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Own contract, own premium
Private health insurance does not let you insure your spouse free of charge. How high their own premium is depends mainly on the age at entry, the chosen plan and their health.
Private health insurance for spouses
Private health insurance has no free cover for spouses. Each partner has their own contract with their own premium, for adults usually €300 to €500 per month.
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Important tips for spouses
A switch to private health insurance needs careful thought. The most important points before you decide.
Comparison: statutory or private insurance for spouses?
A neutral comparison of the two insurance systems for spouses.
| Criterion | Statutory | Private |
|---|---|---|
| Premium without own income | Free of charge through family insurance. | Own contract, usually between €300 and €500 per month. |
| Requirement | Income of the co-insured spouse below €565 per month, from 2027 below €590. | Own eligibility to join and health questions. |
| With income above the Versicherungspflichtgrenze | Free family insurance no longer applies. | Admission to private health insurance possible. |
| Benefits | Catalog of benefits defined by law. | Level of the plan can be chosen individually. |
| Admission | Automatic through the main partner with statutory health insurance. | Own application with health questions. |
Real cases from our advice
Real situations that show how individual the right solution is.
Husband private, wife statutory, three children
As long as the wife with statutory insurance earns more, the children stay in statutory insurance free of charge. If her income falls or she switches to private health insurance, the children need their own contracts.
Married civil servants with Beihilfe
If both partners have this entitlement, private Restkostenversicherung Restkostenversicherung · 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 → is cheaper for both than full private health insurance without Beihilfe BeihilfeThe state healthcare allowance for civil servants. The Beihilfestelle pays a fixed share of medical costs, the Beihilfesatz, and private insurance covers the rest.More about Beihilfe →.
Self-employed couple
For the spouse, private health insurance is often the only practical option, because family insurance in statutory health insurance requires a main partner with statutory insurance.
Which health insurance suits spouses?
Whether your own private contract, voluntary statutory insurance or free family insurance is the right fit depends on the professional status, the income and the existing insurance of both spouses.
Both spouses employed and above the Versicherungspflichtgrenze : Both can choose between voluntary statutory and private insurance. If both choose private health insurance, each gets their own contract with plans, benefits and premiums that can be chosen independently.
One spouse with no or low income: If the earning spouse has statutory insurance, the other can be covered free of charge through family insurance under certain conditions. In 2026, the income limit is generally €565 per month, with a mini-job up to €603. From 2027, the limits are €590 and €633. If the earning spouse is privately insured, there is no free family insurance through them, and the other spouse then needs their own cover.
Self-employed spouses: People who are self-employed or freelance as their main occupation can choose between voluntary statutory and private insurance, regardless of the Versicherungspflichtgrenze . Admission to private health insurance usually requires health questions.
One spouse is a civil servant: The partner with civil servant status usually receives Beihilfe and insures only the remaining costs through a private plan made for this. The other spouse can also be eligible under certain conditions.
Report changes: Your insurance status does not only change through marriage or a birth. A change of job, a change in income or the step into self-employment also have an effect. You should report such changes promptly to the statutory health insurance fund, the private insurer and, where relevant, the employer.
Insuring your spouse
The process of taking a spouse into private health insurance differs fundamentally from family insurance in statutory health insurance. In statutory insurance, family insurance under § 10 SGB V applies automatically if the income requirements are met. In private health insurance there is no automatic co-insurance. Every admission requires its own application and health questions.
For a younger spouse without pre-existing conditions, the premium is closer to €300 than to €500 per month. It rises with age and with pre-existing conditions. With significant pre-existing conditions, the insurer can charge a risk surcharge or, in individual cases, refuse admission.
The plan of the newly insured spouse can differ from the plan of the partner who is already insured. If you place your spouse in a cheaper entry-level plan, keep in mind that a later upgrade to a higher level of benefits requires new health questions. Financially, you usually do better if you start with the level of benefits you want right away.
Our recommendation for couples
From more than 5,000 health questionnaires, we know a common situation: a privately insured husband, a wife with statutory insurance and three children. As long as the wife earns more, the children are co-insured free of charge in statutory insurance. If her income falls below his or she switches to private health insurance, the children need their own contracts. The question of cost therefore depends on how both spouses' income is split over many years.
We advise couples who want children to look at the insurance for parents and children in one joint calculation. Married civil servants show a particular pattern: if both partners have such an entitlement, private Restkostenversicherung is cheaper for both than full private health insurance without Beihilfe . For self-employed couples, private health insurance is often the only practical option for the spouse, because family insurance in statutory health insurance requires a main partner with statutory insurance.
How much does private health insurance cost for spouses?
For spouses, the costs depend on whether free statutory co-insurance is possible or their own contract is needed. Free family insurance exists only in statutory insurance and only if the income of the co-insured spouse stays below €565 per month (2027: €590). An own contract in private health insurance usually costs between €300 and €500 per month, depending on age, state of health and scope of benefits. There are no family discounts. Each contract is calculated separately.
What monthly premiums should you expect for your spouse?
In statutory health insurance, a spouse without their own income is co-insured free of charge as long as their income stays below €565 per month. With a mini-job, up to €603 is possible. From 2027, the limits rise to €590 and €633. In private health insurance, each spouse needs their own contract. Young, healthy people start at the lower end of the usual range of €300 to €500 per month, and the premium rises with a higher age at entry.
How do premiums develop in the long term?
