Summary
Your baby’s health insurance options in Germany depends on both parents’ insurance type and income levels.
If both parents are privately insured, your baby must also be privately insured. If one parent has public insurance, income determines whether the baby joins public family insurance or private insurance.
Enrollment must usually happen within two months of birth to secure simplified acceptance and coverage from birth.
How is my baby’s health insurance determined in Germany?
Two factors determine what type of health insurance your baby should get: the income of you and your spouse, and both of your health insurances.
These rules do not apply if only one spouse is the biological parent, and the other spouse has not adopted the child.
Spouse 1 | Spouse 2 | Your baby's insurance |
Private health insurance | Private health insurance | Private health insurance for €210-€350 per month. |
Private health insurance. | Public health insurance. | Public health insurance. |
Private health insurance. Lower income than spouse 2. | Public health insurance. | Cost-free public health insurance. |
Public health insurance | Public health insurance | Cost-free public health insurance |
How much does private health insurance cost for a newborn?
Private health insurance for a baby typically costs between €170 and €350 per month, depending on the selected plan. Each family member can choose a different plan to suit their coverage needs.
If you are employed with a German company, your employer must contribute up to 50% of the premiums for you and the dependents under your policy, capped at the maximum employer contribution for public health insurance.
Can newborns join private health insurance without a health assessment?
Newborns can be added without needing to complete a digital health assessment if all of the following conditions are met:
You sign them up within 2 months of their birth
One parent was covered with our private health insurance for at lest 3 months before their birth, or the mother has applied before the 20th week of pregnancy.
Your baby receives the same or less comprehensive coverage as the insured parent.
If these conditions are not met, only then you will need to complete a digital health assessment for your baby and provide a copy of their check-up reports ("U-Untersuchungen"). When a digital health assessment is needed, it is possible that risk surcharges may apply for any medical conditions. In that case, we'll check all possible alternatives for you.
How can I add my baby to my private health insurance policy?
Submit their application
Use the 'Add dependents' button in your account to sign them up within 2 months of their birth.
Their birth certificate and ID documents are not required to confirm coverage.
Confirm their application with your signature.
You'll receive an invite to do so within 3 business days of applying. If more information is needed, you will automatically receive a message.
Get confirmation via email.
Coverage is usually confirmed within 5 business days. All confirmation documents will be uploaded to your account automatically.
When does my baby’s health insurance coverage start?
If enrollment takes place within two months after birth, coverage can begin retroactively from your baby’s date of birth.
Because confirmation may take several days, medical bills may initially need to be paid out of pocket.
Once coverage is confirmed, you can submit any medical bills. Reimbursement is typically processed within three to four weeks.
If you are unsure which rules apply to your situation, you can contact our support team for assistance.