Health insurance after studies without a job usually continues with your current statutory health insurer. Your compulsory student insurance ends with the semester of your last enrolment. After that, your membership automatically continues as voluntary follow-on insurance (Anschlussversicherung), unless something takes priority, such as family insurance (Familienversicherung), unemployment benefit I (Arbeitslosengeld I) or a job. Without income, the follow-on insurance costs at least €278.17 a month in 2026 (childless, from age 23, at the average additional contribution rate).
The key points at a glance
- Priority goes to compulsory insurance through a job or unemployment benefit I, and then to family insurance. Follow-on insurance is the safety net if neither applies.
- Family insurance through your parents is possible without training only up to age 23, and through a statutory insured spouse or civil partner without an age limit. The income limit in 2026 is €565 a month.
- You can leave the follow-on insurance only within two weeks of your insurer’s notice, and only with proof of other cover.
- Privately insured people continue to pay their contract. An expectancy cover (Anwartschaft) keeps your health status secured in case you temporarily switch to statutory insurance.
Health insurance after studies: which cover applies without a job?
It depends on what takes over when your compulsory student insurance ends. Compulsory insurance through your own employment takes priority over family insurance, and follow-on insurance remains the safety net.
| Your situation | Cover | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| You receive unemployment benefit I | Compulsory insurance | The Federal Employment Agency pays the contributions |
| You receive basic security benefit (Grundsicherungsgeld, formerly Bürgergeld) | Compulsory insurance | The job centre pays the contributions |
| You work as an employee subject to social insurance, or do a paid internship above €603 | Compulsory insurance as an employee | Contributions from your earnings |
| You meet the conditions for family insurance | Family insurance | Free of contributions |
| None of the above applies | Follow-on insurance (voluntary statutory) | At least €270.26 or €278.17 a month |
| You are privately insured | Your private contract continues | Contribution as set out in the contract |
What is follow-on insurance after studies?
Follow-on insurance is the voluntary membership your statutory insurance continues into automatically when compulsory insurance or family insurance ends. It starts the day after you leave (section 188(4) of Book V of the Social Code (SGB V)). Because student compulsory insurance ends with the semester of your last enrolment and not with your final exam, this day can be weeks after your final exam. The exact process is explained in De-registration and health insurance (in German).
You can leave within two weeks of your insurer’s notice of the options to leave. The deadline starts with that notice. Leaving only takes effect if you prove other cover in case of illness. Follow-on insurance does not arise if you meet the conditions for family insurance.
After membership ends, there is also a follow-up entitlement to benefits for up to one month (section 19(2) SGB V), as long as you are not employed and neither family insurance nor follow-on insurance takes priority.
Does the Federal Employment Agency pay my health insurance?
Yes, as long as you receive unemployment benefit I. You are then compulsorily insured, and the Federal Employment Agency pays the contributions. One requirement is that you are registered as unemployed, are available for placement and have paid contributions to unemployment insurance for at least twelve months within the last 30 months. A job subject to social insurance during your studies can count, but a mini-job or a non-compulsory student job cannot. If you mainly worked as a student assistant or in a mini-job, you usually do not meet the requirement.
If you know when your studies end, register as job-seeking with the Federal Employment Agency three months beforehand. Personal registration as unemployed must take place no later than the first day of unemployment.
If you receive basic security benefit, you are also compulsorily insured, and the job centre pays the contributions. Since 1 July 2026, the former citizen’s benefit has carried this name. If you were last privately insured, you remain in private insurance, and the job centre pays a subsidy on application.
Can I be covered by family insurance again after my studies?
Yes, if you meet the conditions of section 10 SGB V. Through your parents, the rules are: up to 18 without further conditions, up to 23 if you are not employed, up to 25 during school or vocational training, studies or a voluntary service. After completing a degree, the cover continues until the end of the semester, but at most until age 25. After that, the age rule applies again: without new training, it ends on your 23rd birthday.
There is no age limit through a spouse or registered civil partner who is statutorily insured. Your total income may be at most €565 a month in 2026, and for a mini-job the limit is €603. BAföG, child benefit and maintenance do not count. Income from side jobs, self-employment, interest above the saver’s allowance and rental income does count.
Family insurance and voluntary membership are mutually exclusive. If you want to switch from follow-on insurance to family insurance, you end your own membership and notify your insurer, which will tell you the process. Apply for family insurance yourself and in good time. The basic rules are in Family insurance during studies or private insurance: which is better for you? (in German).
What does voluntary health insurance cost without income?
Even without income, the insurer calculates with the minimum assessment base of €1,318.33 a month. Contributions are payable on this at the contribution rate of 14.0% plus the additional contribution rate, and the long-term care insurance, which you pay yourself as a voluntary member.
| Item (2026, additional contribution rate 2.9%) | Childless from age 23 | Under 23 or with a child |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance: 16.9% of €1,318.33 | €222.80 | €222.80 |
| Long-term care insurance: 4.2% or 3.6% of €1,318.33 | €55.37 | €47.46 |
| Minimum contribution per month | €278.17 | €270.26 |
Your insurer sets the additional contribution rate, and the average in 2026 is 2.9%. At an additional contribution rate of 2.18%, the total for childless people from age 23 is €268.68, and at 3.29% it is €283.31. If your income is above the minimum assessment base, the contribution rises: at €1,500 a month, you pay €253.50 at 16.9% plus €63.00 for long-term care at 4.2%, together €316.50.
