ARAG private health insurance: independent review
A Munich insurer, part of Germany's largest family-owned insurance group, with bundled patient legal protection, family-friendly contribution rules, and a deductible you can adjust any time. Best for families and people who value flexibility. 766,678 insured (2024).
ARAG editorial scorecard
How ARAG rates across the five criteria English-speaking applicants most often weigh. Our independent editorial assessment.
Ratings
- Customer satisfaction
- Claims experience
- Digital experience
- Long-term price stability
- Financial stability
ARAG
Best for
Families who value flexible deductibles and bundled legal protection
“Part of Germany's largest family-owned insurance group. Bundled patient legal protection, no premium during parental allowance, adjustable deductible any time.”
ARAG at a glance: pros and cons
What ARAG does best, and where competitors still have an edge.
Trade-offs
Where competitors win
- Customer service and documentation are German-led
- Mid-sized at around 766,000 insured, smaller network than DKV or Debeka
Strengths
Where ARAG stands out
- Free built-in patient legal-protection cover, no extra premium
- No premium charged during parental allowance (Elterngeld)
- Deductible can be adjusted any time to re-tune your monthly premium
- Clear three-tier tariff ladder with upgrade option after five years
What makes ARAG different
Four differentiators that consistently come up when English-speaking residents weigh ARAG against the other ten major insurers.
Bundled patient legal protection
ARAG is a top-three global legal-protection insurer, and its private health tariffs include patient legal-protection cover at no extra premium. Useful if a treatment or billing dispute ever arises.
Family-friendly rules
No premium is charged during parental allowance (Elterngeld), which eases the cost exactly when a young family needs it most.
Flexible deductible
You can adjust your deductible (Selbstbeteiligung) at any time to re-tune the monthly premium as your situation changes, more flexible than most insurers.
Clear tariff ladder
A transparent three-tier structure with an upgrade option after five years, so you can start sensibly and move up later without full re-underwriting on the upgrade path.
What ARAG actually covers
ARAG comprehensive tariffs cover all core private health insurance benefits and add bundled patient legal protection and family-friendly rules. On paper the coverage matches other comprehensive insurers, see our guide to what private health insurance covers. The difference is the legal-protection bundle and the flexibility built into the contract.
- GP and specialist visits
Free choice of doctor, with direct specialist access on comprehensive tariffs.
- Hospital
Private single room and consultant of your choice on comprehensive tariffs.
- Dental
Comprehensive treatment, implants, and orthodontics, tariff-dependent.
- Vision
Glasses, contact lenses, and laser surgery in selected tariffs.
- Mental health
Outpatient and inpatient psychotherapy, shorter waits than the public system.
- Patient legal protection
Bundled legal-protection cover for treatment and billing disputes, an ARAG specialism.
- Worldwide cover
Emergency and travel coverage outside Germany, tariff-dependent.
- Family perks
No premium during parental allowance (Elterngeld) and flexible deductible options.
How much does ARAG cost
ARAG premiums follow the same three-factor structure as every German private health insurer: age at sign-up, coverage level, and health status at application. Employees who earn above the €77,400 income threshold get an employer subsidy of up to half the premium, a good €500 per month at the 2026 cap. Below are rough benchmarks for a healthy individual on a standard comprehensive tariff (gross, before employer subsidy). ARAG's adjustable deductible lets you tune the monthly figure. For market-wide numbers, see our guide to private health insurance costs in Germany.
- Age 28
Roughly €270 to €360 per month on a standard comprehensive tariff.
- Age 33
Roughly €330 to €430 per month on a standard comprehensive tariff.
- Age 38
Roughly €410 to €520 per month on a standard comprehensive tariff.
Important context on ARAG pricing
These ranges are indicative only. Your personal quote depends on tariff choice, deductible level (Selbstbeteiligung), and your health declaration. ARAG's adjustable deductible is a genuine advantage: you can raise it to lower the monthly premium when money is tight, then lower it again later. Bundled legal protection and the Elterngeld waiver add value that a headline premium alone does not capture. If price today is your main criterion, start with our guide to the cheapest private health insurance in Germany.
