You can’t simply cancel and switch: you only get back if you become subject to compulsory insurance again or can be family-insured through your partner. In 2027 the compulsory insurance threshold rises – if you earn just above it, you may automatically be publicly insured again from 1 January 2027. Here you see when that applies, which deadlines run and how to choose your health insurer.
Employees are privately insured as long as their regular annual salary is above the compulsory insurance threshold – Christmas and holiday bonuses count. In 2027 the threshold rises sharply as a one-off. For everyone already privately insured, however, a lower grandfathering limit applies.
| Who | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Employees privately insured on 31 Dec 2026 (grandfathering limit) | €77,400 a year | €80,550 a year |
| Employees already privately insured on 31 Dec 2002 | €69,750 a year | €72,900 a year |
| Everyone else, e.g. for a new switch to private insurance | €77,400 a year | €84,150 a year |
Gross annual amounts. 2027: social insurance calculation regulation adopted by the federal cabinet on 7 October 2026; the Bundesrat still has to approve it (as of 4 November 2026). Grandfathering limit under the GKV contribution rate stabilisation act (new § 6(8) SGB V); amounts according to the Association of Private Health Insurers.
Then you become subject to compulsory insurance on 1 January 2027 and are automatically publicly insured. You choose the health insurer yourself – tell your employer, who checks the threshold at the turn of the year anyway.
If you only become subject to compulsory insurance because of the higher threshold, you can apply for exemption within three months – i.e. by 31 March 2027. The exemption applies to this employment and cannot be revoked.
Then you usually stay private even if your salary falls below the threshold – if you were not publicly insured in the last five years and were private or self-employed for at least half of that time.
For example through part-time work, a new job or a lower salary. If your regular annual salary is then no longer above the compulsory insurance threshold, you are compulsorily insured from the change.
The threshold is adjusted every year on 1 January. If it rises above your salary, you become subject to compulsory insurance – particularly often in 2027 (see above).
With unemployment benefit (ALG I) you are compulsorily covered by public health insurance. If you were privately insured for the last five years, you can apply for exemption. Citizen’s income (Bürgergeld) does not lead back: if you were last privately insured, you stay so.
If you move from self-employment into a job below the threshold, you are compulsorily insured from your first working day.
If your spouse or civil partner is publicly insured and you have little income of your own (2026: up to €565 a month, up to €603 with a mini-job), you can be family-insured – provided you are not self-employed as your main occupation. This does not apply during maternity protection and parental leave if you were privately insured before.
If you enrol at a university before your 30th birthday, you are usually in student health insurance – more on the page Students from 25.
Back to public insurance or exemption? That depends on age, family, health and contribution. We are happy to work it out with you free of charge.
Click “Apply” in the list below. In the application, answer “No” to whether you are currently covered by statutory health insurance. Occupational group: employee.
Tell your employer which insurer you are with – within two weeks of compulsory insurance starting at the latest. They receive the membership certificate electronically.
You can cancel your private health insurance within three months, retroactively to the start of compulsory insurance. Consider beforehand whether to keep a dormant policy (Anwartschaft) or a supplementary tariff.
Then it often pays to look at your own policy: you may switch to another tariff of your insurer with equivalent cover, and your ageing reserve is credited. A higher deductible can also lower the premium. Have your private premium checked – free and without obligation.
Not sure whether one of these ways applies to you? Write to us – we look at your case free of charge.
Sorted by additional contribution. Choose your federal state – regional insurers only accept you if you live or work there. “Apply” opens the online application of our partner VGK24 further down this page, with the insurer already selected.
