Insurance for students with children affects several levels: your own health insurance, the insurance of your child, long-term care insurance and the family’s liability cover. Many rules interact, for example when your child’s income or your own insurance status plays a role. This overview sorts the building blocks and shows the figures for 2026.
Short answer: Your child is covered under family insurance if you have statutory health insurance and the conditions of § 10 SGB V are met. Children up to the age of 18 are insured without further conditions. The income limit for family members was €565 per month in 2026 (as of January 2026). Students with children do not pay the childless surcharge (Kinderlosenzuschlag) in long-term care insurance, and the contribution is €30.78 per month (as of January 2026). Last updated: October 2026.
The Most Important Points in Brief
- Your child can be covered under your family insurance if you have statutory health insurance. If not, your child needs a separate private health insurance policy (private Krankenversicherung, PKV).
- The income limit applies to your child’s own income. A minijob or a training allowance can reach the limit.
- With a child, the childless surcharge in long-term care insurance does not apply. The contribution is €30.78 per month (2026).
- Child benefit (Kindergeld, €259 per child per month in 2026) and a possible BAföG childcare supplement are part of your financial planning, not of your insurance.
- Liability, contents and family protection should be checked together before something happens.
Health insurance: how your child stays covered
For health insurance, your own membership comes first. If you are statutorily insured, for example in the student health insurance (Krankenversicherung der Studierenden, KVdS), your child can usually be covered under family insurance. The conditions of § 10 SGB V apply here too: the child may not have a total income above the limit. The age limit for children in training is 25.
| Starting point | Child’s insurance | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| You are statutorily insured | Family insurance through you, if § 10 SGB V is met | The child’s own income counts. Limit in 2026: €565 per month |
| You are privately insured | Separate policy for the child in PKV | Contribution, benefits and health check depend on the tariff |
| The child earns above the limit | Own insurance, for example as a member | A minijob or training allowance can exceed the limit |
If you change your health insurer, family insurance usually stays the same as long as the conditions remain met. Report changes in income, training or residence to your health insurer so that the insurance stays correct. More on these constellations is in Student Family Insurance 2026: Income Limits and Age.
Long-term care insurance: the childless surcharge does not apply
Long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) is regulated separately for students in Germany. The contribution is calculated on an assessment base of €855 per month, which applies to students who do not live with their parents. A childless surcharge (Kinderlosenzuschlag) is due from age 23 if no child is cared for. Anyone with children does not pay the surcharge, and you provide proof to the long-term care fund (Pflegekasse).
| Case | Contribution per month (2026) | Source and status |
|---|---|---|
| Students with a child or under 23 | €30.78 | Official, GKV-Spitzenverband, as of January 2026 |
| Students from age 23 without a child | €35.91 | Official, including childless surcharge, as of January 2026 |
The difference is €5.13 per month (calculated from the two amounts). Include this difference in your planning if you want to plan financially for a family. The legal basis is in § 55 SGB XI, which regulates the childless surcharge.
Include child benefit and supplements in your planning
Child benefit is not insurance, but it strongly affects your financial planning. For 2026, child benefit is €259 per child per month (official, § 66 EStG). Anyone receiving BAföG and caring for a child under 14 also receives the BAföG childcare supplement (Kinderbetreuungszuschlag). It amounts to €160 per month per child (as of August 2022, official). If both parents are entitled to BAföG, the supplement is paid only once.
| Component | Amount per month | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Child benefit (2026) | €259 per child | Applies until the age limit in training |
| BAföG childcare supplement | €160 per child under 14 | Only with a BAföG entitlement; paid once if both parents are entitled |
| Total (assumption: one child, BAföG entitlement) | €419 | Calculated from the two amounts, without taxes and without insurance contributions |
The example assumes one child and an existing BAföG entitlement. Whether your entitlement exists depends on income and assets. Contributions to long-term care and health insurance are not deducted from these amounts. We leave out calculating tax in euros here. For net examples, use the calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance (bmf-steuerrechner.de). More on this is in BAföG with a Child: Childcare Supplement and Extension.
Liability, contents and family protection
Liability insurance protects the family when someone causes damage to others. Check whether your child is included in the policy and whether the cover also applies when the child lives in its own household. Age limits and the household link differ strongly between policies, so a written statement from the insurer creates clarity.
Contents insurance covers items in the flat. With a child, the value of the furnishings often rises significantly, so check living space and value regularly. Accident insurance is not legally required, but it may make sense, depending on your budget. More on the situation with children is in Studying with a child: money, benefits and insurance.
Insurance check for the family
| Insurance | For whom | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Student health insurance (KVdS) or other statutory cover | You | Whether you are statutorily or privately insured and which conditions apply to family insurance |
| Child’s health insurance | Your child | Family insurance through you or an own policy, and the child’s income |
| Liability insurance | Family | Child’s coverage, protection at home and during training |
| Contents insurance | Flat | Value of items, living space and adjustment of the policy |
| Protection of earning capacity | You and your family | Whether income would fall away in an emergency, and which protection fits |
Frequently asked questions
Is my child automatically covered by my health insurance?
Not automatically. Family insurance requires that you are statutorily insured and that the conditions of § 10 SGB V are met. A child is therefore not covered just by being born. The child must be registered with the health insurer, which checks the conditions.
Do I lose the exemption from the childless surcharge when my child gets older?
The surcharge depends on whether you are caring for a child. As long as that is the case, it does not apply. The long-term care fund checks the details. If the situation changes, report the change promptly.
Is my parents’ liability insurance enough for my child?
That depends on the policy. Check whether your child is included and whether the cover also applies if the child lives in its own household. The insurer can answer these questions in a binding way.
How does my income affect family insurance?
Your income counts for your own insurance, not for your child’s family insurance. For your child, the child’s total income counts against the limit of €565 per month (2026). If anything is unclear, ask your health insurer.
How to proceed now
- Clarify your own health insurance and whether your child is covered by it through family insurance.
- Check your child’s income against the limit of €565 per month (2026).
- Report children and changes to the long-term care fund so that the childless surcharge is correctly not applied.
- Check the family’s liability and contents cover and compare the conditions in writing.
Related reading
- Student Family Insurance 2026: Income Limits and Age
- Studying with a child: money, benefits and insurance
- Child Benefit First Training: Age Limit and Work Rules
- BAföG with a Child: Childcare Supplement and Extension
- Insurance when moving out of home: checklist
Sources: § 10 SGB V, family insurance (gesetze-im-internet.de, in German, accessed October 2026) | § 55 SGB XI, contribution rate and childless surcharge (gesetze-im-internet.de, in German, accessed October 2026) | § 66 EStG, child benefit (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.
