Health insurance comparison
Which health insurance company is right for you?
A fund with a lower additional contribution can save you money every month. But perhaps an easily accessible branch office is more important to you, or you regularly use a benefit that is not subsidised everywhere. Write these points down before you compare. This way you can eliminate offers whose low contributions offer little benefit in everyday life.
Your contribution in euros
Convert the additional contribution to your income. In normal employment, you as an employee bear half of the difference in contributions because your employer also contributes to the additional contribution.
Services you use
A dental cleaning subsidy is only useful if you meet its conditions. Verify the annual limit, approved clinics, and required documentation. This also applies to courses, travel vaccinations, or additional preventive care.
Accessibility in everyday life
A local office can be important. Maybe you prefer to submit everything via the app. Check the contact channels before you switch, especially if you have to submit applications regularly.
Availability and binding
Not every health insurance fund can be selected everywhere. Where you live or work can determine access. Also check whether an optional tariff will tie you to your current health insurance for a longer period of time.
With the statutory health insurance comparison calculator, you can compare additional contributions and calculate the employee share. Pay attention to the stated data status. You should confirm the current contribution and the conditions of your shortlist directly with the health insurance fund before switching.
What statutory health insurance costs
Contribution and additional contribution: your share counts.
The general contribution rate for statutory health insurance is 14,6 percent. There is also the additional contribution from your health insurance company. In normal employment, both are calculated from the gross amount subject to contributions and half are borne by you and half by your employer. Nursing care insurance is added separately.
- General contribution rate
- 14,6 %with statutory sick pay entitlement
- Additional contribution
- per funddetermined by the health insurance company
- Contribution assessment limit 2026
- 5.812,50 €per month; 69.750 € per year
Above the contribution assessment limit, the health insurance contribution no longer increases due to additional salary. This limit is different from the compulsory insurance limit, which determines possible access to the PKV.
The average additional contribution announced by the Federal Ministry of Health is also not a standard price. For the normal health insurance comparison, you need the individual rate of the respective health insurance company.
What difference does one percentage point make?
Two example funds: 2,5 and 3,5 percent additional contribution. Move the monthly gross and compare your employee share.
Standard employment relationship outside the transition zone, without special cases. Excluding long-term care insurance and before tax effects. No actual health fund offers.
- Example health insurer A2,5 % Zusatzbeitrag
- 342,00 €your share per month
- Example health insurer B3,5 % Zusatzbeitrag
- 362,00 €your share per month
20,00 € difference per month240,00 € bei zwölf gleichen Monatsbeiträgen
Berechnungsgrundlage: 4.000,00 €. Bis zur Beitragsbemessungsgrenze entspricht sie hier dem Monatsbrutto.
Invoice: gross contributory contribution up to 5.812,50 € × (14,6 % + exemplary additional contribution) ÷ 2. Monthly shares are rounded to the nearest cent.
Health insurance benefits
What is regulated by law – and where you can compare.
Doctor's visits, necessary hospital treatment, many medications and statutory preventive care are part of the common service framework of the GKV. Requirements, approvals and additional payments can still play a role. Changing the fund does not invalidate these rules.
The differences lie, among other things, in additional statutory benefits, supply offers and service. If therapy is ongoing, also check the practical continuation: an existing approval or a borrowed aid may require new coordination with the health insurance company.
Statutory benefit framework, supplemented by provider-specific offers. Co-payments and approvals are possible.
Professional dental cleaning
Some health insurers pay a contribution; others cover cleaning at selected partner practices. Compare the amount, frequency and freedom to choose your practice. A high figure in the benefits overview alone is not enough.
The PZR is not a general mandatory service of statutory health insurance.
Prevention and health courses
Additional examinations may be offered earlier or more frequently than under statutory provisions. For courses, factors include the recognition of the provider and proof of participation.
Read about age limits and reimbursement requirements.
