Who it is for
Private cover opens up once you earn above the opt-out threshold or work for yourself, and once you switch it takes the place of your public GKV membership.
Public vs private
Private health insurance (PKV)
Private Krankenversicherung
Earn above the compulsory insurance threshold (Versicherungspflichtgrenze) or are self-employed? Private health insurance becomes an option. We help you choose the right plan based on your health, your family and your plans in Germany, all explained in clear English.
The quick version
PKV in 60 seconds
If you are short on time, this is the core of it, so you can tell whether private cover is worth a closer look before you compare the options in detail.
What you gain
You usually get quicker appointments and direct access to specialists, with tariffs and support built around how expats actually live in Germany.
What to weigh
It works best as a long-term choice, because moving back to GKV gets harder later and your premium depends on your age and health when you join.
The insurers we compare for you
Advice on your side across the major private insurers
We are not tied to any single insurer, so we compare the leading private providers and set you up with the tariff that fits your health, your budget and your plans.
“I was about to sign a private tariff a colleague recommended, until the team compared it against two others and the public option with me in English. I finally understood what I was paying for.”
“As a freelancer I had no idea whether private cover made sense for me. They walked me through the costs over the long term, not just today, and helped me pick a tariff I actually understand.”
Three routes worth comparing
Public, expat and premium side by side
Public cover charges you by income and gives every member the same core benefits, while a private tariff prices you by age and health and opens up extras like a single hospital room or strong dental cover.
Public (GKV)
Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung
up to €1,261 /mo
Top contribution at the income ceiling, including long-term care
- The same legally defined core benefits apply across every fund
- Your non-working spouse and children are covered at no extra cost
- Your contribution follows your income rather than your health
Private Expat
Hallesche Hi Germany · age 35
€397,42 /mo
Includes long-term care and €150 daily sickness benefit
- Private patient status, which usually means a faster specialist appointment
- A leaner premium that suits a planned few years in Germany
- Long-term care and daily sickness benefit are already built in
Private Premium
Allianz MeinGesundheitsschutz Best 100
€968,17 /mo
Comprehensive top-tier cover for the long term
- A single hospital room with treatment by the senior physician
- High reimbursement for dental treatment and dentures
- Strong outpatient cover that extends to alternative practitioners
Eligibility
Who can switch to private health insurance?
Most employees in Germany are automatically in the public system (GKV) and cannot freely opt out. PKV is reserved for a few clear groups, each with its own rule.
01
Employees above the income threshold
If your gross salary is above the Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze (around €77,400 in 2026), you can choose private cover; new hires above it can often start in PKV right away.
02
Self-employed and freelancers
If you are selbständig or a Freiberufler, you are outside the automatic GKV path from day one and can pick PKV regardless of income.
03
PhD candidates, civil servants, and special groups
Doctoral researchers on certain contracts, Beamte, and some artists fall outside the standard employee rules and have their own route into PKV.
If you are not sure which group you fall into, we will check it with you in a short call.
Book a free 30-min PKV check
Client testimonial video
From our clients
“I was worried that private health insurance would become unaffordable as I got older.
Nina explained how different private health insurance options can help keep premiums manageable, even after retirement. She also recommended the plan that best matched my situation, including coverage for my regular visits to India.
That gave me the confidence to make the right decision.”
Sumit · Cloud Computing Engineer · Living in Germany for 10 years
GKV, PKV and the expat view
How GKV and PKV compare
Each system follows a different logic. The right choice depends on your income, your family plans, your health, and how long you expect to stay in Germany.
| Public (GKV) | Private (PKV)incl. NEOdirect expat tariff | |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist and consultant access | ||
| Hospital comfort, single or twin room | ||
| Dental and vision cover | ||
| Outpatient extras and modern therapies | ||
| Spouse and children at no extra premium | ||
| Premium based on income, not health | ||
| Low starting premium with the expat tariff | ||
| Cashback of up to three months of premium in claim-free years |
A fuller meter means stronger cover for that feature
An empty meter means it is not part of that system
The PKV column folds in the NEOdirect expat tariff, which keeps the premium low for around the first five years and suits a typical assignment in Germany. If you settle for the long term, a premium tariff may fit better.
Benefit-by-benefit comparison
The same benefit can look very different from public to private, so here is how the three routes compare across the areas expats ask about most. Open a category to see the detail.
Included
Included with conditions
Not included
Benefit
Public (GKV)up to €1,261 /moSee public health
Private Expat€397,42 /moComparison
Private Premium€968,17 /moComparison
Monthly contributionPublic is the 2026 maximum and includes the employer share; private is the example premium at age 35 before any employer subsidy.
