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 noticeReducing your hours can end your private health insurance, even if nothing else changes in your job. What counts is the forecast of your regular annual pay.
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A switch to private health insurance needs careful thought. The most important points before you decide.
Real situations that show how individual the right solution is.
Fixed salary falls from €80,400 to €64,320 per year and so below the threshold. The exemption was checked and decided consciously, because a return to full-time work was open.
Fixed salary after part-time just below the threshold, with a high but fluctuating bonus. The forecast did not count the bonus, and compulsory insurance applied despite a good year overall.
A few months of part-time work with a return to full-time work agreed in writing. Depending on the forecast, the private contract continued without an exemption. Clarifying this with the payroll department was decisive.
What counts is not a single monthly salary, but the forecast of your regular annual pay.
| Criterion | Full-time above the threshold | Part-time below the threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance status | You stay free and can be privately insured | Compulsory insurance in a statutory health insurance fund applies |
| Options | No change needed, the plan continues | Apply for an exemption or switch to a statutory health insurance fund, the private insurance can be put on hold as an Anwartschaft Anwartschaft · AnwartschaftsversicherungA dormant policy that keeps your rights in private health insurance while you do not need cover. It protects your health status for a later return.More about Anwartschaftsversicherung → |
| Employer contribution | Half of the premium up to the maximum employer contribution | The contribution is recalculated, with an exemption you still receive a contribution to your private insurance |
| Risk | None, as long as the forecast is right | Double insurance or a missed exemption deadline, both avoidable if you clarify early |
With part-time work, the first thing that changes is the employer contribution, not necessarily the premium. Your private premium stays as agreed, because it does not depend on income. In a statutory health insurance fund, on the other hand, the contribution would fall with your income. This comparison decides whether the exemption pays off for you or whether switching to a statutory health insurance fund is cheaper.
Yes. The premium of private health insurance depends on the plan, age at entry and health status, not on income. Reducing your hours does not change it. If your budget shrinks, you can lower premiums with a deductible or an internal plan change.
Your employer continues to pay half of your premium, up to the maximum employer contribution of €508.59 for health insurance and €104.63 for long-term care insurance. If your income falls sharply, the basis of calculation can limit the contribution. A short check with your payroll department clarifies this.
If your income stays low in the long term, the income-based statutory contribution can be lower than the private premium. If you return to full-time work soon, however, switching back and forth often costs you more than you save in the short term, among other things your age at entry and part of your ageing reserves.
Within private insurance, an adjusted deductible and an internal plan change help, without changing insurer and without losing your ageing reserves. An Anwartschaft keeps the contract alive at low cost if you become compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance for a while.
| Parameter | Full-time | Part-time at eighty percent | Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross annual salary | €80,400 | €64,320 | around €16,000 less |
| Relation to the Versicherungspflichtgrenze Versicherungspflichtgrenze · 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 → | above | below | change of status |
| Insurance status | private possible | compulsory insurance | exemption within three months |
| Employer contribution | up to €508.59 | recalculated | have it confirmed |
Example based on a real advice case. What counts is always the forecast of your regular annual pay, not a single monthly salary.
Three levels of benefits, so you cover exactly what matters to you.
from€245/ month
from€350/ month
from€480/ 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.
Private health insurance should reimburse the important preventive check-ups without restrictions.
Puts the contract on hold if you temporarily become subject to compulsory insurance. Your age at entry and your ageing reserves are kept.
With fewer working hours, the amount of your Krankentagegeld KrankentagegeldPrivate sick pay: a daily allowance from private insurance while you are unable to work. It replaces lost income from an agreed day of illness.More about Krankentagegeld → should match your new income. Otherwise you pay for too much cover.
Private health insurance should pay for medically necessary aids such as hearing aids, bandages or orthopedic insoles.
Single or two-bed room and optional medical benefits, 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.
We show you what you should know before switching to private health insurance.
No, but compulsory insurance applies if the forecast of your annual pay falls below the threshold. You then decide whether to apply for an exemption or to switch to a statutory health insurance fund.
Three months from the start of compulsory insurance, not from your conversation with the HR department. The deadline cannot be extended. After that, the only option is to switch to a statutory health insurance fund.
Yes, as soon as your income is above the Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze again. An Anwartschaft secures your age at entry and your ageing reserves, so you can return without new health questions.
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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