Travel vaccinations
Before a long-distance trip, it may be worth checking the reimbursement details. Which vaccinations are covered and whether a deductible applies depends on the destination and the health insurance fund's rules.
Vaccine and medical services can be regulated differently.
Service and digital channels
Download certificates, submit invoices, clarify a query: Check what the app can actually do and when a contact person can be reached.
An app does not replace a professional response to your application.
When it comes to bonuses, what counts is what you actually get.
You usually don't get the advertised maximum bonus just for membership. You must provide evidence of activities or medical examinations; sometimes you get a purpose-bound allowance instead of a payout. Only factor in a bonus if you will also meet the required conditions.
Examine osteopathy contributions just as carefully: annual limits, the number of sessions, a medical recommendation and the qualifications of the practitioner may be specified. Reimbursement alone says nothing about the medical benefit of a treatment.
With dental prostheses, a PZR subsidy is not enough. You can find this in the guide Supplementary dental insurance the differences between health insurance benefits and additional protection. For trips, you can check separately what a International travel health insurance covers.
Prepare documents for the health insurance company digitally.
Your insurance status
Voluntary health insurance, studies or job?
The calculation with half the employee share does not suit everyone. With voluntary statutory health insurance, rental or capital income may be subject to contributions in addition to employment income. Minimum contributions are also possible. Therefore, first clarify how you are insured.
Employed
The employer also pays.
In standard compulsory employment, you and your employer each contribute half of the salary-based premium, including the additional contribution. Low-income transitional rules apply. A mini-job alone does not trigger individual health insurance.
Self-employed
Explicitly clarify sick pay.
Anyone who is voluntarily legally insured generally pays the contributions themselves. The fund takes into account the income subject to contributions within the statutory minimum and maximum limits. For the self-employed, it is important whether sick pay has been agreed: Without this entitlement, the reduced contribution rate of 14,0 percent applies, plus an additional contribution. Special rules, for example regarding artists' social insurance, remain possible.
While studying
Check family insurance first.
Under the statutory requirements, students can be covered by family insurance through their parents, usually up to the age of 25 at the latest. After that, student health insurance is often an option. Age, employment, and previous insurance can change this status. The standard employee calculation does not apply here.
Retired
The type of income matters.
When contributions come from a statutory pension, the pension insurance covers half—including the additional contribution. Company pensions and other income are governed by separate rules. Whether you are insured in the pensioners' health insurance or by voluntary insurance influences which income the fund takes into account.
Voluntary insurance does not mean that everyone can join the GKV at any time. Prior insurance, previous status, and legal rights of accession must align.
Family insurance
When partners and children are also insured without their own contribution.
Children, spouses, and registered life partners can be covered free of charge if the statutory requirements are met. An unmarried partner is not covered simply by living together.
The fund checks your place of residence, your own insurance status and your total regular income. Rental income can also count. The income limits are adjusted; A special limit applies to a mini-job.
The age limit of 18 years generally applies to children. If you are not employed, you can continue until 23; if you are at school or studying, you can continue until 25. There are legal exceptions. Paid vocational training usually leads to your own insurance requirement.
Check the requirements for being added as a dependent separately.
Change health insurance company
This is how you switch to another statutory fund.
When switching within the GKV, you choose the new health insurance provider and submit your membership application there. It is usually not necessary to cancel your membership with your current provider: the insurers coordinate the change electronically. Inform your employer or the responsible reporting office about the new provider.
As a rule, you are committed to your chosen health insurance company for twelve months. The change is possible at the end of the calendar month after next, provided the commitment is then fulfilled. Don't wait until the last day to make your choice and have the start of the new membership confirmed.
- September
Choose a new health fund
Your choice declaration is submitted to the new health insurer. It automatically notifies the previous insurer of the switch.
- October / November
The previous sickness fund remains responsible for claims until the deadline.
The deadline runs until the end of the calendar month after next.
- 1. December
New membership begins
Provided that the commitment periods have been met and the change has been confirmed.
