Signing up for Private health insurance (PKV) is done online in one application. You get a quote, choose a plan, fill in your personal details, answer the health questionnaire, add your income or employment details and your previous coverage, then submit. Nothing is payable at submission. Coverage always starts on the 1st of a month and can be set up to 6 months ahead. Applications are usually reviewed within a few business days.
How do I sign up for Private health insurance (PKV)?
The application is completed online, in one flow, and takes these steps:
Click "Get a quote and sign up" and choose your plan. The plans are Short-term, Standard, Plus, and Premium.
Start the application and fill in your personal information in the Personal info section.
Complete the health questionnaire in the Medical history section.
Add your employment or income details in the Financial history section, and upload any income evidence we ask for.
Provide details of your health insurance coverage in the Insurance history section.
Review your policy documents, which are available to you during the application.
Submit the application at checkout.
What we ask for at step 4 depends on how you earn your income, so check out this article for your situation: employed by a German company, working for an employer outside Germany, freelance or self-employed, or retired and living on pension or investment income.
What do I need before I can start a quote for Private health insurance (PKV)?
To get a quote, you need your date of birth, your income amount, and the details of anyone you want to insure alongside you. You don't need documents at the quote stage — documents are asked for later in the application, once you've chosen a plan.
We ask for your income to check whether you're eligible and, if you're employed, to work out your employer's share. Your income doesn't set your premium: the premium is based on your age, your health, and the plan you choose.
Is the price in my quote the final price I pay for private health insurance?
The price shown in your Private health insurance (PKV) quote is the price you pay once your coverage starts, as long as the details you entered are correct. The only thing that can change it is the health assessment carried out during the application. If your application is accepted with a risk surcharge (Risikozuschlag), your monthly premium is higher than the quoted figure.
What happens if my private health insurance application comes back with a risk surcharge?
A risk surcharge (Risikozuschlag) is only applied after the first assessment of your Private health insurance (PKV) application is complete. If one applies, we notify you in your Feather account with the new monthly premium and the steps to accept it. You then need to review and sign the adjusted contract before it takes effect, so a surcharge is never applied without your agreement.
Can I save my Private health insurance (PKV) application and finish it later?
Yes. Your progress is saved as you go, so you can leave the application and return to it without starting again. Nothing is submitted to us until you complete the final step, so an unfinished application has no effect on your coverage.
What will the Private health insurance (PKV) application ask me about my health?
The application includes a health questionnaire, and you’re guided through it question by question. The questions cover your medical history, and how far back each one goes depends on the question: many ask about the last 3 or 5 years, while some, such as questions about ongoing or chronic conditions, have no time limit. You don’t need to work out the timeframes yourself, as each question states the period it covers.
Declare any treatment, diagnosis, or condition that a question covers, wherever in the world it happened. The questions ask what the treatment or condition was and when, not where it took place, so treatment you received outside Germany is included even though the questions don’t mention the country.
Nothing is submitted until you reach the final step, so you can work through the questionnaire and see exactly what’s asked before committing to anything. Answer everything as fully and accurately as you can: your answers are what the health assessment is based on, and a condition left out can affect your coverage later.
When can my Private health insurance (PKV) coverage start?
Coverage always starts on the 1st of a month, and you can choose a start date up to 6 months ahead. Health insurance is mandatory in Germany, so the right start date is the one that leaves you no gap.
Which date that is depends on your situation:
Starting your first job in Germany. Your coverage should start no later than your employment start date, so choose the 1st of the month your job begins, even if that is before the date you apply.
Moving to Germany as a freelancer or self-employed. You have more room here, as long as you're covered in the meantime. If you already hold coverage for the period after you arrive, you can set your Private health insurance (PKV) start date for when that coverage ends. If you don’t hold anything, choose the 1st of the month you arrive, which may mean backdating your start date to before you applied.
Moving from Public health insurance (GKV). The date you can choose is set by the notice period your public provider enforces, and there are situations that allow an earlier one.
Do I have to pay anything when I submit my Private health insurance (PKV) application?
No. Nothing is payable when you submit. When your first premium is collected depends on your start date. You're asked for your IBAN at checkout. Adding it there sets up the SEPA direct debit so your premium is collected automatically. If you skip it, you can add your IBAN from your policy page later.
Can I add my spouse, legal partner, or children to my Private health insurance (PKV)?
Yes. You can include your spouse, partner, or children in your quote to see the full family price. Applications are submitted separately: yours goes first, and once it's submitted, you add each family member from your policy page. Each person is assessed separately and can hold a different plan from yours, so adding someone doesn't change your own coverage.
See what each addition costs, who can be added, and who may sign an application on someone else's behalf
What happens after I submit my Private health insurance (PKV) application?
Your application is reviewed, and you're told the outcome. Applications are usually reviewed within a few business days, and we get in touch as soon as there's an update. If anything is missing or a question comes back during the review, we ask you for it through a task on your Feather account, so there's nothing you need to do in the meantime.
Can I withdraw my Private health insurance (PKV) application after submitting it?
Yes. Until a decision is made, you can withdraw your application from the policy page within your Feather account. Nothing is in force at that stage, so there's nothing to cancel and no premium to refund. Once your coverage is confirmed, the standard 14-day withdrawal period applies instead, counted from when you receive your confirmation of insurance coverage.