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, in statutory health insurance by 3.9%. That is why we pay particular attention to plans with high premium stability.
How do costs stay manageable in old age?
Ageing reserves cushion your premiums in old age, and the statutory premium surcharge of 10% ends from age 60. A premium relief plan can also lower your premium in retirement in a targeted way.
How can I reduce premiums?
For couples, the choice between statutory co-insurance and their own private contract is the biggest lever. 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.
Example calculationSpouse · employed · income above the Versicherungspflichtgrenze
| Item | Current (statutory) | Target (private) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | €1,017.19 | €450 | −€567 |
| Employer contribution | €508.59 | €225 | −€284 |
| Own share, gross | €508.59 | €225 | −€284 |
| Total annual costs (own share) | around €6,100 | €2,700 | −€3,400 |
Sample calculation based on average plans. Individual factors such as age at entry, state of health and choice of plan affect the result. For a spouse without their own income, however, free statutory co-insurance is often the cheapest solution.
The best plans for spouses
Plans with a balanced mix of benefits, premium stability and flexibility.
LKH GUK500
GUK500
- 9 Benefits
- 7 Stability
- 9 Claims
- 8 Family
- 6 Premium
Allianz GSP70
GSP70, GSUP90, GSZ90
- 9 Benefits
- 7 Stability
- 9 Claims
- 9 Family
- 4 Premium
ARAG K600
K600
- 7 Benefits
- 9 Stability
- 6 Claims
- 7 Family
- 9 Premium
Hanse Merkur KVS3
KVS3, EKV2, PSV
- 6 Benefits
- 8 Stability
- 7 Claims
- 7 Family
- 10 Premium
Hallesche NK.select S
NK.select S Bonus
- 7 Benefits
- 6 Stability
- 8 Claims
- 8 Family
- 8 Premium
Signal Iduna Komfort-SI
Komfort-SI
- 8 Benefits
- 6 Stability
- 9 Claims
- 8 Family
- 5 Premium
AXA ActiveMe-U
ActiveMe-U, Komfort Zahn-U
- 7 Benefits
- 5 Stability
- 10 Claims
- 8 Family
- 6 Premium
Continentale Comfort-U
Comfort-U, SP2
- 7 Benefits
- 4 Stability
- 7 Claims
- 7 Family
- 7 Premium
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.
Which benefits matter for spouses?
Popular benefit modules you can choose in your private health insurance.
Dental treatment and dentures
Private health insurance should cover at least 80% of high costs for dental treatment, crowns, implants and other dentures.
Chief physician treatment and single room
Often a cost driver: how important are these benefits to you? This is a personal decision.
Preventive checkups
Private health insurance should reimburse the important preventive checkups without restrictions.
Kindernachversicherung
If one parent is privately insured, a newborn is accepted within two months without health questions.
Anwartschaft and option rights
They keep the contract alive at low cost, for example if your spouse temporarily becomes subject to compulsory insurance or returns to work.
Medical aids
Private health insurance should pay for medically necessary aids such as hearing aids, bandages or orthopedic insoles.
Accommodation and optional services
Single or two-bed room and optional medical services, depending on the comfort you want in hospital.
Save up to 25% on your private health insurance
We compare the entire market and find the plan with the best balance of benefits and stable premiums.
The essentials of private health insurance in 10 minutes
We show you what you should know before switching to private health insurance.
- Explained step by step
- Each lesson also as a short video (in German)
- Short and to the point
1. Who is private health insurance right for?
When private health insurance makes sense2. What are the requirements for joining?
Requirements for private health insurance3. What should you know about the health questions?
Health questions explained4. How high are the costs in old age?
Private health insurance in old age5. What are the key differences between statutory and private?
Statutory and private compared6. How does the switch to private health insurance work?
Switching to private health insurance7. What to do about a premium adjustment?
Premium adjustments in private health insurance8. Which benefits matter most?
Benefits of private health insurance 1 / 8
Swipe, drag or use the arrows Frequently asked questions
Can a privately insured spouse decide that the other stays in statutory insurance instead of joining private health insurance?
Yes. There is no obligation to take your spouse into private health insurance. If the spouse who is not privately insured has voluntary statutory health insurance or is compulsorily insured through employment, they can stay in statutory insurance.
What happens to the spouse's private contract if the main earner dies?
Every private health insurance contract is independent and continues unchanged if the other spouse dies. The surviving spouse stays fully insured, and premium, plan and benefits stay the same. The insurer should be informed of the death, especially if the contract names a beneficiary.
Are there premium advantages if both spouses are insured with the same private insurer?
No. There are no family discounts. Each contract is calculated separately.
Can a spouse without income stay in private health insurance if they return to work after some years?
Yes. If you are already privately insured, you stay privately insured regardless of whether and when you start working. Self-employment or a job above the Versicherungspflichtgrenze does not force a switch to statutory insurance. It is different with a job paying below the Versicherungspflichtgrenze: compulsory statutory insurance then applies by law. From age 55, this usually no longer applies.
What applies in private health insurance to spouses with a foreign nationality?
Nationality plays no role for admission to private health insurance. What matters is residence in Germany and the absence of compulsory statutory insurance. If you live in Germany and are not subject to compulsory insurance, for example as a self-employed person, a civil servant or an employee above the Versicherungspflichtgrenze , you can join private health insurance regardless of your nationality.
Useful articles for spouses
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Switching to private health insurance is probably not advisable for you.
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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