up to €1,261 /mo
€397,42 /mo
€968,17 /mo
Free choice of doctor
Any doctor registered with the statutory system
Seen as a private patient, often with a faster appointment
Seen as a private patient with free choice of specialists
Outpatient treatment
Covered as a benefit in kind, with small co-payments
Reimbursed for standard outpatient care
Reimbursed in full, including specialists without a referral
Alternative practitioners (Heilpraktiker)
Covered within an annual limit
Covered up to a generous annual limit
Hospital cover
Shared ward with the doctor on duty
Shared room as a private patient
Single room with treatment by the senior physician
Senior physician treatment (Chefarzt)
Available as an option
Included
Free choice of hospital
The nearest suitable hospital
Across public and private clinics
Including private and university clinics
Routine dental treatment
A fixed allowance for standard work
Covered for standard treatment
Covered at a high percentage
Dentures and implants (Zahnersatz)
A fixed allowance covers roughly half the cost
Covered within annual limits in the early years
Covered at a high percentage, with limits in the first years
Orthodontics
Children only, within defined severity grades
Covered within limits
Covered for children and adults within limits
Glasses and contact lenses
Adults pay for these themselves
An allowance every few years
A regular allowance for lenses and frames
Prescription medication
Covered with a co-payment per item
Reimbursed for prescribed medication
Reimbursed in full for prescribed medication
Psychotherapy
Covered, though waiting times can be long
Covered within a session limit
Covered for a higher number of sessions
Daily sickness benefit (Krankentagegeld)
Statutory sick pay of about 70% after six weeks
€150 per day, included in this tariff
Available as an add-on
Long-term care (Pflegepflichtversicherung)
Included in your contribution
Included in the €295.72 premium
Taken out separately, as the law requires
Premium refund if you stay healthy
Possible depending on the tariff
Several monthly premiums back in a claim-free year
Treatment when travelling abroad
Emergency cover in the EU via the EHIC card
Strong cover, including trips back to India
Worldwide cover for longer stays
Preventive check-ups and vaccinations
Standard screenings and vaccinations
Covered
Covered, with broader screening
Private tariff benefits shown here are indicative and depend on the exact tariff, your age and your health when you apply. We confirm the current terms for Hallesche, Allianz and the other insurers before you sign.
What to keep in mind
Good to know about PKV
Private health insurance brings real advantages, and it also comes with a few rules and trade-offs worth understanding before you switch.
A health check is required
Your application is assessed individually, and pre-existing conditions can lead to surcharges or exclusions.
Applying early often pays off
Your health can change over the years, so an earlier application usually means better terms.
Returning to GKV is hard
Moving back to the public system gets difficult later, especially once you are past 55.
Family needs its own cover
Relatives are not automatically included, so a spouse and children each need their own policy.
Premiums and age reserves
Premiums can rise over time, though age reserves are built up to help stabilize your costs in retirement.
Faster access to care
You often get quicker appointments and direct access to specialists and premium treatments.
How reimbursement works
You usually pay the bill yourself first and then claim the amount back from your insurer.
Possible waiting periods
Depending on the tariff, some benefits only become available after a waiting period.
The right tariff matters
The insurer and tariff you choose shape your long-term satisfaction, so the details are worth comparing carefully.
Professional advice helps make sure that PKV is the right choice for you today and for your future.
Get tailored PKV adviceBefore you switch
What you need to apply
You only need a few documents to apply for private health insurance, and we guide you through them.
- Your passport or national ID
- Your residence permit, if you need one to live in Germany
- Your employment contract, or proof that you are self-employed
- Recent payslips or income proof, so we can confirm the threshold
- Your city registration (Anmeldung) and tax ID
- A short health questionnaire, which we send you
Common questions
Frequently asked questions about PKV and GKV
These are the questions expats ask us most when weighing public against private health insurance, with clear answers to help you plan your next step.
Employees who earn above the annual opt-out threshold can choose PKV, and the self-employed and civil servants can join regardless of income. If you stay in regular employment below that threshold, you remain in the public system (GKV).
As an employee you can opt out of GKV once your gross salary is above the compulsory insurance limit, which the government sets each year. The figure is reviewed annually, so it is worth checking the current value before you plan a switch.
GKV takes a fixed percentage of your income, so the contribution moves with what you earn. PKV prices your premium on your age at entry, your chosen level of cover and your health, which is why a younger applicant in good health often pays less than the public contribution.
GKV includes non-earning family members at no extra contribution through family insurance. In PKV each person needs their own policy with its own premium, so a single income family with children should compare both routes carefully.
Premiums can rise over time as medical costs grow, although a portion of what you pay while young is set aside as an ageing provision that cushions later increases. Choosing a realistic level of cover from the start keeps those adjustments more manageable.
Returning to GKV is possible while you are younger and your situation changes, for example if your income drops below the threshold as an employee. Once you are 55 or older the route back becomes very limited, so a switch later in your career deserves extra thought.
Private patients often reach specialists sooner and have access to a wider choice of doctors and treatments. The exact benefit depends on your region and the tariff you select, so it helps to look at what each plan actually includes.
PKV asks health questions before you join and may add a surcharge or exclude a specific condition based on your answers. Answering fully and accurately protects your cover, because incorrect information can let the insurer reduce benefits later.
A private policy is a personal contract that you can cancel when you move abroad, with notice periods set out in your terms. Some tariffs offer cover during temporary stays outside Germany, so check the travel and residence rules in your plan.
Employers pay a share of your premium in PKV, similar to their contribution in GKV, up to a legal maximum. Your net cost is the premium minus that subsidy, which is an important number to compare against the public contribution.
Not sure whether GKV or PKV fits you?
Book a free, no-pressure consultation in English and we'll compare the public and private routes with you — clearly, and on your side.
No pressure. No obligation.