Public health insurance (GKV) includes family insurance, which covers eligible family members at no additional premium. A spouse or civil partner, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and foster children living in the household can qualify. Children are covered until their 18th, 23rd, or 25th birthday depending on employment and education status. Dependents must stay under a monthly income limit and cannot be full-time self-employed. Dependents are added after your own Public health insurance policy is confirmed.
Can I add dependents to my Public health insurance policy?
Public health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, or GKV) includes family insurance, which covers eligible family members at no additional premium. Family members are only covered if they meet the relationship, age, and income conditions for family insurance. Dependents are added after your own Public health insurance policy is active.
Which family members can be covered as dependents on my Public health insurance policy?
The following family members can be covered as dependents under Public health insurance if they meet the age and income conditions:
Your spouse, or your civil partner under the Civil Partnership Act
Your biological children and adopted children, up to the age limits for family insurance
The children of your children who are themselves covered by family insurance
Your stepchildren and grandchildren who live in your household
Your foster children, provided they are not being cared for professionally
Until what age can children stay covered as dependents on Public health insurance?
Children can be covered as dependents under Public health insurance up to one of the following age limits:
Until their 18th birthday, with no further conditions
Until their 23rd birthday, if they are not employed
Until their 25th birthday, if they attend school, complete unpaid vocational training, study, or do an unpaid voluntary social year, voluntary ecological year, or youth voluntary service abroad
What income limits apply to dependents on Public health insurance?
A spouse, civil partner, or child can stay covered as a dependent under Public health insurance only while their income stays under the applicable limit. The following rules apply:
Total monthly income from all sources, including earnings, rent, and pensions, must stay under €565 per month
Income from a mini-job may be up to €603 per month
A family member whose income passes the applicable limit must take out their own health insurance policy
A family member who is full-time self-employed cannot be covered as a dependent, regardless of income
How do I add dependents to my Public health insurance policy?
Dependents can only be added once your own Public health insurance policy exists. Follow these steps:
Sign up for Public health insurance through Feather and select a provider, such as TK, AOK, BARMER, or DAK.
Wait for your provider to confirm your own policy.
Follow the instructions for adding dependents that we send you by email after you sign up with us. If you signed up with AOK, AOK contacts you directly with those instructions once it confirms your policy.