- Public (GKV) contribution
- Private (PKV) eligibility
- Employer split shown
Childless members aged 23+ pay a small care-insurance surcharge; each child from the second reduces it. Saxony splits the care contribution differently.
Your monthly contribution
- 65% General rate (14.6%) €365
- 13% Additional contribution €73
- 22% Long-term care (Pflege) €120
- You pay
- €558/mo
- Employer also pays
- €528/mo
- Total contribution
- €1,085/mo
You're in public (GKV) insurance
Your income is below the compulsory-insurance threshold, so statutory public health insurance applies.
Your next steps
Fintiba voucher code: moizrauf — enter it in the “Do you have a voucher code?” field if the link doesn’t carry over.
Some links are partner links — if you sign up we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
How this is calculated
Germany has two health-insurance systems. Public (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) is income-based; private (private Krankenversicherung, PKV) is risk-based. Most employees are in the public system, where the contribution is a share of your gross salary.
The public contribution has three parts: the general rate of 14.6%, your fund's additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag, averaging 2.9% in 2026), and long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung, about 3.6%). As an employee you split all of this roughly 50/50 with your employer, and contributions apply only up to an income ceiling of €69.750 per year.
A worked example
On a €60,000 salary, an employee (childless, age 30, outside Saxony) pays about €558 a month, roughly €5,250 a year for health plus €1,440 for care, and the employer pays a similar amount on top. Earn above the €69.750 ceiling and your contribution stops rising, because the excess income isn't assessed.
Can you go private?
As an employee you can switch to private insurance only once your income exceeds the compulsory-insurance threshold of €77.400 per year (the self-employed and some others can choose private at any income). Private can be cheaper when you're young and healthy, but premiums are individual and can rise with age, and switching back to public later is hard. Weigh it carefully.
Who this is for
Anyone moving to or working in Germany who wants to budget for health insurance before a job or visa, or to sanity-check a payslip deduction. To see health insurance alongside tax and other contributions, use the German net salary calculator. For the full public-vs-private breakdown, read the health insurance guide.
Assumptions & data caveats
- DRAFT: contribution rates and ceilings mirror the VERIFIED de-net-salary 2026 data pack (social.health / social.care), single source of truth. A €60,000 employee (childless, age 30, non-Saxony) matches the net-salary tool exactly: employee health €5,250/yr and care €1,440/yr. Owner re-confirms vs the official SV-Rechengrößenverordnung 2026 before launch.
- General health rate is 14.6% (employee half 7.3%) plus the fund's Zusatzbeitrag (2026 average 2.9%, split evenly). Long-term care (Pflege) base is 1.8% each side; childless members aged 23+ pay an extra 0.6% (employee only), from the 2nd child the employee rate falls 0.25% per child (up to 5 children), and in Saxony the employee pays 0.5% more and the employer 0.5% less.
- Employees split contributions ~50/50 with their employer. Self-employed / voluntary members carry both halves; this tool applies the full rate to income up to the ceiling but does NOT model the voluntary-membership minimum contribution or the broader income assessment that can apply.
- The PRIVATE (PKV) premium range shown is ILLUSTRATIVE only, never a quote. Private premiums are risk-based (age, health, chosen cover, provider), not income-based, so an accurate figure requires an individual offer.
- Family members are often co-insured in public GKV at no extra contribution; this is noted but not separately modelled.
Official sources
- GKV-Spitzenverband: general contribution rate 14.6% + average Zusatzbeitrag
- bruttonetto-online: Pflegeversicherung 2026 (care rates, childless surcharge, Saxony)
- Ogletree: Germany 2026 social-security contribution & compulsory-insurance ceilings
- iamexpat: Germany 2026, all changes you need to know about
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Figures are general in nature and may not reflect your circumstances. Verify against official sources or a qualified adviser before making decisions.
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance in Germany? +
Statutory (public / GKV) health insurance costs a percentage of your gross income: a 14.6% general rate plus your fund's additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag, averaging about 2.9% in 2026), plus long-term care insurance of roughly 3.6%. Employees split all of this about 50/50 with their employer, and contributions only apply up to an income ceiling. Enter your income above to see your own monthly figure.
What's the difference between public (GKV) and private (PKV)? +
Public insurance is income-based: everyone on the same income pays the same, family members are often covered for free, and cover is guaranteed. Private insurance is risk-based: premiums depend on your age, health and chosen cover, each person is a separate policy, and premiums can rise over time. Many employees stay public; higher earners, the self-employed and some others can choose private.
Can I choose private health insurance? +
You can opt for private (PKV) if your income is above the compulsory-insurance threshold (Versicherungspflichtgrenze, €77,400 per year for 2026), or if you're self-employed, a civil servant, or a student meeting certain conditions. Below that threshold as an employee, public insurance is compulsory. The calculator tells you which side of the threshold your income falls on.
Do I pay the whole contribution myself? +
As an employee, no: your employer pays roughly half, and your share is deducted from your gross salary. Self-employed and voluntarily-insured members generally pay the full contribution themselves. Switch the employment status above to see both cases.
Why is there a childless surcharge? +
Long-term care insurance charges members aged 23 and over who have no children an extra 0.6%, reflecting that people with children contribute to the future workforce that funds the system. From the second child, the rate is reduced for each child up to the fifth.
Are these figures exact? +
They're estimates based on the 2026 statutory rates and ceilings, and they match our German net-salary calculator. Your actual contribution depends on your specific fund's Zusatzbeitrag and your circumstances. The private-premium range shown is illustrative only; a real private premium needs an individual offer. This is general information, not tax, legal or insurance advice.