Simplified example under § 175 SGB V. An ongoing optional tariff or another option right may change the date.
Special right of termination due to higher additional contributions
If your health insurer increases the additional contribution or introduces it for the first time, you can generally switch before the twelve months are up. Use your right to choose no later than the end of the month for which the increase applies. The regular switching period remains in effect; you pay the higher contribution until you switch.
A new compulsory insurance job may also grant you a new choice of health insurance provider. Notify your employer of your selected insurance fund within two weeks of becoming insured. The applicable rule depends on your previous status.
GKV and PKV
A change of system requires a separate comparison.
As an employee, you cannot switch to private health insurance just because of a cheaper offer. Your status and, if applicable, your regular annual earnings are decisive. The general compulsory insurance threshold in 2026 is 77.400 euros per year; a different threshold applies for certain existing cases. The point in time at which the obligation ends must also be checked.
Those who become uninsured can often voluntarily remain in the GKV. The private health insurance This private insurance follows different contribution and benefit rules; calculate family contributions, part-time work, and retirement benefits. Our overview explains the differences. statutory or private explains the differences.
Frequently asked questions about statutory health insurance
Which health insurance company is the best or cheapest?
The cheapest health insurance company to choose based on premium has the lowest current additional contribution. However, a general test winner does not indicate whether their extras and service suit your needs. First determine which benefits you need and then compare the contributions. You should only include bonus payments if you are likely to meet the requirements. Also check the date of the test or contribution table.
Can a health insurance company reject me because of an illness?
A statutory health insurance provider you can choose may not reject eligible membership due to a pre-existing condition. There is no health examination like in many private insurance plans, and no additional risk surcharge will be applied. You must have access to statutory health insurance (GKV) and the right to select a provider. Switching from private insurance requires separate review.
Am I covered by health insurance through a mini-job?
No. The employer's flat-rate health insurance contribution does not provide you with your own health insurance coverage in a mini-job. You need other insurance, such as approved family insurance, insurance for another main job or your own membership. Clarify this with your health insurance company before starting the mini-job.
How much does health insurance cost without income?
This depends on your insurance status. Family insurance can be non-contributory if all requirements are met. In the case of voluntary membership, on the other hand, at least a statutory minimum assessment basis is generally applied, even if the actual income is lower. If social benefits are approved, the responsible body can bear contributions. Report missing or decreased income early and have the calculation explained to you.
What happens to ongoing treatment when you change health insurance provider?
Before switching, inform the new health insurance company about ongoing treatments and existing approvals. Treatment that has been approved but not yet started may need to be reapplied for. Things can also change with borrowed aids or discount agreements for medication. Get further care confirmed in good time, instead of assuming that the common statutory framework will proceed without changes.
Can I return from the PKV to the GKV at any time?
No. To do this, legal requirements must be met, such as compulsory insurance. Age, previous insurance and professional situation play a role; From 55 years onwards, the hurdles are particularly high. A lower income therefore does not always lead back to the GKV. Have your access checked before you cancel your private insurance.
Your GKV comparison
Compare your health insurance company with the alternatives.
Compare the premium first. Then check the benefits that make the difference for you and your family.
Sources and Status
Content last updated: . The reference figures apply to 2026. General information, not individual insurance or medical advice. The statutory requirements and the current rules of the chosen fund apply to membership, contributions and benefits.
- Federal Ministry of Health: Contributions and calculation variables 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Ministry of Health: Compulsory, voluntary and family insurance (opens in a new tab)
- § 175 SGB V: Choice of health insurance fund, binding and switching (opens in a new tab)
- § 53 SGB V: Optional tariffs and their binding periods (opens in a new tab)
- § 10 SGB V: Requirements for family insurance (opens in a new tab)
- Gesund.bund.de: Services and special features when changing health insurance companies (opens in a new tab)
- Gesund.bund.de: Statutory and private health insurance (opens in a new tab)