Getting started
For employeesPrivate or statutoryRequirements for employeesJahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze (JAEG)Career startersCosts
Costs for employeesEmployer contributionBeitragsbemessungsgrenze (BBG)Statutory maximum contributionOld age for employeesWorking part timeGetting started
For the self-employedPrivate or statutory when self-employedRequirements for the self-employedBest plans for the self-employedSwitching to private health insuranceIs private health insurance worth itCosts and protection
Costs for the self-employedDeductibleKrankentagegeldPremium relief planOld age for the self-employedWhich plan fits your self-employment?
Start the free analysis →Getting started
For civil servantsPrivate or statutoryRequirementsPublic sectorSwitching to private health insuranceBeihilfe
Beihilfe explainedRestkostentarifFreie HeilfürsorgeDienstherr (employer of civil servants)Beihilfe plans in the directoryDecision
Family and private health insuranceAdvice for familiesChildren in private health insuranceSpousesEmployer contributionWhat does private health insurance cost for your family?
Start the family check →Health questions
Health questionsDuty of disclosureRelease from confidentialityDuty to report later changesBreach of obligationsPre-existing conditions
With a pre-existing conditionChronic conditionsRisk surchargeBenefit exclusionPsychotherapyApplication and acceptance
Anonymous risk enquiryApplicationAcceptance of the applicationApplication rejectedObligation to accept and BasistarifUnsure because of a pre-existing condition?
Start the anonymous check →Lower your premium
PolicyholdersPlan optimizationPlan change under § 204Right to change planDeducting premiums from taxPremium increase
Premium increasesPremium stabilityPremiums in old ageAgeing reservesSpecial right of cancellationBenefits and contract
BenefitsClaimCancelling your policyBack to statutory insuranceTerminated without noticeFamilies have their own rules. We show when separate contracts pay off and when combining private cover with statutory family insurance is cheaper.
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With children, the household calculation decides, not your individual premium. The Decision Check includes the size of your family, your further plans and your partner's insurance status.
We also advise against it if private health insurance does not suit your situation.
7 short sections · about 6 minutes · free and without obligation
A switch to private health insurance needs careful thought. The most important points before you decide.
In private health insurance for families, a different logic applies than with a statutory health insurance fund, because there is no free family insurance. Each person gets their own contract. An adult pays around €350 to €600 per month depending on the scope of benefits, a child about €130 to €200.
If one parent is privately insured and the other has statutory insurance, children can only stay in the statutory system free of charge under certain conditions. If the privately insured parent earns more and their income is above the Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze JAEG · JahresarbeitsentgeltgrenzeThe annual income threshold in Germany. Employees who earn more than this per year may leave statutory health insurance and switch to private health insurance.More about JAEG →, the children usually need their own cover with premiums.
Which solution makes sense therefore depends on income, marital status, insurance status and the scope of benefits you want.
A neutral comparison of the two insurance systems for families.
| Criterion | Statutory | Private |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | Depends on the insured person's income up to the Beitragsbemessungsgrenze BBG · BeitragsbemessungsgrenzeThe contribution ceiling of statutory health and long-term care insurance. Income above this amount is not used to calculate contributions.More about BBG →. | Calculated per person by age, health and scope of benefits. |
| Family | Spouses without income and children are covered free of charge. | Every family member needs their own contract with their own premium. |
| Benefits | Care defined by law at a sufficient, appropriate and economical level. | A contract you can design individually, with guaranteed and often more extensive benefits. |
| Access | Often longer waiting times for appointments, and usually through the referral system. | Faster appointments and direct access to specialists, also for children. |
Real situations that show how individual the right solution is.
Main earner privately insured, partner on parental leave and two children in the statutory system free of charge. This keeps the family covered in a cost-efficient way.
The child was added on time to a parent's plan without health questions.
A young family with good incomes, separate contracts and strong benefits for orthodontics and checkups.
The daily allowance for a sick child protects parents financially if they temporarily cannot work because they are caring for a sick child. When the child is ill, different rules apply depending on the plan.
| Insurer / plan | Number of days | Special features |
|---|---|---|
| Inter KTA6 | Up to age 12: 10 days per child, max. 25 days | Single parents: double periods |
| Signal Iduna ESP-VA | Up to age 12: 10 days per child, max. 25 days | 100 days if the child is seriously ill |
| Hanse Merkur T8 to T43 | Up to age 12: 10 days per year | None |
| ARAG KTV21-364 | Up to age 12, max. 15 days per year | None |
| BBKK KTS15-43 and KT-AN43-274 | Up to age 12: 10 days per child, max. 25 days | None |
| Basistarif BasistarifA statutory social plan that every private insurer must offer. Its benefits are comparable to statutory health insurance, and its premium is capped at the statutory maximum contribution.More about Basistarif → | Days and age limit according to the Basistarif terms | Only with Krankentagegeld in the Basistarif |
| Statutory health insurance | Up to age 12: 15 working days per child, max. 35 days (2026) | Single parents: double periods |
Life does not always go according to plan. This is why special situations also need to be considered and taken into account.
