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Switching

How to switch from public to private health insurance

Six steps from confirming eligibility to your first private bill. Plan two to three months end to end.

Six-step switch process

  • 1. Confirm eligibility

    Three routes: employee above €77,400, self-employed, or civil servant.

  • 2. Compare offers from 3 to 5 providers

    Use the calculator for typical premiums; ask an advisor for binding offers.

  • 3. Pick tariff and deductible

    Coverage tier, deductible, and any add-ons (dental, vision, hospital category).

  • 4. Sign the application + health questionnaire

    Underwriting takes 1 to 4 weeks. Disclose everything, omissions can void the contract years later.

  • 5. Cancel public cover (with 2 months' notice)

    Send the new private certificate as proof. Don't cancel before private accepts.

  • 6. Notify your employer

    Give HR the new insurer's details so payroll splits the contribution correctly.

The realistic timeline

1

Weeks 0 to 1: eligibility and pre-check

  • Confirm you clear €77,400 as an employee or around €40,000 self-employed
  • Anonymous risk pre-check with shortlisted insurers, nothing goes on record
  • Compare binding offers on 30-year cost, not day-one price
2

Weeks 1 to 4: application and underwriting

  • Health questionnaire, disclosed completely and honestly
  • Insurer confirms acceptance and final conditions in writing
  • Only now does anything get signed
3

Months 1 to 3: notice period runs

  • Cancel your public fund with two full calendar months of notice
  • Send the new private certificate as proof of follow-up cover
  • Payroll gets the new insurer details so the employer share flows correctly
4

Day 1: seamless start

  • Private cover starts the day public cover ends, no gap allowed by law
  • First reimbursements usually within days of your first invoice
  • We stay your contact for claims, upgrades and tariff checks, free of charge

Five mistakes that cost switchers real money

Most switching problems are avoidable and happen in the same five places. The good news: every one of them is fixed by doing things in the right order. Our public vs private comparison helps you sanity-check the decision itself before you commit.

  • 1.
    Cancelling public cover too early

    Cancel only after the private insurer has confirmed acceptance in writing. Done the other way round, a rejection leaves you scrambling.

  • 2.
    Applying blind instead of pre-checking

    A formal rejection is recorded and other insurers ask about it. An anonymous risk pre-check gets you the same certainty with none of the risk.

  • 3.
    Choosing on the day-one premium

    The cheapest entry tariff is rarely the cheapest over 30 years. Repricing discipline and aging reserves decide the real cost.

  • 4.
    Glossing over the health questionnaire

    Omissions can void the contract years later, exactly when you need it. Disclose everything; loadings are negotiable, voided contracts are not.

  • 5.
    Forgetting the family math

    Children are covered free in public but need own contracts in private. Single earners with two or more children should calculate both routes first.

Switching back, and your safety nets

Private health insurance is designed as a long-term decision, so understand the exits before you enter. Returning to public cover is only possible in defined scenarios and rarely after age 55. Inside the private system you are better protected than most people think: Bestandsschutz grandfathers your existing contract conditions, and a tariff change under section 204 VVG lets you reduce cost without losing your reserves.

  • Routes back into public

    As an employee, falling below the €77,400 threshold makes you publicly insured again by law. Giving up self-employment for employment below the threshold works the same way.

  • The age-55 line

    From 55, returning to public cover is almost impossible even if your income drops. This is the single most important number in the whole decision.

  • What Bestandsschutz protects

    Once accepted, your insurer cannot re-examine your health or cancel your contract because you get sick. Signed conditions stay yours for life.

  • Downshifting instead of leaving

    If money gets tight, a higher deductible or an internal tariff change cuts the premium while keeping your reserves and acceptance status intact.

Common questions

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5 star ratingTrustpilotMay 03, 2025

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5 star ratingTrustpilotMay 14, 2025

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5 star ratingTrustpilotJune 24, 2024

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5 star ratingTrustpilotMay 01, 2024

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5 star ratingTrustpilotJune 26, 2025

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5 star ratingTrustpilotApril 30, 2025

Bettina guided me to choose the right…

Bettina guided me to choose the right private health insurance for myself in Germany. She was very patient with my questions and explained everything in detail with full transparency. I would strongly recommend Bettina and her team for private health insurance related services. Her team's support even after you sgin, is excellent.

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