Private Health Insurance in Germany: Which Is the Best Policy to Choose?
This page takes an in-depth look at private health insurance (Private Krankenversicherung) in Germany. From what it is and who is eligible to what it costs and which company to sign up with, our guide aims to clarify the ins and outs of this insurance type and provide guidance on whether a private health insurance plan is right for you.
1. What is private health insurance in Germany?
Germany has a comprehensive healthcare system that requires all residents to be medically insured. For most residents in Germany (around 90%), this entails joining the German Public Health Insurance System (GKV), which is a mandatory requirement for most regular employees in Germany.
The remaining 10% of residents choose or are obligated to be covered by the German Private Health Insurance System (PKV), either because they are not eligible for German public health insurance or because they simply prefer to take out private health insurance cover.
With 40+ German private health insurers to choose from, it can be tricky to separate the wheat from the chaff. To help you secure a private health insurance policy that suits your needs and meets the stringent insurance requirements set by the German authorities, we suggest arranging your policy through Feather. Feather is an English-speaking brokerage that has a close relationship with a wide array of German insurers and will find and sign you up for a suitable private health insurance policy free of charge.
2. Who is eligible for private health insurance in Germany?
The reason why only 10% of residents in Germany are signed up to private health insurance is down to the fact that only certain groups are eligible for this insurance type. Notably, you can only sign up for private health insurance in Germany if:
You are an employee earning over €66,600 (as of 2023).
If you are an employee and earn below this figure, then it is mandatory that you sign up for German public health insurance instead.You are a freelancer or self-employed.
If you are a non-EU citizen and a newcomer to Germany, then you have little chance of being accepted into the German public health insurance system as a freelancer or self-employed worker. With this in mind, German private health insurance will likely be your best option for ensuring you have adequate medical cover.You are a student in Germany.
If you are an international student and over 30 or are moving to Germany to undertake a preparatory/language course or a postgraduate study programme, then you may not be eligible for German public health insurance and/or it may be more affordable to opt for a private plan.
You are a part-time worker earning under €450 per month.
If you work a ‘mini-job’ in Germany (marginal employment that earns under €450 per month), then you will not be eligible for German public health insurance (unless by other means such as via a family member or through being a student) and will need to get covered privately.
3. How much does private health insurance cost in Germany?
Unlike the cost for German public health insurance (which is a percentage of your salary), the cost of German private health insurance is determined by your risk profile (age, sex, health) and the level of coverage that you want.
Due to the cost of private health insurance being based on your risk profile, you may find this an attractive option when you are young and fit, but your premiums will ramp up if your risk profile changes as you get older. As each quote for German private health insurance is unique to the applicant (based on the risk profile, level of coverage and chosen deductible), it is tricky to put a price on this type of insurance, but here are some rough estimates provided by Feather:
Cost of private health insurance at age 30: €250–€600 per month
Cost of private health insurance at age 40: €300–€650 per month
Cost of private health insurance at age 50: €350–€700 per month
If you are a regular employee in Germany (and eligible for German private health insurance), then your employer is required to pay 50% of your health insurance contributions. If you are a freelancer or self-employed, you will be required to cover 100% of the monthly insurance contributions.
To find out exactly how much private insurance would cost you in Germany, contact Feather who will lay our your options free of charge or use their health insurance price calculator.
4. Why opt for private health insurance in Germany?
If you are in the fortunate position of being able to choose between German public health insurance or German private health insurance, then it is useful to have an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of taking out private cover.
Advantages of German private health insurance
Access to more extensive treatment
In general, German private health insurance policies give you access to a wider selection of hospitals and physicians with some healthcare services in Germany only open to those with private health insurance policies.
For healthcare professionals, there are considerable financial upsides to taking on privately insured persons in Germany – this often leads to favourable treatment in the healthcare system, including significantly shorter waiting times for treatment.
You can also tailor your private health insurance policy to suit your needs, whether this is access to private hospital rooms, multilingual doctors, dental care, eye care, etc.
Can be cheaper for high-income earners
If you are an employee and earning a high salary, then private health insurance may work out cheaper than public health insurance. As public health insurance contributions are based on a percentage of your gross income, this can be pricey if you are earning the big bucks. Proportionally, monthly private health insurance contributions can be cheaper, especially if you have a favourable risk profile (young and fit with no underlying health problems).
You can adjust the price of your contributions
With German private health insurance, you can adjust your policy to suit your budget. You can do this by tinkering with the level of coverage and benefits and the annual deductible/excess that you are required to pay.
If enlisting the help of Feather, they can provide options for Basic, Premium and Best-in-Class policies to help you find a price point that matches your budget.
Disadvantages of German private health insurance
It gets more expensive
As you get older, your risk profile will change. This will lead to higher private health insurance contributions, which may become unaffordable over time. This can be a significant drawback compared with German public health insurance, which will always remain a fixed percentage of your gross income.
You may be rejected or priced out
Although you might be eligible, private health insurers are not obligated to accept you. In fact, you may find it difficult to secure German private health insurance if you have mental health issues or severe pre-existing conditions. Even if accepted, your pre-existing conditions will drive up the monthly premiums, which may make it unaffordable depending on your income.
To combat this, we recommend contacting Feather as they have extensive experience with pre-existing conditions and will quickly be able to assess whether you can get covered.
If you are a freelancer or self-employed, you may also struggle to take out German private health insurance if you have a low credit score or earn below €35,000 per year.
5. Which private health insurance should you sign up for?
If you feel that German private health insurance is for you, then the next step is to find a suitable policy. Unless you are well versed in German insurers, it can be very difficult to ascertain which insurer is right for you – therefore, we highly recommend using the services of an independent insurance broker.
With regards to insurance brokers in Germany, we can think of few better places to start than with Feather. Feather is well connected with a host of leading German private insurers, including Hallesche, Allianz and Barmenia (to name drop a few!).
When finding a private health insurer for you, Feather recommends providers that:
Can ensure premiums remain stable in the long term without sudden increases.
Have English-speaking customer support (whether for signing up, cancellation, claims or billing).
As part of their service, Feather will factor in pre-existing conditions and can generally get you signed up for a policy in 12–48 hours. Best of all, their advice and sign-up services are completely free!
We hope this article has helped you better understand Germany’s private health insurance system. If you would like further guidance on living in Germany, then check out our other blog posts and free relocation resources. If you are specifically interested in moving to Berlin, then explore our relocation guides on our homepage.