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 noticeSelf-employed people have free access to private health insurance. We show you how to cover your premium, your benefits and your loss of income in a sensible way.
Fairly and well insured 
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For the self-employed, today's premium is not what counts. What counts is whether private health insurance still works in a weak business year. That is exactly what our Decision Check tests.
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.
A neutral comparison of the two insurance systems for the self-employed.
| Criterion | Statutory | Private |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | Voluntary members pay according to 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 → and often reach the maximum contribution quickly. | Calculated from health status, age at entry and scope of benefits, regardless of profit. |
| Family | Spouses without income and children are covered free of charge. | Each person needs their own contract and pays 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 broader benefits. |
| Access | Often longer waiting times for appointments, and usually through the referral system. | Preferred appointments and direct access to medical specialists. |
Self-employed people decide based on liquidity, tax effects and predictability. Our portal for the self-employed covers exactly these points.
Go to the portal for the self-employed →Real situations that show how individual the right solution is.
Healthy, switched with a low starting premium to a plan with high benefits, fully independent of later profit.
The private health insurance premium stayed stable in a strong business year, while the former voluntary contribution would have risen with it.
Krankentagegeld from day 15 fully covered the loss of income after an operation.
What private health insurance costs. The plan premium alone does not answer the cost question. The deductible, Pflegepflichtversicherung PflegepflichtversicherungCompulsory long-term care insurance. Everyone with health insurance in Germany must have it, privately insured people through their private insurer., Krankentagegeld and the tax effect are part of it. You can see how this adds up in a real sample calculation under private health insurance costs for the self-employed.
Whether you may switch at all. For people whose main occupation is self-employment, there is no income threshold. What matters is your insurance status, whether self-employment is your main occupation and, for shareholder managing directors, the status determination procedure. You find all the details in the requirements for the self-employed.
Whether statutory or private health insurance fits better. This question depends on how predictable your income is, your family situation, the scope of benefits and your cover during a longer inability to work. It does not depend on today's monthly premium. You find the full comparison under private or statutory health insurance for the self-employed.
How to recognize a good plan. For the self-employed, option rights, rehabilitation and Krankentagegeld weigh more than the lowest starting premium. Our four selection criteria are in the article on the best private health insurance for the self-employed.
What happens to the premium in retirement. Without a statutory pension, there is no allowance from the pension insurance. In return, Krankentagegeld and the statutory surcharge end. You can read which forms of relief apply under private health insurance in old age for the self-employed.
In statutory health insurance, there are both. For the self-employed, the minimum assessment basis of €1,318.33 per month applies in 2026. This results in a minimum contribution that depends on your entitlement to Krankengeld KrankengeldStatutory sick pay from the statutory health insurance fund. It starts when the employer stops paying wages, usually from the seventh week of illness.. The contribution is based on around 17.5% of your income (14.6% plus an average 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 → of 2.9%). For long-term care insurance, 3.6% with children or 4.2% for people without children is added, depending on your child status. With an income of €35,000 per year, this comes to around €633 per month. From the Beitragsbemessungsgrenze , the contribution is capped at €1,261.32.
In private health insurance, there is no uniform minimum or maximum premium, but there are social plans regulated by law. In 2026, the Standardtarif has a maximum premium of €848.62, and the 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 → €1,017.18 per month, each plus long-term care insurance.
Start with the benefits you really need. Then check the levers for premium and risk. In many cases, these should be solidly covered: outpatient care including specialists and psychotherapy, dental care with good reimbursement also for dentures, inpatient care with free choice of hospital and sensible accommodation, medicines, therapeutic treatments and medical aids without hard gaps, as well as transport and repatriation from abroad.
For the self-employed, three priorities come on top. First, Krankentagegeld that covers your fixed costs. Second, a deductible that you can also carry in weak months. Third, clear rules for adjustments in an emergency, for example during a longer illness. Do not look only at the price, but also at the conditions, the premium development and the service processes. Get an assessment of whether you can be insured before you cancel your current cover.
There is no general recommendation for the best provider, because the plan must fit your personal profile, the benefits you want and your attitude to risk. The insurers popular with the self-employed include Allianz, ARAG, Signal Iduna, DKV, Barmenia, AXA, Hallesche, Continentale, HanseMerkur and LKH.
In any case, we recommend individual and independent advice. This way you get the best plan for your situation. We take our time and are available for a free conversation with no obligation.
As a self-employed person, you choose freely between statutory and private health insurance. No income threshold applies. The statutory health insurance fund takes a percentage of your taxable income. Private health insurance calculates by age at entry, health and scope of benefits. Plans at statutory level cost about €450, premium plans start at around €600. On average, self-employed people pay about €500 per month. Without an employer, you also need to cover your loss of income through Krankentagegeld .
Voluntary members of statutory health insurance pay according to income. With a higher profit, they quickly reach the maximum contribution of up to €1,261.32 per month including long-term care insurance, with no employer contribution. In private health insurance, the premium depends on the scope of benefits, health status and age. Solid plans start at around €450 per month. Krankentagegeld is calculated on top.
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%. For the self-employed, a plan with solid calculation matters most, because no employer cushions the premium. This is why we pay special attention to premium stability.
The premium is calculated regardless of income. Ageing reserves cushion the premiums, and the statutory surcharge of 10% ends from age 60. With a premium relief plan, you lower your premium in retirement in a targeted way.
A deductible suits self-employed people with savings and lowers the premium. An internal plan change under § 204 VVG often saves money without changing insurer and without losing your ageing reserves. The amount of your Krankentagegeld should also match your needs on a regular basis.
| Parameter | Current status (voluntary statutory) | Target status (private) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | €1,017.19 | €540 | −€477 |
| Employer contribution | none | none | same |
| Own share, gross | €1,017.19 | €540 | −€477 |
| Total annual costs | around €12,200 | €6,480 | −€5,720 |
Sample calculation based on average plans. The voluntary statutory contribution depends on profit. Individual factors such as health status and choice of plan affect the result.
Plans selected for benefits, premium stability and Krankentagegeld for the self-employed.
GUK500
GSP70, GSUP90, GSZ90
K600
KVS3, EKV2, PSV
NK.select S Bonus
Komfort-SI
ActiveMe-U, Komfort Zahn-U
Comfort-U, SP2
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 check-ups without restrictions. When you are self-employed, you can least afford long absences.
Physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy should be reimbursed without tight benefit limits, so that you are quickly fit for work again.
Depending on your needs, there should be allowances for glasses, lenses and contact lenses.
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.
Yes. If self-employment is your main occupation, you have free access to private health insurance, regardless of income. There is no 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 → as there is for employees.
No, because no employer is involved. In return, the premium does not depend on profit and is therefore predictable. You can also claim health insurance premiums for tax purposes.
Without an employer, there is no continued payment of wages during illness. Krankentagegeld replaces your lost income from an agreed day and so secures your living costs during a longer illness.
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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