a private plan. For 2026 it is €77,400 gross per year. Cross it and you unlock PKV — but make the decision carefully, because returning to GKV after age 55 is almost impossible.

Your fund applies its total rate (~14.6 % + Zusatzbeitrag) to your gross monthly income, capped at the Beitragsbemessungsgrenze (€5,812.50/month in 2026). Half is paid by you, half by your employer. Income above the cap is not contributed on — so a salary of €120k pays the same monthly contribution as €69,750.

GKV scales with income, covers family members for free, and you can always return if your income drops. PKV gives faster appointments, single-bed rooms, and lower premiums when young — but rises sharply with age and you cannot easily switch back. For singles earning well into six figures who plan to stay healthy and high-earning, PKV usually wins on cost.

Freelancers and the self-employed can freely choose between GKV and PKV regardless of income. In GKV you pay both halves yourself (so the premium effectively doubles). In PKV the premium is fixed by your tariff. Many freelancers under 40 choose PKV for the lower starting cost.

The application itself takes a few minutes. For employees and students, your insurer typically confirms coverage within a few business days. For the self-employed and unemployed it can take longer — but usually no more than 14 business days.

In GKV: a non-working spouse and children under 25 are covered for free under your Familienversicherung. In PKV: every family member needs their own contract and pays their own premium. This is the single largest factor families weigh when choosing.

In GKV: yes. Chronic illnesses and pre-existing conditions are not excluded from coverage, and ongoing medications and treatments are covered in most cases. In PKV: pre-existing conditions are assessed during underwriting and may lead to premium surcharges or exclusions on individual conditions.

We are a licensed insurance broker (§ 34d para. 1 GewO, registry no. D-8KZL-YBD5I-40). When you sign up through us, the insurer pays us a one-time brokerage fee. The premiums shown to you are the same whether you sign directly or through us — but you get free English-language advice and ongoing support.