Insurance
The protection you really need, from income protection to health insurance.
- Public vs. private health insurance
- Liability
- Long-term care
- Legal protection
- Income protection
- Household contents
- Supplementary cover
Expavigate
Your protection. Clearly prioritised.
The most important insurance at a glance
1 · Mandatory
Health insuranceincl. long-term care insurance
2 · Protect your livelihood
- Personal liability
- Occupational disability insuranceLearn more
3 · Depending on your situation
- Household contentsProtects your belongings
- Legal protectionHelps you enforce your rights
- Landlord liabilityIf you rent out property
Private health insurance
Discover more cover. Check your savings potential.
Do you earn above the compulsory insurance threshold? Then private health insurance (PKV) is worth a closer look. Especially for younger, healthy employees, a suitable private plan can combine more comprehensive benefits with a significantly lower monthly contribution of your own.
What matters is what you get for your premium: depending on the plan, this may include higher reimbursement for dental work, additional hospital benefits or broader cover for specialist treatment. Together, we find out which benefits matter to you and which offers fit your plans.
What could this mean for your budget?
A simplified example: in 2026, the employee share of statutory health insurance at the contribution ceiling is around €509 a month, based on the average additional contribution of 2.9%. If a suitable private offer leaves you paying €300 to €400 after your employer's subsidy, you would initially pay around €109 to €209 less each month.
The example covers health insurance without long-term care insurance. For a meaningful comparison we also take daily sickness benefit, a possible deductible and tax effects into account. The private premiums mentioned are illustrative assumptions; your actual premium depends on the individual offer. Basis of calculation: Federal Ministry of Health.
When can you switch?
For employees, the key figure is the annual income threshold (Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze). In 2026 it is generally €77,400 gross per year. If you receive a pay rise in an existing job, compulsory insurance usually ends only at the end of the year, provided your regular annual income also exceeds the following year's threshold. Source: Federal Ministry of Health
For 2027, the Federal Cabinet has approved a general threshold of €84,150 per year. Approval by the Bundesrat is still pending, and different thresholds are planned for certain existing cases. We check with you which rule applies and when a switch is possible. As of 13 October 2026. Source: BMAS
What advantages can private health insurance offer?
- 01Benefits that match your expectationsDepending on the plan, for example more extensive dental cover, treatment as a private patient or a single room in hospital.
- 02Contractually defined coverYour benefits are set out in your contract. That is why it pays to look closely at reimbursement limits and conditions. Source: Federal Ministry of Health.
- 03Possibly shorter waiting timesSurveys show shorter waiting times for specialist appointments for privately insured patients. This does not, however, guarantee an appointment. Source: patient representatives' survey of insured persons.
- 04Potential for a lower contributionWe check whether your monthly employee contribution can be reduced while keeping suitable benefits, taking long-term care insurance, daily sickness benefit, deductibles and tax effects into account.
What sets statutory health insurance apart?
Statutory health insurance (GKV) provides cover regulated by law. Its catalogue of benefits can be adjusted and extended through legislative changes and decisions of the Federal Joint Committee. This does not imply a general annual reduction in benefits. Source: Federal Ministry of Health on the benefits catalogue
An important advantage can be free family cover for eligible children and partners. In private health insurance, every insured person generally needs their own contribution-based cover. That is why family planning, parental leave and part-time work belong in the comparison. Source: Verbraucherzentrale
What could statutory insurance cost high earners in 2027?
The planned contribution ceiling is €6,375 a month. Assuming, for illustration, an unchanged additional contribution of 2.9% and the general contribution rate of 14.6%, this would give:
| Contribution | Example for 2027 |
|---|---|
| Total contribution including employer share | around €1,116 |
| Your employee share | around €558 |
Long-term care insurance comes on top. This is a model calculation, not a binding maximum contribution for 2027: the contribution ceiling has not yet been finally approved, and the actual additional contribution depends on your health insurer. The 2.9% used corresponds to the official average for 2026. Basis: BMAS; contribution rates: Federal Ministry of Health.
Will private insurance stay affordable in old age?
This question is part of the advice from the start. Private premiums can rise. Ageing reserves are meant to cushion higher healthcare costs in old age, but they do not prevent every premium adjustment. In addition, your premium does not automatically fall if your income does. Source: Verbraucherzentrale
We therefore work through different life stages and premium scenarios. We also check whether your own reserves or a paid premium relief plan (Beitragsentlastungstarif) make sense. Returning to statutory insurance later is only possible under certain conditions and should not be planned as a fixed way out. Sources: PKV-Verband (premium relief), Verbraucherzentrale (returning to GKV)
Your health deserves a well-considered decision.
The Expavigate team compares benefits, personal costs and long-term affordability with you. That way you find out whether a switch fits your goals and which solution suits your plans.
Income protection
A financial safety net for your income
Your income supports your everyday life, your family and your future plans. If illness or injury prevents you from continuing in your occupation, many expenses remain. German occupational disability insurance, known as Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung or BU, can help protect you against the financial consequences.
When is BU insurance useful?
It is particularly relevant if you depend on earnings from work and could not fund a prolonged loss of income through your assets or other reliable sources. This applies to office workers as well as people in physically demanding jobs: mental health conditions can also affect your ability to work.
Why arranging cover early can make sense
It can be worth considering cover while you are still at school, in vocational training or at university, protecting the foundation of your future earnings. Three factors are especially important for acceptance and pricing:
- 01Your age when you applyStarting earlier can give you access to lower initial monthly premiums.
- 02Your healthExisting symptoms and medical conditions influence the terms offered. Arranging cover early can reduce the risk of later finding that suitable protection is restricted or unavailable.
- 03Your activityYour occupation, vocational training, type of school or degree programme may influence your risk classification. Insurers and policies assess these differently.
Other factors, including the monthly benefit, policy duration and higher-risk leisure activities, also affect the premium.
Arrange protection today, plan for tomorrow
Conditions developing after your cover begins generally do not trigger fresh medical underwriting for the existing cover. Application questions must have been answered fully and truthfully.
Suitable benefit-increase options are important if you want to raise your monthly benefit later. These may allow increases without fresh medical underwriting, subject to agreed conditions and limits. Your premium may change as a result.
Together, we assess your protection needs, benefit amount, policy duration and options for future adjustments. If your plans involve living internationally, we also examine the terms for stays abroad and changes of residence.
Guides
Read the full story
Health Insurance in Germany: What Every Expat Needs to Know
Germany's health insurance system can be confusing for newcomers. Here's a clear breakdown of public vs. private insurance — and how to pick the right option for your situation.
Private vs Public Health Insurance in Germany: Which One Is Right for You?
Germany forces you to choose between public and private health insurance. One decision, decades of consequences. Here's how the two systems actually compare — with real numbers, not vague advice.
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