How much is health insurance in Germany?

Health insurance in Germany costs about 20–21% of your gross income if you're on a public (statutory) plan: 14.6% for health, roughly 2.9% for the fund's supplement, and 3.6% for long-term care. Your employer pays half. Private (PKV) and expat plans use fixed monthly premiums instead, starting around €72 a month. A typical employee pays somewhere between €250 and €650 a month, depending on salary and the plan they choose.

In this guide we'll break down:

What public, private, and expat health insurance actually cost in 2026
Who each one is for
How you can compare monthly prices

Brought to you by Feather, licensed insurance broker that helps expats and internationals in choose and sign up for all types of insurance.

Health insurance costs in Germany, at a glance

Employee (public): ~14.6% base rate + a ~2.9% company-specific supplement + 3.6% long-term care, split with your employer. The only option for employees earning under €77,400/year (2026). For example: a 30-year-old earning €4,000/month pays roughly €447/month, with the employer matching.
Self-employed (public): a 30-year-old earning €4,000/month pays roughly €846/month, as you cover both halves.
Private (PKV): fixed premiums based on age, health, and coverage, not income. Feather plans for a healthy 30-year-old start at €247/month.
Expat: Feather's Basic plan starts at €72/month.

Type	Who it's for	Typical monthly cost	Price is based on
Public (GKV)	Employees under €77,400/year	~€447 for employees, ~€846 for freelancers	Your gross income
Private (PKV)	Higher earners, self-employed, civil servants	From ~€247	Age, health, coverage level
Expat	Students, freelancers, new arrivals	From €72	Plan and age

Is health insurance mandatory in Germany?

Yes. Everyone living in Germany is legally required to have health insurance, and you'll need proof of it for your visa or residence permit, to start a job, and to register a business. You can meet the requirement through public health insurance (GKV), private health insurance (PKV), or expat health insurance.

How to choose health insurance in Germany

Health insurance is mandatory — for your visa, your job, even starting a business. We'll compare public, private, and expat plans so you can pick the right one without making a costly mistake.

How much does public health insurance cost in Germany?

Public health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) costs a percentage of your gross income: a general rate of 14.6%, plus your fund's supplementary contribution (averaging 2.9% in 2026), plus 3.6% for long-term care. Your employer pays half. About 74.5 million people (roughly 90% of residents) are covered this way (Bundesministerium für Gesundheit, 2026), and it's the only option for employees earning under €77,400 a year.

Here's what makes up your contribution:

General health rate: 14.6% of gross income in 2026, identical across all funds, split evenly between you and your employer.
Supplementary contribution (Zusatzbeitrag): set by each fund. The 2026 average is 2.9%, up from 2.5% in 2025, and also shared with your employer.
Long-term care (Pflegeversicherung): 3.6% in 2026, rising to 4.2% if you're over 23 without children, and falling 0.25 points per child for the 2nd through 5th child.

Good news if those percentages look steep: your employer pays half of all three (the childless long-term care surcharge is the one part you pay alone).

For example: a 30-year-old with no kids earning €4,000/month:

Health (your 7.3% half): €292
Supplementary (your ~1.45% half): €59.20
Long-term care (1.8% + 0.6% childless surcharge): €96
Your share: roughly €447/month, with your employer paying about €399

Earn more and your contribution rises. But only up to a point. Contributions are capped at the assessment ceiling (Beitragsbemessungsgrenze), which is €5,812.50/month in 2026. Income above that isn't counted, so the most an employee pays for public insurance is roughly €630–€650/month, whatever the salary.

If public insurance is right for you, we've partnered with the country's main funds to help you compare and sign up easily.

How much does private health insurance cost in Germany?

Private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV) costs a fixed monthly premium based on your age, health, and coverage level, not your income. It's used by around 8.8 million people (~10% of residents) and can work out cheaper than public insurance for younger, higher earners, often with faster appointments, better dental and vision cover, and cashback for claim-free years (Feather, 2026).

Three things set your premium:

Age: younger applicants pay less, since they have fewer age-related claims.
Health: insurers check your medical history. Pre-existing conditions can lead to surcharges, exclusions, or a declined application.
Coverage level: higher tiers add things like enhanced dental, special treatments, travel cover, and cashback.

At Feather, a healthy 30-year-old employee earning €80,000/year pays €247/month for our Standard plan, €333 for Plus, or €382 for Premium, long-term care insurance included. On public insurance, a high earner would pay roughly €630–€650/month for the employee share, so private can be noticeably cheaper, before any cashback, though public cover comes with its own advantages (like free family cover, below).

Short-term private plans for non-EU residents

If you're a non-EU citizen on a temporary residence permit who's lived in Germany for less than four years, you qualify for short-term private plans. They're about 50% cheaper because they leave out the old-age reserve savings built into standard policies.