Unemployment can have a major impact. The main insured person may have to switch to statutory insurance, while the family members are either co-insured there or continue their private health insurance. The financial burden of private premiums without the employer contribution can be considerable.
Unmarried couples keep their insurance status at first. After marriage, the status can be reassessed, which opens up options to switch.
In a divorce, each spouse keeps their insurance cover. The children's insurance can be decided anew. The child no longer has to be insured with the higher earner. Parents therefore have a choice.
Financial difficulties, for example among the self-employed, can lead to plan changes, premium arrears or a move to the Notlagentarif. This can mean reduced benefits. For the family, it is advisable to check other ways of getting cover.
When you retire, your private health insurance continues, but the premiums can rise. Your spouse's status stays unchanged, as long as they do not acquire their own pension entitlements. Note the possible extra burden because the employer contribution ends.
For families, the costs depend on who is privately insured. An adult pays around €350 to €600, depending on the scope of benefits. A child is much cheaper at about €130 to €200. Because there is no free family insurance, a careful comparison between full private health insurance and statutory health insurance pays off.
In statutory health insurance, only the earning parent pays. Partners without their own income and children are covered free of charge. In private health insurance, each person pays their own premium. For an adult, it is around €350 to €600 depending on the plan, for a child about €130 to €200 per month. If a parent is employed, the employer pays half of that parent's premium.
In the long term, you should expect rising premiums. From 2006 to 2026, premiums in private health insurance rose by an average of 3.4% per year according to the association of private health insurers, and in statutory health insurance by 3.9%. In families, several contracts work together. This is why we pay special attention to plans with high premium stability.
Children leave the family budget when they start working, so the burden falls. For the parents, ageing reserves cushion the premiums, and the statutory surcharge of 10% ends from age 60. A premium relief plan lowers the premium in retirement even further.
For families, the biggest lever is the choice between full private health insurance and a combination with statutory family insurance. Within private health insurance, a deductible and an internal plan change under § 204 VVG lower the premium without changing insurer and without losing your ageing reserves.
| Family member | Statutory health insurance | Private health insurance | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main earner (employed) | €508.59 | €275 | −€233.59 |
| Partner (voluntary statutory) | approx. €590 | €480 | −€110 |
| Per child | free of charge | €75 | +€75 |
| Total per month (two children) | around €1,099 | €905 | −€194 |
Sample calculation based on average plans. For the employed main earner and for the children (premium €150 per child), the employee share is shown. The employer pays the other half. In this example, the partner is a voluntary member of statutory health insurance. In statutory family insurance, children are covered free of charge. In private health insurance, each person pays their own premium.
Three levels of benefits, so you cover exactly what matters to you.
from€245/ month
from€360/ month
from€500/ month
All prices are example calculations for a 30-year-old employee without pre-existing conditions.
Popular benefit modules you can choose in your private health insurance.
Private health insurance should cover at least 80% of high costs for dental treatment, crowns, implants and other dentures.
Often a cost driver: how important are these benefits to you? This is a personal decision.
Especially important for children: all child health checkups and preventive checkups should be reimbursed without restrictions.
Protects your income if you temporarily cannot work because you are caring for a sick child.
Some plans waive the premium during parental leave. This eases the family budget in an expensive phase.
Private health insurance should pay for medically necessary aids such as hearing aids, bandages or orthopedic insoles.
Single or two-bed room and rooming-in with children, depending on the comfort you want in hospital.
We compare the entire market and find the plan with the best balance of benefits and stable premiums.
No. In private health insurance, every family member needs their own contract and pays their own premium. Free co-insurance only exists in statutory health insurance.
Yes. If one parent is already privately insured and you register the child within two months of birth, it is added without new health questions.
In this model, the main earner is privately insured, while the partner stays in statutory insurance and the children are covered free of charge through the partner's family insurance. This is often the cheapest solution if the partner has little or no income. For unmarried couples, this is possible without restriction. For married couples, the children are excluded if the privately insured parent earns more and their income is above one twelfth of the Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze (§ 10 (3) SGB V).
Get all your questions answered, free of charge and without obligation.
Personal advice from our specialists. Response time: under 24 hours.
From the age of 55, admission to private health insurance is often possible only with restrictions. A late switch can also mean higher premiums.
It matters to us that a switch pays off for you in the long run. That is why we do not recommend a consultation when your answers already show that the conditions are rather unfavorable.
Not sure, or want to correct your answers? Feel free to contact us. We will help you assess your situation.
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