Switching
Switching from public to private, step by step
The process is straightforward if you do it in the right order. Six steps from confirming eligibility to your first private bill.
Six steps to switch
Most clients complete steps 1–3 in a week, then steps 4–6 in the month before their start date.
1. Confirm eligibility
Use the free eligibility check or read the eligibility guide. If you don't clear one of the three routes, stop here, you can't switch.
2. Compare offers
Get quotes from 3–5 providers in your bracket. The calculator gives you ballpark premiums; for binding offers across every major insurer, talk to an independent broker like Myhealthcarebroker. The advice is free for you, paid by the insurer you choose.
3. Choose tariff and provider
Pick coverage level (basic / comprehensive / premium), deductible, and any add-ons (dental, vision, hospital category).
4. Sign and submit
Sign the application and the health questionnaire (Gesundheitsfragen). The insurer underwrites within 1–4 weeks.
5. Cancel public cover
Once private accepts you, cancel your Krankenkasse with two months' notice. Send the new provider's certificate as proof.
6. Notify your employer
Give HR your new insurer's details so payroll splits the contribution correctly. Employers pay up to half the premium (capped at the public-system equivalent).
Mistakes that get switches blocked
Most switch attempts that fail fail at one of these four points. Avoid all four and you're fine.
Cancelling public before private accepts
Never cancel statutory cover before your private contract is approved. If underwriting falls through and you're already cancelled, you risk a coverage gap.
Hiding pre-existing conditions
The health questionnaire is legally binding. Omissions can void the contract years later. Disclose everything; tariff loadings are usually small.
Switching after age 55 without thinking long-term
After 55 it's almost impossible to return to public. Premiums also rise steeply with healthcare inflation. Model 30 years before signing.
Forgetting Beihilfe paperwork (civil servants)
Beihilfe-eligible civil servants must sync the private tariff with the Beihilfe rate (typically 50/50). Mismatched coverage means out-of-pocket gaps.
Book Your Free Consultation Now!
Switching from public to private health insurance is a long-term decision. In a free 30-minute consultation we walk through your eligibility, model your premiums over 30 years, and flag any of the four common mistakes before you sign anything.
Switching FAQs
Related guides
Two more pages that come up most often when people are at this stage.