How much does expat health insurance cost in Germany?

Expat health insurance in Germany starts at €72/month for Feather's plan. It's designed for people not yet eligible for public or private insurance (students, freelancers, job-seekers, and new arrivals) with few eligibility requirements, monthly cancellation, and cover that meets residence-permit rules. Feather is consistently ranked as a top expat provider.

Does German health insurance cover dependents?

It depends on your plan. Public insurance (GKV) covers dependents at no extra cost: a non-working partner and your children can join your policy for free. Private insurance (PKV) is different: each dependent needs their own plan and pays their own premium.

For free public family cover, your partner's income must stay under €565/month (or €603/month if it's from a mini-job). Children can stay on your plan until they turn 18, or 23 if they earn up to that mini-job limit. Adding a dependent to public insurance is simple. Just send your fund their details.

How can you save on health insurance in Germany?

The main ways to save are signing up for private cover early, choosing a higher deductible, using cashback and health-bonus programs, and claiming any subsidies you qualify for. Here's how:

Sign up for private early. Below 45 is usually early enough to lock in a lower premium.
Choose a higher deductible. Higher deductibles mean lower premiums (just make sure you can cover the deductible if you need care).
Use cashback. Many plans pay you back if you make no claims in a year.
Check for subsidies. Freelance artists can apply to the Künstlersozialkasse, and students under 30 get a reduced rate.
Join bonus programs. Lots of funds reward you for health-promoting activities.

One thing worth knowing: the cheapest plan isn't always the most affordable. Here's Julian, our head of insurance:

"Health insurance premiums are tax-deductible, so choosing the cheapest option isn't always the most beneficial strategy. Out-of-pocket expenses, on the other hand, are generally not tax-deductible, making it more tax-efficient to cover them through a health insurance plan. For employees, switching to private health insurance with lower premiums than public coverage can lead to a slight increase in taxes, which may reduce some of the apparent savings. So opting for slightly more comprehensive coverage as an employee can be a wise decision."

— Julian, Head of Insurance, Feather

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Frequently asked questions

Yes, you can switch from public to private health insurance in Germany if you earn above the income threshold of €73,800 per year (2025) or if you are self-employed.

Employees must earn above this threshold for at least 12 consecutive months before they become eligible to switch to private insurance.

Once you switch to private insurance, returning to public insurance is difficult and generally only possible if your income drops below the threshold and you are under 55.

Self-employed individuals can choose private insurance regardless of income, but should carefully consider this decision as switching back to public insurance is very restricted.

If you lose your job in Germany, your health insurance coverage continues automatically through the employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit) if you register as unemployed and receive unemployment benefits.

The employment agency pays your public health insurance contributions in full while you receive Arbeitslosengeld I (unemployment benefits).

If you were privately insured before losing your job and now earn below the income threshold, you have the option to switch to public insurance within three months of becoming unemployed.

If you do not qualify for unemployment benefits, you may need to pay your own contributions as a voluntary member of public insurance or seek expat insurance as a temporary solution.

Learn more about health insurance during unemployment.

Basic dental care is covered by public health insurance in Germany, including check-ups, fillings, root canals, and medically necessary extractions.

However, public insurance only covers approximately 60-75% of the cost of dentures, crowns, and bridges, with the percentage increasing if you can prove regular dental check-ups over the past 5-10 years.

Cosmetic procedures, teeth whitening, and high-end materials like ceramic or gold are not covered by public insurance and must be paid out of pocket.

Private health insurance typically offers more comprehensive dental coverage, including higher reimbursement rates for crowns and implants, depending on the plan you choose.

Self-employed people in Germany pay approximately €950 to €1,100 per month for public health insurance, as they must cover both the employee and employer portions of the contribution.

The exact amount is calculated as 14.6% plus the supplementary contribution (1.2-2.7%) plus long-term care insurance (3.4%), applied to your declared income up to the contribution ceiling of €5,512.50 per month (2025).

Private health insurance is often more affordable for self-employed individuals, especially if they are young and healthy, with monthly costs starting around €300-500, depending on age, health status, and coverage level.

Freelance artists and journalists may qualify for reduced rates through the Künstlersozialkasse (KSK), which covers approximately half of their health insurance contributions, similar to an employer.

Yes, you can get health insurance in Germany with pre-existing conditions, though your options depend on the type of insurance you choose.

Public health insurance (GKV) must accept all applicants regardless of pre-existing conditions and cannot charge higher premiums or exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Private health insurance providers conduct medical underwriting and may charge risk surcharges, exclude coverage for specific conditions, or deny coverage altogether based on your medical history.

If you have significant pre-existing conditions and are eligible for public insurance, it is generally the safer choice as it guarantees full coverage without exclusions or additional costs.