Short answer
Employees can only choose private cover above 77,400 euro of yearly pay (2026); the self-employed and civil servants can choose freely. Statutory contributions follow income and cover a family without income for free; private premiums follow age and health and are paid per person. Going back to statutory cover after 55 is practically closed.Health insurance Germany
Statutory or private health insurance?
How the two systems work. Whether private cover suits you depends on your health, family and plans, and needs individual advice.How each charges
Statutory insurance charges 14.6 percent of pay plus the fund's Zusatzbeitrag, 2.9 percent on average in 2026, up to the contribution ceiling of 69,750 euro a year; an employee pays half. A private insurer charges a premium for each insured person based on age at entry, health and the cover chosen, whatever the income.
Family and retirement
In statutory insurance a spouse without income and the children are insured at no extra cost. In private insurance each of them needs a premium. In retirement statutory contributions follow the pension; private premiums keep their level, reduced only by what the policy has saved up for old age.
The way back
Leaving statutory insurance is one decision; returning is another. Under 55 it is possible when pay falls below the limit again; from 55 it is generally closed. That makes private cover a decision for the rest of a working life.