Without proof of income, the insurer applies the maximum amount (contribution assessment ceiling of €5,812.50 a month). So provide proof of income early. Your insurer will tell you which documents it accepts. An increase of the childless surcharge in long-term care insurance is planned, but not yet decided.
What applies to an internship after my studies?
An internship without enrolment is usually subject to social insurance, and the mini-job rules do not apply to it. You are then compulsorily insured as an employee and no longer covered by family insurance. Family-insured people must insure themselves for a paid internship above €603 a month. The details are in Health insurance during an internship: what students need to know (in German).
What applies to self-employment directly after my studies?
With self-employment as your main occupation, there is no family insurance. Whether an activity is a main occupation depends on its scope, organisation and economic significance. As a guide, more than 20 hours a week usually counts, but a main occupation can also be below that. If you are self-employed on the side and want to remain in family insurance, your profit must stay under the €565 a month limit.
As a voluntary member, your contribution depends on your total economic ability to pay, at least from €1,318.33 a month. Income from self-employment is included in the assessment. Ask your insurer which contribution rate it will apply in your case.
What applies to privately insured people without a job?
Your private contract continues after your studies, and the premium is due even without income. If you fall behind on payments, you are automatically moved to the emergency tariff after reminders. This covers only acute illnesses and pain, pregnancy and childbirth, and benefits for children and young people. What applies to your contract after your studies is explained in What happens to your private health insurance after studies? (in German).
A return to statutory insurance is generally possible before age 55, for example through employment subject to compulsory insurance below the annual earnings threshold of €6,450 a month (2026). A mini-job is not enough. If you want to return to private insurance later, you can secure your health status with an expectancy cover: the small expectancy cover secures your health status without pension provisions, while the large one also secures your entry age and continues to build pension provisions. The small one costs roughly 5 to 10%, the large one roughly 25 to 45% of the tariff premium. Reactivation usually takes place within two months after the reason has ended. When it is worth it is explained in Expectancy cover in private health insurance: worthwhile for students? (in German). The question of private or statutory insurance at the start of work is covered in Private health insurance at the start of your career (in German).
Two examples of the time without a job
Three months of job searching
Example: Tim is 28, and his last semester ends (assumption) on 31 March. During his studies he was a student assistant working 15 hours a week, and he is not married. He had no other job subject to social insurance (assumption), so he does not receive unemployment benefit I. From 1 April, his membership continues as follow-on insurance. At an additional contribution rate of 2.9%, he pays €278.17 a month for three months, a total of €834.51. On 1 July he starts a permanent job and is compulsorily insured as an employee from then on. He notifies his insurer of the start of work.
A trip to the USA with family insurance
Example: Mara is 22, has completed her bachelor’s degree and is family-insured through her statutorily insured parents (assumption: income below €565 a month). She plans a two-month tour of the USA, and she turns 23 in four months. If she keeps her residence in Germany, her family insurance continues, because a residence abroad would exclude her. In the USA, a country without a social security agreement, the statutory insurer does not pay for illness. A private student health insurance abroad with repatriation is therefore advisable. Family insurance ends with her 23rd birthday if she is not employed and has not started new training. Her membership then continues as follow-on insurance, at least €278.17 a month (additional contribution rate 2.9%, childless).
Frequently asked questions
How am I insured after studies without a job?
Statutorily insured people usually stay insured. This happens through unemployment benefit I, family insurance or follow-on insurance as a voluntary membership. Follow-on insurance applies automatically when nothing takes priority. Privately insured people continue to pay their contract.
Can I be covered by family insurance again after my studies?
Yes, through your parents without training until your 23rd birthday, and through a statutorily insured spouse or civil partner without an age limit. Your income may be at most €565 a month in 2026. As a voluntary member, you end your membership first and notify your insurer.
What does voluntary health insurance cost without income?
In 2026, at an additional contribution rate of 2.9%, the minimum is €278.17 a month for childless people from age 23, and €270.26 for people under 23 or with a child. Your insurer’s additional contribution rate changes the amount. Proof of income prevents the calculation at the maximum amount.
Does the Federal Employment Agency pay my health insurance?
Yes, as long as you receive unemployment benefit I. For this you need at least twelve months of contributions to unemployment insurance within the last 30 months. A mini-job or a student assistant job does not count. Register as job-seeking three months before the end of your studies, if you know the date.
What applies to an internship after my studies?
An internship without enrolment is usually subject to social insurance, so you are compulsorily insured as an employee. Family-insured people must insure themselves for a paid internship above €603 a month.
What to do now
- Find out when your last semester ends, and note the day after it as the start of your follow-on insurance.
- Before that day, check whether you can be covered by family insurance, and ask your insurer which proof it needs.
- Register as job-seeking three months before the end of your studies if you want to apply for unemployment benefit I.
- If you want to leave follow-on insurance, respond to your insurer’s notice within two weeks, and submit proof of your new cover.
- Notify your insurer of your start of work. How your entry continues is explained in Starting work after your studies: how to get off to a good start (in German).
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the route to advice on the Academycon homepage.
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Related articles
- What happens to your private health insurance after studies? (in German)
- Private health insurance at the start of your career: advantages for graduates (in German)
- Expectancy cover in private health insurance: when it is worthwhile for students (in German)
- Starting work after your studies: how to get off to a good start (in German)
- Health insurance at the start of your career: from final exam to first employment contract (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
