On July 1, 2026, premiums in the Standardtarif of private health insurance went up. Around 16,440 policyholders are affected, which is about one in three people insured in the Standardtarif.
The real news is not at the top of the premium letter: for some of those affected, the possible deductible also rises. If you only look at the monthly premium, you underestimate the actual additional burden.
Who is affected
| Point | Status |
|---|---|
| Valid since | July 1, 2026 |
| Policyholders affected | around 16,440 |
| Particularly affected | women without a claim to 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 →, men with a claim to Beihilfe |
| New average premium | around €480 a month in the affected plan level |
| Individual amount | depends on age, insurance history and claim to Beihilfe |
The Standardtarif is not a plan you choose freely. It is mainly open to people who have been privately insured for many years with older contracts and who meet certain statutory requirements. Its level of benefits is broadly comparable to the scope of statutory health insurance, and the premium may not exceed the statutory maximum premium of the Standardtarif.
The second lever: the deductible
Besides the premium, the annual deductible for certain benefits rises. This concerns medicines, remedies and medical aids.
| Deductible per year | Amount |
|---|---|
| maximum so far | €306 |
| transition year 2026 | €403 |
| maximum in future | €500 |
The interim value for 2026 results from the adjustment taking effect in the middle of the year. From 2027, the full amount applies.
What this means in figures
An example for a policyholder in the affected plan level who regularly uses up the deductible:
| Item | before | from 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Premium per year | previous premium | around €5,760 (at €480 a month) |
| Deductible per year | up to €306 | up to €500 |
| Difference in the deductible alone | up to €194 more |
If you need only a few medicines or medical aids, you will hardly notice the higher deductible. If, on the other hand, you need medication permanently, you will in effect pay the extra €194 every year. This group is hit twice by the adjustment.
Why premiums are rising
The reason is the same as in the other plans of private health insurance: higher benefit expenditure and generally higher healthcare costs. In the Standardtarif , a particularly large share of spending goes on hospital services.
A premium adjustment is not at the insurer’s free discretion. It is only triggered when a set threshold is exceeded, either for insurance benefits or for mortality rates.
Standardtarif is not Basistarif
These two plans are often confused, but they are different:
- The Standardtarif is an old plan. It is only open to a closed group, mainly policyholders with contracts from before 2009 and subject to further requirements.
- The Basistarif was introduced in 2009 and is the safety-net plan set down in law, with an obligation to accept.
For the question of which way is right when a premium is too high, this difference matters a lot.
What you should do now
- Read the new premium letter carefully, not just the final amount.
- Check the amount of the deductible and compare it with your own actual use.
- Recalculate your total annual costs, that is the premium plus the deductible you can realistically expect.
- Actively ask your insurer about plan alternatives.
- Do not cancel hastily, and do not switch insurer. If you cancel, you lose most of the ageing reserves you have built up, and access to the Standardtarif cannot simply be restored.
Which alternatives exist
| Way | When it makes sense |
|---|---|
| Internal plan change under § 204 VVG | almost always the first thing to check, ageing reserves are kept |
| Switch to a cheaper plan with your current insurer | if a similar plan with better-fitting benefits exists |
| Review of the Basistarif | if the premium stays unaffordable even after optimization |
| Social plans and subsidies in case of need for assistance | if the premium exceeds your financial capacity |
The internal plan change is the way most often overlooked in our advice. It costs no ageing reserves and requires no new health questions for your previous level of benefits. We describe how such a review works under plan optimization.
Conclusion and outlook
The adjustment in the Standardtarif on July 1, 2026, affects around 16,440 policyholders and works in two places: through the monthly premium and through the deductible for medicines, remedies and medical aids, which rises in stages from €306 to €500 a year.
For those affected, the right reaction is not to cancel, but to do a sober calculation. Only when the premium and the expected deductible are on the table together can you judge whether an internal plan change, 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 → or keeping your current solution is the better way.
If you are unsure which options your own contract offers, have your documents reviewed before you act. A contract, once canceled, cannot be brought back on the same terms.
