Insurer comparison
BARMER or AOK?
Contributions compared, 2026.
There is no single “AOK”: there are eleven separate insurers with their own additional contributions, ranging from 2.47% to 3.50% in 2026. BARMER charges 3.29%. 8 of the eleven AOKs are below that, 2 level with it. You can only choose the AOK of your federal state. Benefits and service differ, so compare both.
Author: Jan Ortgies · As of 11 November 2026 · If a switch comes about through our comparison, we receive a fee from the new insurer, not from you.
Overview
BARMER and AOK: additional contributions 2026
| Health insurer | Additional contribution 2026 | Compared with BARMER | Open in | Your share on €4,000 gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARMER | 3.29% | – | nationwide | €357.80 |
| AOK Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland | 2.47% | −0.82 points | Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland | €341.40 |
| AOK Bayern | 2.69% | −0.60 points | Bavaria | €345.80 |
| AOK Sachsen-Anhalt | 2.89% | −0.40 points | Saxony-Anhalt | €349.80 |
| AOK Hessen | 2.98% | −0.31 points | Hesse | €351.60 |
| AOK Niedersachsen | 2.98% | −0.31 points | Lower Saxony | €351.60 |
| AOK Baden-Württemberg | 2.99% | −0.30 points | Baden-Württemberg | €351.80 |
| AOK NordWest | 2.99% | −0.30 points | North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein | €351.80 |
| AOK PLUS | 3.10% | −0.19 points | Saxony, Thuringia | €354.00 |
| AOK Bremen/Bremerhaven | 3.29% | same | Bremen | €357.80 |
| AOK Rheinland/Hamburg | 3.29% | same | Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia | €357.80 |
| AOK Nordost | 3.50% | +0.21 points | Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | €362.00 |
Additional contributions from the GKV-Spitzenverband list of insurers, as of 1 November 2026. Your share: 7.3% plus half the additional contribution, per month, without long-term care insurance, before tax, our own calculation without guarantee.
In euros
What the difference means in euros
Your share of health insurance per month. What matters for you is the comparison with the AOK of your federal state, see the table above.
| Gross per month | BARMER (3.29%) | Cheapest AOK: AOK Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland (2.47%) | Most expensive AOK: AOK Nordost (3.50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| €2,000 | €178.90 | €170.70 | €181.00 |
| €3,000 | €268.35 | €256.05 | €271.50 |
| €4,000 | €357.80 | €341.40 | €362.00 |
| €5,000 | €447.25 | €426.75 | €452.50 |
| €6,000 | €519.93 | €496.10 | €526.03 |
Calculate the contribution for your salary and any insurer →
Benefits
And the benefits?
- Statutory benefits
- The benefits you are legally entitled to are regulated in the same way at every insurer. They include doctors, hospital, medication and sickness benefit.
- Extra benefits
- This is where insurers differ: for example dental cleaning, osteopathy, travel vaccinations, bonus programmes or optional tariffs. What BARMER and AOK offer is set out in their rules (Satzung) and changes more often than the contribution. The comparison calculator below shows the current benefits side by side.
- Service
- We do not rate availability, apps or local branches here. If that matters to you, ask both insurers directly.
- Our advice
- First check which extra benefits you actually use. If you use none, the contribution decides. Comparing benefits: how to go about it →
Switching
Switching from BARMER to AOK or the other way round
- How switching works
- You apply to the new insurer and it reports the switch to the old one. You do not have to cancel yourself.
- Notice period
- As a rule you must have been a member for twelve months. The switch takes effect at the end of the month after next: if your application arrives in November, you are with the new insurer from 1 February.
- Contribution increase
- If your insurer raises the additional contribution, you can switch earlier, provided your application arrives by the end of the month for which the higher contribution first applies.
More comparisons
Other insurers compared
FAQ
Questions about BARMER and AOK
Is AOK or BARMER cheaper?
Can I choose any AOK?
Which is better, AOK or BARMER?
Do you receive a fee from both insurers?
This page compares the contribution only, based on our own calculation and without guarantee. Benefits and service differ and are not rated here. This page does not replace advice.
Sources: GKV-Spitzenverband list of insurers · § 175 SGB V · § 242 SGB V
Why is the comparison free?
The comparison and advice on statutory health insurance cost you nothing. If a switch comes about through us, we receive remuneration from the new health insurer; our partner VGK24 may also pay us for enquiries – not you. Your contribution is the same as if you switched directly with the insurer, and you enter into no obligation.
for the comparison
You don't have to cancel your old health insurance yourself. Your new insurer handles the entire cancellation. You just briefly tell your employer which insurer you're switching to – the new insurer then sends them the membership certificate (Mitgliedsbescheinigung) electronically.
The entire switch happens online. No public office, no fax, no waiting room. Your membership application takes just a few minutes to submit online.
All statutory health insurers open nationwide are obliged to accept members – with no health check and no waiting period. Company health insurers (Betriebskrankenkassen) may be restricted to certain groups of people.