An insurance check at the start of your studies clarifies early which cover fits your studies and which policies only add costs. Health insurance is compulsory, while most other policies are a matter of weighing up. This overview helps you make the decisions in the right order before the first semester fees fall due.
Short answer: Health insurance is compulsory during your studies, either through family insurance (Familienversicherung), the student health insurance (Krankenversicherung der Studierenden, KVdS) or private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV). If you want to switch to PKV, you must file the application for exemption within three months of the start of your compulsory insurance. Students are covered by the university’s accident insurance. Check liability and contents insurance before you move in. Last updated: October 2026.
The Most Important Points in Brief
- Health insurance is the only cover you must settle when you start your studies. The decision comes with a deadline.
- Family insurance ends at the statutory age limits and with an income limit of €565 per month (2026).
- Statutory accident insurance (gesetzliche Unfallversicherung) covers students within the scope of their studies. A private accident policy is optional.
- Liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung) and contents insurance are important. First check whether your parents’ policies still cover you.
- Disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung, BU) is a judgement call based on health, budget and life plans, not a standard package.
Which health insurance fits your start of studies?
During your studies you have three options. Family insurance is possible if the conditions of § 10 SGB V are met. If not, you are insured through the KVdS, provided the statutory requirements are met. Alternatively, you can take out private health insurance if you are exempted from compulsory insurance. The exemption is subject to deadlines and conditions. Returning to statutory health insurance is also bound by conditions.
| Option | When it fits | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Family insurance | Your parents are statutorily insured and your age and income fit | The limit is €565 total income in 2026; for minijobs, the €603 limit (2026) applies |
| KVdS | You are enrolled and not family-insured | Assessment base of €855 per month if you do not live with your parents, plus your insurer’s additional contribution |
| PKV | You want benefits under a tariff and can be exempted | Contributions depend on tariff, age and health check. Contribution adjustments are possible. |
Private health insurance can offer advantages in benefits, but it involves a health check, a long-term commitment and possible contribution adjustments. Whether it suits you depends on your benefit requirements and your financial planning. You can ask Academycon for a personal assessment: How we work (in German). This does not replace your own review of the conditions.
What you need to insure at the start of studies, and what you don’t
| Area | Classification | When to check |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | Compulsory | Before the start of studies, with a three-month deadline for exemption |
| Long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) | Compulsory as part of health insurance: €30.78 without surcharge, or €35.91 from age 23 without children (2026) | With the health insurance |
| Statutory accident insurance | Covers you through the university within the scope of your studies (§ 2 SGB VII) | No separate policy needed; know the routes to the university |
| Liability insurance | Strongly recommended; often covered through your parents | Before moving in, check your parents’ policy |
| Contents insurance | A choice, sensible for your own household | When moving in and after changes in value |
| Disability insurance (BU) | A judgement call between health, budget and need for cover | Inform yourself early and compare offers by their conditions |
Long-term care insurance is collected together with the health insurance contribution, so it is not a separate step. You pay the lower rate of €30.78 if you are under 23 or have children. From age 23 without children, the rate of €35.91 applies (as of January 2026, official, GKV-Spitzenverband). Statutory accident insurance covers students through the university when they take part in courses or on the direct route there (§ 2 SGB VII). Whether an additional private accident policy makes sense depends on whether you want cover outside your studies.
Liability and contents: what you really need
Liability insurance protects you when you cause damage to someone else. Many students are covered by their parents’ family liability insurance, but that does not apply in every case. Read the policy before you decide. An overview of living situations is given in Liability insurance for students: who needs it.
Contents insurance matters mostly if you live in a dorm or shared flat and own items of some value. Compare the value and living space with your policy regularly. Anyone who underestimates the value of their belongings is often underinsured in the event of a claim. The article Insurance for students: what you really need explains the individual building blocks in detail.
What you often don’t need
Residual debt, mobile phone, travel and baggage policies are not standard cover for students. Some benefits are already covered by existing policies, your employer or the university. Check three things for every offer: which risk is covered, which exclusions apply, and whether you could bear the loss yourself in an emergency.
The same principle applies to disability insurance (BU). It secures your income if you can no longer practise your occupation for health reasons. The premium depends on age, occupation and state of health. Health questions are asked when you apply, and pre-existing conditions can lead to exclusions. For students, it is therefore a genuine judgement call, not a compulsory decision. Compare the conditions in Disability Insurance for Students: Costs and Start before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to take care of health insurance myself at the start of studies?
In many cases, yes. Whether you stay in family insurance or switch to the KVdS depends on age, income and residence. The university informs you about enrolment, and the health insurer informs you about membership. If in doubt, ask your insurer before you decide.
How long do I have to decide on PKV?
The application for exemption from compulsory insurance must be filed within three months of the start of compulsory insurance (applicable law, § 8 SGB V). If this deadline passes, statutory membership remains in place. Note the date immediately after the start of your studies.
Do I need liability insurance if my parents already have it?
That depends on whether the policy still covers you and whether you live in your own flat. Many parents’ policies protect children in training, but not in every situation. Ask the insurer before you treat the parents’ policy as sufficient.
Is the university’s accident cover enough?
It covers you within the scope of your studies, that is, in courses and on the direct route there (§ 2 SGB VII). Private accidents during leisure time or sports injuries are not automatically covered. Whether you need a private accident policy depends on your life situation.
Is it worth taking out disability insurance during my studies?
It is a judgement call. An early policy can offer advantages on health and premium, but it ties up budget in a phase with little income. Compare the conditions carefully before you decide, and read the guide on disability insurance for students linked above.
How to proceed now
- Clarify whether you stay in family insurance or need your own health insurance. Check your age, income and residence.
- If you are considering PKV, note the deadline for a possible exemption from compulsory insurance.
- Read your parents’ liability policy and decide whether you need a policy of your own.
- Note the value of your belongings and your living space before you move in.
- Keep contracts, deadlines and proofs in one place so that you can find them quickly.
Related reading
- Insurance before university: child benefit, BAföG and fees
- Insurance for students: what you really need
- Student health insurance: compulsory cover, options and special cases
- Disability Insurance for Students: Costs and Start
- Insurance when moving out of home: checklist
Sources: § 10 SGB V, family insurance (gesetze-im-internet.de, in German, accessed October 2026) | § 8 SGB V, exemption from compulsory insurance (gesetze-im-internet.de, in German, accessed October 2026) | § 2 SGB VII, insured persons (gesetze-im-internet.de, in German, accessed October 2026) | GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation variables for contribution law (as of 1 January 2026, in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
