Mini-job (Minijob) income and family insurance are closely linked while you are studying, because family insurance depends not only on the mini-job but on all of your regular income. Many students work alongside their studies, so it is worth taking a close look at the limits for 2026 and 2027.
Short answer: You stay family-insured as a child in training if your total regular income in 2026 is no more than 565 euros per month. For marginal employment (geringfügige Beschäftigung), a total income up to the mini-job limit of 603 euros is permitted. From 2027, the mini-job limit is 633 euros. Stand: October 2026.
Key points at a glance
- The income limit for family insurance was 565 euros of total income per month in 2026.
- With a mini-job, a total income of up to 603 euros per month is permitted in 2026.
- From 1 January 2027, the mini-job limit is 633 euros (mini-job center, Minijob-Zentrale).
- More than 20 hours of work per week can end the working student exemption (Werkstudentenprivileg), with consequences for health insurance.
- Family insurance ends on the 25th birthday, regardless of the mini-job.
Which income limit applies to family insurance?
Children are only family-insured if their total regular income does not exceed a limit. The limit is one seventh of the monthly reference value (Bezugsgröße) (§ 10 (1) No. 5 SGB V). For 2026, it is 565 euros. With marginal employment, total income may rise up to the mini-job limit.
| Total monthly income | Family insurance | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 565 euros | Possible, until age 25 while in training | Limit for 2026 |
| 566 to 603 euros, including earnings from a mini-job | Possible | Exception for marginal employment |
| Over 603 euros | Not possible | The health insurer examines the alternatives |
Total income includes all regular income, not only earnings from the mini-job. The sum for the month is decisive.
How many hours can I work in a mini-job?
The number of hours depends on your hourly wage. The statutory minimum wage (Mindestlohn) is 13.90 euros gross per hour in 2026 and 14.60 euros in 2027 (Fünfte Mindestlohnanpassungsverordnung, MiLoV5, Federal Ministry of Labour).
Worked example (assumption: constant hourly wage at the minimum wage): 603 euros divided by 13.90 euros gives around 43 hours per month for 2026. 633 euros divided by 14.60 euros gives around 43 hours per month for 2027. At 40 hours per month at 13.90 euros, you earn 556 euros and stay under the limit.
It is also important that the number of hours is only a guide. If your workload fluctuates from month to month, regular income is what counts. For this reason, do not plan for one good month, but for the average over the year, and discuss peaks with your health insurer before they occur.
What changes in 2027?
The mini-job limit rises to 633 euros on 1 January 2027, and the minimum wage rises to 14.60 euros (Minijob-Zentrale). The income limit for family insurance for 2027 is calculated from the reference value. So far, this figure only exists in a draft ordinance and becomes binding once it is adopted. Check it with your health insurer before the new year.
For students with a mini-job, this means the following. If you keep the same number of hours in 2027, you can use the higher mini-job limit. If you increase your hours, check before the increase whether your total income still stays below the family insurance limit. If you are unsure, a brief enquiry to your health insurer helps.
The limits for 2027 are partly based on drafts. Rely on the figures only once they have been adopted and officially published, and then compare them with your actual earnings.
When does the working student exemption no longer apply?
If you work more than 20 hours per week alongside your studies, you are no longer only marginally employed but subject to social insurance. Your employer then pays contributions as well. The student health insurance (KVdS) lapses, because it is subsidiary (§ 5 (7) SGB V). There are exceptions for evening, night and weekend work and during the lecture-free period. The administrative practice of the health insurers is based on a circular from the umbrella associations issued in 2016, which should be checked for currency before it is applied.
Which examples show everyday life?
The following examples show how the limits work in practice. All values are assumptions for 2026.
| Situation (assumption) | Family insurance | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mini-job with 556 euros per month, no other income | Continues as long as you are under 25 | Mini-job up to 603 euros |
| Mini-job with 450 euros plus 150 euros of regular interest income | Continues | Total income of 600 euros, exception for the mini-job |
| Employment with 700 euros per month, subject to social insurance | Ends if total income is above the limit | Health insurance then runs through the employment |
The third situation is no longer a mini-job but employment subject to social insurance. The health insurer decides in each case which insurance then applies, so it is worth asking before the contract begins.
What should you document?
If you want to keep an eye on the limits, collect the documents with which your health insurer can trace your income. This makes queries easier and prevents unnecessary back payments of contributions.
- Employment contracts and payslips for all side jobs
- Evidence of other regular income, such as interest or rental income
- The current certificate of enrolment (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung)
- Notices of change to the health insurer, with dates
When should you ask your health insurer?
Whenever your income, your working hours or your student status changes. A change in your parents’ insurance or a new job with more hours also counts. A short written enquiry often avoids later back payments and disputes about your insurance status.
Your health insurer checks the information against the evidence you submit on request. Ask for a written answer every time, so that you can later prove what applied. This includes payslips, employment contracts and certificates of enrolment. If you are unsure which income counts, get information before the next first of the month.
Frequently asked questions
Am I automatically no longer family-insured if I have a mini-job?
No. A mini-job up to the limit of 603 euros per month (2026) generally keeps family insurance in place. Only total income above the limit ends it.
Does one-off income count towards the total income?
The limit applies to regular income. One-off payments do not count as regular income. Your health insurer checks individual cases on the basis of the evidence.
Who checks my income?
Your health insurer checks your income on the basis of evidence, such as payslips. Report changes early so that no contribution problem arises.
What happens from my 25th birthday?
Family insurance then ends, regardless of the mini-job. How things continue is explained in Student Family Insurance: Until When Are You Covered?.
What to do now
- Calculate your regular total income for the current year, including the mini-job and any other income.
- Compare the total with 565 euros without a mini-job, or with 603 euros with a mini-job, for 2026.
- Check the 2027 figures as soon as they have been adopted, and before the turn of the year.
- If you work more than 20 hours per week, clarify with your employer and your health insurer which insurance applies.
- Report changes to your health insurer as soon as they become foreseeable.
Related reading
- Student Family Insurance: Until When Are You Covered?
- Student Health Insurance: Compulsory Cover, Options and Special Cases
- Working as a student assistant: tasks, pay and application (in German)
- Finding a side job during your studies (in German)
Sources: § 10 SGB V, family insurance (accessed October 2026); § 5 SGB V, compulsory insurance (accessed October 2026); Minijob-Zentrale, mini-job limit 2027 (Stand 2026); Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinance (Stand 2026)
Stand: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