| Insurer | Additional contribution | Total rate | Open in | Online application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BKK firmus | 2.18% | 16.78% | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt | Apply → |
| AOK Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland | 2.47% | 17.07% | Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland | Apply → |
| BKK Faber-Castell & Partner | 2.48% | 17.08% | Bavaria | Apply → |
| hkk | 2.59% | 17.19% | nationwide | Apply → |
| Audi BKK | 2.60% | 17.20% | nationwide | Apply → |
| AOK Bayern | 2.69% | 17.29% | Bavaria | Apply → |
| Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) | 2.69% | 17.29% | nationwide | Apply → |
| BKK Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg | 2.79% | 17.39% | Baden-Württemberg | Apply → |
| AOK Sachsen-Anhalt | 2.89% | 17.49% | Saxony-Anhalt | Apply → |
| HEK | 2.89% | 17.49% | nationwide | Apply → |
| AOK Hessen | 2.98% | 17.58% | Hesse | Apply → |
| AOK Niedersachsen | 2.98% | 17.58% | Lower Saxony | Apply → |
| AOK Baden-Württemberg | 2.99% | 17.59% | Baden-Württemberg | Apply → |
| AOK NordWest | 2.99% | 17.59% | North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein | Apply → |
| BKK Freudenberg | 2.99% | 17.59% | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony | Apply → |
| AOK PLUS | 3.10% | 17.70% | Saxony, Thuringia | Apply → |
| DAK-Gesundheit | 3.20% | 17.80% | nationwide | Apply → |
| AOK Bremen/Bremerhaven | 3.29% | 17.89% | Bremen | Apply → |
| AOK Rheinland/Hamburg | 3.29% | 17.89% | Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia | Apply → |
| BARMER | 3.29% | 17.89% | nationwide | Apply → |
| Salus BKK | 3.29% | 17.89% | nationwide | Apply → |
| BKK EUREGIO | 3.39% | 17.99% | Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia | Apply → |
| IKK gesund plus | 3.39% | 17.99% | nationwide | Apply → |
| BKK Gildemeister Seidensticker | 3.40% | 18.00% | nationwide | Apply → |
| BKK Herkules | 3.48% | 18.08% | Bavaria, Hesse, Lower Saxony | Apply → |
| R+V BKK | 3.49% | 18.09% | nationwide | Apply → |
| AOK Nordost | 3.50% | 18.10% | Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | Apply → |
| BKK mkk | 3.50% | 18.10% | nationwide | Apply → |
| novitas bkk | 3.60% | 18.20% | nationwide | Apply → |
| BAHN-BKK | 3.65% | 18.25% | nationwide | Apply → |
| SKD BKK | 3.65% | 18.25% | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein | Apply → |
| BIG direkt gesund | 3.69% | 18.29% | nationwide | Apply → |
| Pronova BKK | 3.70% | 18.30% | nationwide | Apply → |
| KKH | 3.78% | 18.38% | nationwide | Apply → |
| Bergische Krankenkasse | 3.79% | 18.39% | Hamburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia | Apply → |
| BKK ProVita | 3.79% | 18.39% | nationwide | Apply → |
| vivida bkk | 3.79% | 18.39% | nationwide | Apply → |
| SBK | 3.80% | 18.40% | nationwide | Apply → |
| IKK classic | 3.85% | 18.45% | nationwide | Apply → |
| mhplus BKK | 3.86% | 18.46% | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | Apply → |
| IKK Südwest | 3.87% | 18.47% | Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland | Apply → |
| BKK Mobil | 3.89% | 18.49% | nationwide | Apply → |
| BKK VerbundPlus | 3.89% | 18.49% | nationwide | Apply → |
| BKK melitta hmr | 3.90% | 18.50% | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein | Apply → |
| BKK Pfalz | 3.90% | 18.50% | nationwide | Apply → |
| Heimat Krankenkasse | 3.90% | 18.50% | nationwide | Apply → |
| SECURVITA BKK | 3.90% | 18.50% | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | Apply → |
| energie-BKK | 3.98% | 18.58% | nationwide | Apply → |
| BKK Wirtschaft & Finanzen | 3.99% | 18.59% | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony | Apply → |
| VIACTIV Krankenkasse | 4.19% | 18.79% | nationwide | Apply → |
| IKK – Die Innovationskasse | 4.30% | 18.90% | nationwide | Apply → |
| Knappschaft | 4.30% | 18.90% | nationwide | Apply → |
| BKK24 | 4.39% | 18.99% | nationwide | Apply → |
Additional contribution 2026 according to the list of health insurers published by the GKV-Spitzenverband, retrieved on 1 November 2026. Listed are the 53 insurers we arrange via our partner VGK24 (out of 71 insurers open to the public) – sorted by additional contribution, not by remuneration. You will find all insurers in the full list. Benefits differ – compare contribution and benefits before you decide.
