Techniker or BIG direkt for students: this pair shows the widest gap in the additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag) in this series of comparisons, and BIG names strikingly concrete subsidies and bonus stages. This guide sets the published amounts side by side, converts the difference to a year and makes no recommendation.
Short answer: According to the fund list of the GKV-Spitzenverband (as of 27 October 2026), TK’s additional contribution is 2.69 percent and BIG direkt gesund’s is 3.69 percent. For students that is a difference of 8.55 euros per month and 102.60 euros per year. BIG names a 150 euro subsidy for professional dental cleaning, while TK’s articles set up to 40 euros.
The key points
- BIG states 149.71 euros per month for students (care without surcharge). TK arrives at 141.16 euros with the same calculation.
- A rate difference of one percentage point equals exactly 8.55 euros per month, because the contribution base is 855 euros.
- BIG’s bonus programme names a starter bonus of 100 euros and further stages, and the figures on the total are inconsistent on the page.
- BIG gives a number that works around the clock (0231 5557-0). TK gives its service team on 040 460 660, also around the clock.
- For the structure of the student contribution as a whole, see student health insurance in Germany 2026: key figures.
How large is the difference over a year?
| Component | TK | BIG direkt gesund |
|---|---|---|
| Additional contribution rate | 2.69 percent | 3.69 percent |
| Additional contribution per month | 23.00 euros | 31.55 euros |
| Health insurance in total | 110.38 euros | 118.93 euros |
| Total with care 30.78 euros | 141.16 euros | 149.71 euros |
| Total from age 23 without children | 146.29 euros | 154.84 euros |
The BIG values come from BIG’s student page, and the TK values are calculated. Worked example: the difference is 8.55 euros per month and 102.60 euros per year. For comparison, BIG’s 150 euros for dental cleaning are 110 euros above TK’s maximum of 40 euros. Whoever uses the benefit has, for this one item, a gap that arithmetically exceeds the annual difference in the additional contribution. Whoever does not use it has no such gap. Both items are figures, not an assessment. More on the term: additional contribution 2026: all health insurers.
Which subsidies do the two funds name?
| Benefit | BIG direkt gesund (student page) | TK (articles, as of 17 April 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Professional dental cleaning | 150 euros once per year | Up to 40 euros per year from age 18 |
| Travel vaccinations | 100 percent of costs | Named, subsidy amount not given on the student page |
| Osteopathy | Not named on the page reviewed | Up to three sessions per year, 40 euros per session |
| Sport and prevention | Yoga, Pilates, meditation named as offers | 80 percent, maximum 150 euros, two measures per year (§ 18) |
How is the BIG bonus programme structured?
On its bonus page BIG describes a starter bonus of 100 euros, 40 euros for vaccination status, cancer and dental screening and other preventive care, 40 euros for a gym, sports event, club or prevention course, and a plus bonus of 100 euros for prevention or running challenges in the BIGforfit app. The page advertises “up to 310 euros” but shows 280 euros in its example table without explaining the difference. You can have the bonus paid to your account or use it for things like glasses, a fitness tracker or a disability insurance add-on. The page names no deadlines. TK offers its bonus programme with challenges and the PrämieXtra tariff in contrast (§ 26 and § 30 of the articles).
What applies for a semester abroad and for proofs?
If you stay enrolled at an approved German university, BIG states that your cover continues. Anyone enrolled only abroad may need insurance at the place of study, and BIG advises by phone. TK describes the position in more detail and excludes cost coverage in the country of study outside the EU, EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. BIG sends the proof for the university digitally and the proof for the BAföG office by post. The BAföG supplements for health and long-term care insurance (102 and 35 euros since winter semester 2024/25) are also independent of the fund and must be applied for together with BAföG.
Frequently asked questions
Why is BIG higher in the additional contribution?
Each fund sets its own rate. Neither page names the reasons. What counts for you is the current rate, and it can change.
Do the BIG subsidies also apply to students without BAföG?
The student page names subsidies and a bonus for students without linking them to BAföG. Still, have the conditions for dental cleaning confirmed.
How do I find the current TK articles?
They are available as a PDF on TK’s website. The version used here is dated 17 April 2026. Before you decide, check whether a newer supplement has been issued since.
Next steps
- Convert the rate difference into a year: 102.60 euros if rates stay unchanged.
- Note which of the named benefits you expect to use and set the respective subsidy against it.
- Ask BIG about deadlines and conditions of the bonus programme.
- Switch only after allowing for the twelve-month commitment (deadlines for switching).
Related reading
- BIG direkt gesund for students: 2026 contribution, from 30 and benefits
- TK student health insurance: costs and benefits 2026
- Additional contribution 2026: all health insurers
- German health insurance terms for newcomers
Sources: GKV-Spitzenverband, health insurance fund list (27 October 2026, German), BIG direkt gesund, student health insurance (retrieved October 2026, German), BIG direkt gesund, bonus programme (retrieved October 2026, German), TK, articles of association (17 April 2026, German), TK, health insurance when studying abroad (retrieved October 2026, German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
