Health insurance covers all or part of the treatment costs of insured persons.

Statutory health insurance (GKV)

A distinction is made between compulsory insurance and voluntary insurance. In the GKV there is also the option of co-insuring family members free of charge (family insurance).

Please note: If only one parent has statutory health insurance and the income of the other parent is above the compulsory insurance limit and is regularly higher than that of the parent with statutory health insurance, the children cannot be co-insured free of charge.

Compulsory insurance applies to

• Workers, employees and trainees who are employed for remuneration
• Recipients of unemployment benefit and citizen's allowance
• Farmers and their contributing family members
• Artists and publicists
• Young people in special youth welfare centres
• People with disabilities who work in recognised workshops, for example
• Students at state or state-recognised universities (until the end of the 14th semester, at the latest until the age of 30)
• Pensioners and pension applicants if a certain pre-insurance period is fulfilled
• Persons without other health insurance cover, provided they are covered by statutory health insurance

The amount of contributions depends on certain income subject to contributions (e.g. salary, pension).

For example, the following are not subject to compulsory insurance

• marginally employed persons (gross monthly pay of up to EUR 556 or non-professional employment limited to three months or 70 working days per year)
• Self-employed persons and freelancers if they have never been insured in the statutory health insurance scheme before
• Employees whose gross pay has exceeded the compulsory insurance limit (annual earnings limit) and will continue to do so in the future (for 2025, this is EUR 73,800 per year or EUR 6,150 per month)
• Civil servants

In these cases, you can become a voluntary member of a statutory health insurance fund under certain conditions. You also have the choice of insuring yourself with a pension scheme (e.g. for doctors or lawyers) or taking out private insurance. Think carefully about whether you want to leave the statutory health insurance scheme. Switching back is only possible under special conditions.

Every person insured with a statutory health insurance fund receives an insurance card with their name, date of birth and insurance number. You must present this card every time you visit a doctor.

Statutory health insurance companies require insured persons to make co-payments for the services they provide. As an insured person, you should therefore inform yourself about the benefits provided by the health insurance companies, especially those for medical and dental treatment.

Private health insurance (PKV)

Anyone can take out private health insurance.

The amount of contributions to private health insurance is not based on income, but on risk factors (e.g. age, previous illnesses). Unlike statutory health insurance companies, an insurance company may refuse to take out insurance or demand risk surcharges.

If you do not have health insurance cover but are classed as a private health insurer (especially if you are self-employed or self-employed), you have the right to access the so-called basic tariff. Admission is without risk assessment and without risk surcharges. In terms of the scope of benefits, it corresponds to the GKV.