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 noticeIn the public sector, your status decides your health insurance. We show which solution fits your status and how to compare the premiums in concrete terms.
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A switch to private health insurance needs careful thought. The most important points before you decide.
A neutral comparison of the two insurance systems for the public sector.
| Criterion | Statutory | Private |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | Based on income. Civil servants pay the full premium alone, because there is no employer contribution. | Civil servants only insure the remainder after the Beihilfe . Public sector employees receive half of the premium as an employer contribution. |
| Family | Spouses without income and children are insured free of charge. | Each person has their own contract. Children of civil servants receive eighty percent Beihilfe . |
| Benefits | Care defined by law, largely the same at all funds. | Benefits guaranteed by contract, freely chosen from basic cover to chief physician treatment. |
| Switching back | You can switch funds at any time. The differences lie in the Zusatzbeitrag ZusatzbeitragThe additional contribution each statutory health insurance fund charges on top of the general rate. Its level differs from fund to fund.More about Zusatzbeitrag →. | A return to a statutory health insurance fund is only realistic under strict conditions and before the age of fifty-five. |
Real situations that show how individual the right solution is.
Single, 50% Beihilfe , Restkostentarif RestkostentarifA private plan that covers the share of medical costs that Beihilfe does not pay. Together with Beihilfe it gives civil servants full cover.More about Restkostentarif → for around €180 per month. Voluntary statutory insurance would have cost more than twice as much.
Pay group E13 with allowances above the Versicherungspflichtgrenze . Switch to private insurance with the employer contribution, better benefits at a comparable own share.
A public sector employee discovered her Beihilfe entitlement during our consultation. Moving to a Restkostentarif lowered her premium considerably. We planned the transition to retirement at the same time.
For civil servants, private health insurance is usually much cheaper than a statutory health insurance fund because of the Beihilfe . A Restkostentarif at 50% Beihilfe often costs between €180 and €350 per month. Trainee civil servants pay less. Public sector employees compare like other employees. The employer pays half of the premium, up to the maximum employer contribution of €508.59. In statutory insurance, the Zusatzbeitrag is the main factor in the price.
With 50% Beihilfe , you only insure the remaining half. Good Restkostentarife start at around €180 per month, depending on age. If the Beihilfesatz rises to 70% with children or in retirement, the private share falls further. In a statutory health insurance fund, by contrast, civil servants pay the full premium without any contribution.
Below the Versicherungspflichtgrenze , you must be insured in a statutory health insurance fund. There, it pays to compare funds by their Zusatzbeitrag. Above the threshold, you have a choice. In private insurance, the employer pays half of the premium, up to the maximum employer contribution.
For civil servants, the Beihilfesatz usually rises to 70% in retirement, and the private premium falls accordingly. Public sector employees without Beihilfe should plan early for ageing reserves and a premium relief component. Employees who are entitled to Beihilfe lose the entitlement when they retire and must switch to a full plan in good time.
Civil servants first check whether the plan matches their Beihilfesatz exactly. Public sector employees lower premiums with a deductible or an internal plan change, without switching insurer and without losing their ageing reserves. In statutory insurance, switching to a fund with a low Zusatzbeitrag often saves several hundred euros per year.
| Parameter | Voluntary statutory insurance | Private Restkostentarif | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | around €480 | around €180 | −€300 |
| Who pays | civil servant alone | civil servant alone, employer pays the Beihilfe | Beihilfe as an advantage |
| Level of benefits | statutory catalog | guaranteed by contract, freely chosen | easier to plan |
| Total annual cost | around €5,760 | around €2,160 | −€3,600 |
Sample calculation based on average plans. Beihilfe rates can differ by federal state and employer. This changes the suitable Restkostentarif .
Selected plans for employees in the public sector, rated on five key figures.
Gesund für Sie (GK4530, G1B, G2B100, GEP)
Uni-TopIprivat 300
MB0
Exklusiv-SI
PremiumMed PMN0
A-Reihe (A45, K/S, K330, K50/B, Z45, BET Plus)
B-Reihe (B4530, BK100, BKT, BEP)
BeihilfeBest (BHB45H, BH1, BHK100, BHEB45H)
Our rating for each plan on a scale from 1 to 10. We deliberately show no monthly premiums, because the premium depends on age, health and scope of benefits.
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 checkups without restrictions.
For civil servants in the public sector: closes the gaps between the Beihilfe and the Restkostentarif , for example for dentures and optional services.
Important for public sector employees: continued pay ends after six weeks. 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 → from the 43rd day replaces your income.
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 services, 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.
In the vast majority of cases, yes. The Beihilfe covers most of the costs, and statutory health insurance offers no contribution. There are exceptions with many children entitled to Beihilfe or with particular pre-existing conditions. We check this case by case.
As soon as your regular annual earnings are above the Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze. In 2026, this is €77,400. Below it, you must be insured in a statutory health insurance fund.
If you were hired as an employee in the public sector before August 1, 1998, you often have a Beihilfe entitlement similar to civil servants. However, the entitlement ends when you retire. This is why the transition belongs in your planning early on.
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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