Family insurance (Familienversicherung) for students over 25 usually means the end of free cover through your parents. Children in training are only covered as family members up to an age limit, and that limit is 25. This guide shows which limits apply, what you pay afterwards and which options are open to you.
Short answer: Family insurance for children in training ends at the latest on the 25th birthday (§ 10 (2) No. 3 of Social Code Book V, SGB V). Afterwards, you are usually insured under student health insurance (Krankenversicherung der Studierenden, KVdS) if you are enrolled and not yet 30. Your health insurer confirms the exact end date. Stand: October 2026.
Key points at a glance
- Family insurance for students ends at the latest on the 25th birthday.
- Exceptions apply to voluntary services, military service and a disability that occurred before the age limit was reached.
- Afterwards, student health insurance (KVdS) usually applies, as long as you are enrolled and under 30.
- The 2026 KVdS contribution is based on a contribution assessment base (Bemessungsgrundlage) of 855 euros per month.
- An exemption from KVdS is only possible with other health cover and an application made within three months.
- Ask your health insurer to confirm the end date of your family insurance in writing.
Which age limits apply to family insurance?
Family insurance is staggered by age. The overview follows § 10 (2) SGB V in its current version. For students, the limit at 25 years is the decisive one.
| Age | Requirement | Meaning for students |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 18 | No further requirement | Studies play no role at this stage |
| Up to 23 | Only if not in gainful employment | Usually not decisive for students |
| Up to 25 | For school or vocational training, which includes studies | Protection until the end of the semester, at the latest until the 25th birthday |
| From 25 | No family insurance any more, except in case of disability | Cover through KVdS, an employer or voluntary insurance |
From when exactly does the cover end?
Family insurance ends at the latest with your 25th birthday. Whether it continues until the end of the current semester depends on the semester rules and on your birthday. Your health insurer will tell you the exact date. Ask before you plan any change of insurance.
What does health insurance cost after the end?
As a student over 25, you pay a contribution to the KVdS that is linked to an assessment base. For 2026, this base is 855 euros per month, which corresponds to one thirtieth of the requirement under the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), see § 236 SGB V. The table works through the contribution.
| Component | Amount per month | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance without additional contribution | 87.38 euros | 855 euros × 10.22 percent |
| Additional contribution (assumption) | 24.80 euros | 855 euros × 2.9 percent |
| Long-term care insurance without childless surcharge (parents or under 23 only) | 30.78 euros | 855 euros × 3.6 percent |
| Long-term care insurance with childless surcharge (childless, from age 23) | 35.91 euros | 855 euros × 4.2 percent |
| Total without childless surcharge (parents or under 23 only) | 142.96 euros | Assumption: additional contribution of 2.9 percent |
| Total with childless surcharge (childless, from age 23) | 148.09 euros | Assumption: additional contribution of 2.9 percent |
The childless surcharge of 0.6 contribution points applies from the month after your 23rd birthday and does not apply to parents, among others (section 55(3) SGB XI). If you are over 25 and have no children, you therefore generally pay it, and the row without the surcharge applies to you only if you have children. Assumption for the table: the additional contribution of 2.9 percent is an average value. Your health insurer may charge a different rate. A draft law on reform of the BAföG provides for a higher assessment base from autumn 2027. Nothing has been adopted so far, and the figures may still change.
Which exceptions extend family insurance?
The age limit is shifted by the duration of certain services, such as a voluntary social year (Freiwilligendienst), voluntary military service or a development service of up to twelve months (§ 10 (2) SGB V). A disability that occurred before the age limit was reached removes the limit for family insurance. Periods of study do not, however, shift the age limit. Whether a piece of evidence is sufficient is decided by your health insurer in each case.
When is an exemption from KVdS possible?
An exemption from compulsory student insurance requires that you have an entitlement to health cover elsewhere. The application must reach your health insurer within three months of the start of the obligation (§ 8 (1) No. 5 and (2) SGB V). The exemption takes effect from the start of the obligation if no benefits have yet been claimed, and otherwise from the following month. It cannot be revoked.
Whether private insurance fits depends on your state of health, your age, your budget and your plans. Personal advice can help classify the differences, for example through the way Academycon works, see how we work (in German). The comparison Student Health Insurance: Compulsory Cover, Options and Special Cases sets out the basics.
How do you switch to KVdS?
The switch begins as soon as your family insurance ends and you are enrolled at a university. You register with a statutory health insurer, which admits you to KVdS. The insurer usually asks for a certificate of enrolment and for the end of the previous family insurance. You should avoid a gap in your health insurance cover, because treatment costs would then have to be paid by you.
- Get the certificate of enrolment for the current semester.
- Compare the additional contributions of the statutory health insurers before you decide.
- Apply to your chosen insurer and request confirmation of the end of your family insurance.
- Check that your membership starts without a gap, and pay your contributions on time.
What role do mini-jobs and working student jobs play?
A mini-job does not directly change KVdS, because student insurance is linked to studying, not to income. It is different with a working student job (Werkstudium). If you work in employment subject to social insurance for more than 20 hours per week, you are insured through that employment. KVdS then becomes subsidiary and lapses (§ 5 (7) SGB V). The exact limits are explained in Family Insurance Income Comparison: When It Ends.
Frequently asked questions
Will I still be covered by family insurance if I turn 25 during the semester?
That depends on the semester rules and on your birthday. Cover ends at the latest on your 25th birthday. Whether it lasts until the end of the semester is confirmed by your health insurer, based on your enrolment.
Do I have to switch to KVdS immediately after family insurance ends?
As a rule, yes, if you are enrolled at a university, are under 30 and have no priority compulsory insurance. Registration goes through a statutory health insurer. The start depends on when your family insurance ends.
Does a mini-job change the age limit?
No. The age limit depends on your age. A mini-job tends to affect whether you remain in family insurance while you are under 25. The details are explained in our guide on finding a side job during your studies (in German).
Can I stay in my parents’ family insurance after 25?
No, except in the exceptions mentioned above. These include services that shift the age limit and a disability that occurred before the limit expired.
What to do now
- Ask your health insurer for the exact end date of your family insurance and have it confirmed in writing.
- Check whether a service or a disability shifts the age limit, and keep the evidence ready.
- Register with your chosen health insurer in time if KVdS is to begin.
- Note the three-month deadline for an exemption application if you have other health cover.
- Compare the additional contributions of the statutory health insurers, because only this part differs between insurers.
Related reading
- Studying over 30: Funding, Health Insurance, Daily Life
- Student Health Insurance Germany 2026: Rates and Example
- Student Health Insurance: Compulsory Cover, Options and Special Cases
- Student health insurance: PKV or statutory, what suits you? (in German)
Sources: § 10 SGB V, family insurance (accessed October 2026); § 5 SGB V, compulsory insurance (accessed October 2026); § 8 SGB V, exemption (accessed October 2026); GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation variables for contribution law (Stand: 1 January 2026)
Stand: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
