Private Health Insurance Germany

Yes, private health insurance in Germany is available to anyone who qualifies, regardless of nationality. For employed expats, the eligibility threshold is earning above the Versicherungspflichtgrenze (approximately 77.400 € gross in 2026) consistently. Freelancers and self-employed expats are automatically eligible for PKV from day one. German citizenship is not a requirement for any health insurance product.

Yes, some PKV providers offer English-language customer service and English policy documents. Examples include Ottonova, Allianz, and Cigna Global, though this is not an exhaustive list and no specific provider is recommended here. The level of English support varies significantly between providers. Which provider suits your situation depends on your age, health, income, and coverage needs.

Standard PKV plans in Germany typically offer: treatment by a senior physician or professor (Chefarztbehandlung), single or double room in hospital (rather than shared ward), broader dental coverage, faster specialist appointments, treatment abroad, and sometimes alternative medicine (Heilpraktiker). The specific coverage varies significantly by plan and insurer. We help you compare plans based on the coverage that actually matters for your lifestyle and health needs.

When you leave Germany permanently, your PKV policy can typically be cancelled or suspended. Some PKV providers offer international coverage options, and some expats convert their policy to a travel or international health plan. Upon departure, you should also check whether your new country requires local health insurance and how that interacts with any German policy you maintain. We advise on exit planning for health insurance as part of your overall departure strategy.

The switch itself takes four to eight weeks once you have selected a provider. The longer part is confirming eligibility: employed expats must have exceeded the Versicherungspflichtgrenze (77.400 € gross in 2026) for a full calendar year before they can opt out of GKV. Freelancers can switch at any point without a waiting period. Once we confirm your eligibility, we handle the comparison, application, and GKV cancellation paperwork.

No. Unlike GKV, where a non-working spouse and all children are covered at no additional cost, each family member in PKV requires a separate policy with its own premium. For a family of four, this can add 500 to 800 € per month to the total insurance cost compared to GKV. This is one of the most important factors to model before switching, and it often makes GKV the better financial choice for families even when the employed parent earns well above the threshold.

Yes. Self-employed and freelance workers in Germany are not subject to the income threshold that applies to employees. You can choose PKV from the first day of self-employment, regardless of income level. The financial case for PKV is often particularly strong for freelancers, because you pay the full GKV rate yourself with no employer split. On a freelance income of 60.000 €, that is over 8.700 € per year in GKV contributions alone.

PKV premiums rise significantly with age. A plan that costs 400 € per month at age 30 can cost 700 to 900 € per month at age 60, depending on the insurer and coverage level. German law requires PKV providers to build age reserves (Alterungsrückstellungen) into premiums, which partially offset this increase, but the trajectory still rises considerably. Any PKV analysis that only shows today's premium is incomplete. We model the full cost projection over 20 to 40 years as part of the comparison.

Being just above the threshold makes the decision more complex, not less. If your income fluctuates and you may drop below 77.400 € in future years, switching to PKV carries real risk: getting back into GKV as an employee is very difficult once you are over 55. For someone reliably above the threshold with a stable position, the comparison can still be favorable. The answer depends on your age, whether you have dependents, how long you plan to stay in Germany, and your health history. We run the full analysis before recommending anything.

The Basistarif is a mandatory entry-level PKV option that all private insurers must offer. It provides coverage roughly equivalent to GKV and is capped at the maximum GKV contribution (around 940 € per month in 2026). It exists as a safety net for people who can no longer afford their standard PKV premium. For new PKV applicants comparing options, the Basistarif is generally not the right plan. It is relevant mainly for people already in PKV who need to manage costs in a difficult financial period.