ARAG vs Allianz vs Ottonova
How ARAG's family-friendly, flexible profile compares to a premium stock insurer and a digital-first one. Stats collected from public sources and broker quoting data.
ARAG
Family-friendly, flexible
Allianz
Premium, global brand
Ottonova
Digital-first, bilingual
Company
Choose a plan to compare
About ARAG
Part of Germany's largest family-owned insurance group and a top-three global legal-protection insurer. Bundled patient legal protection, family-friendly contribution rules, flexible deductibles.
Financial highlights(2024)
- Legal form
- Stock company (AG)
- Insured persons
- 766,678
- Gross premium income
- €747.7 million
- Capital investments
- €3.24 billion
- Current investment yield
- 2.5%
- Acquisition expense ratio
- 19.3%
- Administration expense ratio
- 1.8%
Contact
- Registered office
- ARAG Krankenversicherung, Hollerithstraße 11, 81829 München
- Main switchboard
- 089 4124-9566
- Customer service line
- 021198700700
- service@arag.de
- Website
- https://www.arag.de/versicherungen/gesundheit/private-krankenversicherung/
Who ARAG is best for, and who it isn't
ARAG is the strongest fit for families and people who value flexibility and bundled legal protection. If a mutual's long-run stability matters more to you, Hallesche or HanseMerkur are worth comparing. Self-employed readers can go deeper in our guide to private health insurance for freelancers.
Best fit: Families
Family-friendly contribution rules and a flexible contract make ARAG a natural choice for families.
Best fit: Parents planning children
No premium is charged during parental allowance (Elterngeld), easing cost exactly when a young family needs it.
Best fit: Flexibility seekers
The deductible can be adjusted any time, so you can re-tune your monthly premium as your budget changes.
Best fit: Value the legal-protection bundle
Bundled patient legal protection at no extra premium is a genuine differentiator if disputes worry you.
Not the best fit: English-only, day-to-day
Service and documentation are German-led. A broker bridges this, but a fully bilingual insurer may suit better if you want to self-serve in English.
Not the best fit: Widest-network seekers
ARAG is mid-sized. If the largest hospital and provider network is your priority, a bigger insurer may edge ahead.
How to switch to ARAG
Eligibility check
- Confirm you qualify for private cover: employee earning above the €77,400 income threshold (2026), self-employed, or civil servant.
- A broker pulls comparable quotes from Hallesche, HanseMerkur, Allianz and others alongside ARAG so you see whether ARAG is the strongest fit on your age, health, and family plans.
Application and underwriting
- Complete the ARAG health declaration and choose your tariff tier and deductible. Accurate answers matter.
- If you are already on a private contract, §204 VVG lets you transfer accumulated age provisions (Altersrückstellungen), subject to ARAG underwriting your current health.
Cancellation and start date
- Your broker cancels the existing public sickness fund (two-month notice) or private contract with the correct timing.
- The new ARAG contract starts the day the old one ends, with no coverage gap.
Compare ARAG with the whole market
Independent across all 11 insurers
We pull quotes from ARAG, Hallesche, HanseMerkur, Allianz and the rest side by side. No exclusive deals.
English-speaking, free of charge
Brokers in Germany are paid by the insurer. The consultation, the comparison, and the aftercare cost you nothing.
Personal recommendation, not a sales pitch
We tell you which insurer fits your age, health, and long-term goals, including when the answer isn't a private contract at all.
ARAG FAQs
Get an independent ARAG comparison
Free 30-minute call with a licensed broker. Independent quotes from ARAG and the strongest alternatives on your age, health, and family plans. Phone is required so we can call you back to confirm a time.
Related guides
Two more pages that come up most often when people are at this stage.