Dual study health insurance and family cover rarely go together: if you receive a salary, you are compulsorily insured in your own right. Free family cover through your parents therefore ends, even if you are not yet 25. Student health insurance does not apply either. You choose a health insurer, the employer registers you there, and the contributions are deducted from your pay.
The key points at a glance
- Dual students are compulsorily insured for health, long-term care, pension and unemployment insurance throughout the programme, and covered by accident insurance, in practical and theory phases alike.
- Anyone compulsorily insured as an employee cannot be family insured. This applies to dual students who receive a salary.
- In 2026 the general contribution rate of 14.6 percent applies, plus your insurer’s additional contribution. You pay the childless surcharge for long-term care from age 23 yourself.
- You choose the health insurer yourself. After that you are bound for at least twelve months. If the additional contribution rises, a special right of termination applies.
- Private health insurance is a decision for many years. Check beforehand whether a switch is possible in your case and how you would return later.
How are dual students insured under statutory health insurance?
Dual students are subject to compulsory health, long-term care, pension and unemployment insurance for the whole length of their studies, and are also covered by accident insurance. The insurers treat them like trainees. This applies in the practical phases in the company as well as in the theory phases at the university. The German Pension Insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) also generally treats dual students as compulsorily insured.
The legal basis is section 5(1) no. 1 SGB V. Under it, workers, employees and those employed for their vocational training are compulsorily insured if they are employed for pay. Insurers assign dual students to this group. The compulsory student insurance (KVdS), which covers enrolled students without a priority insurance, generally does not apply.
Does the study model matter?
Dual degree programmes are structured differently, and universities and companies use different names for them. Which model you have is stated in your contract and in the study regulations. For health insurance, the rule is generally equal treatment with trainees. If you are unsure about your model, your health insurer will confirm your insurance status. How the models differ in everyday life and what they offer you is explained in the article on dual study: advantages and disadvantages (in German).
Family insurance in a dual study: when is it ruled out?
Family insurance ends as soon as you are compulsorily insured in your own right. Anyone compulsorily insured under section 5(1) no. 1 SGB V cannot also be family insured, as section 10 SGB V sets out. For dual students with a salary, this means that the free co-insurance with your parents ends for as long as the compulsory insurance lasts. This also applies if you are under 25.
For comparison, these are the key figures of family insurance for students who are not compulsorily insured:
| Rule | Value 2026 |
|---|---|
| Income limit (total income) | 565 euros per month |
| Limit for exclusively marginal employment | 603 euros per month |
| Age limit for children in school, training or study | 25 years |
| Child benefit, BAföG and parental maintenance | do not count as income |
Whether something else applies in an individual case with very low or no pay can only be decided by the health insurer. Get the information from your parents’ health insurer before the contract starts. When family insurance ends during study and what it requires in detail is explained in the article on family insurance during study (in German).
What does health insurance cost in a dual study?
The contribution is a percentage of your contribution-liable gross pay. In 2026 the general contribution rate of 14.6 percent applies to statutory health insurance. Your insurer’s additional contribution is added. The average additional contribution set by the Federal Ministry of Health is 2.9 percent in 2026, but individual insurers may differ.
| Branch | Rate 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | 14.6 percent | general contribution rate |
| Additional contribution | 2.9 percent on average | set by each insurer |
| Long-term care insurance | 3.6 percent | childless from age 23: 4.2 percent |
| Pension insurance | 18.6 percent | split equally |
How the contributions to health insurance are split between you and the company is shown on your payslip. One point you should know in advance: the childless surcharge of 0.6 points on long-term care insurance from age 23 is paid by you alone.
Example: Jonas is 22 and Lea is 24 and has no children. Both receive a salary of 1,200 euros gross a month, and their insurer charges an additional contribution of 2.9 percent. The table shows the total contribution for health and long-term care insurance before it is split between employee and employer.
| Item | Jonas, 22 | Lea, 24 |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance 14.6 percent | 175.20 euros | 175.20 euros |
| Additional contribution 2.9 percent | 34.80 euros | 34.80 euros |
| Long-term care insurance (3.6 percent or 4.2 percent) | 43.20 euros | 50.40 euros |
| Total contribution | 253.20 euros | 260.40 euros |
The difference of 7.20 euros comes only from the childless surcharge, which Lea pays herself. The figures depend on your actual pay and your insurer’s additional contribution.
Choosing and registering a health insurer: how it works
As a compulsorily insured person, you choose your health insurer yourself, as section 175 SGB V regulates. The company registers you with the insurer you have chosen, just as for a trainee. You are bound to your choice for at least twelve months. After that you can switch with effect from the end of the second calendar month after notice.
The switch is handled by the new insurer, which notifies the previous one, so you do not have to terminate yourself. If your insurer raises its additional contribution, you may terminate outside the twelve-month period, effective from the end of the month from which the higher contribution applies. Termination takes effect only if you prove other cover. The additional contributions of individual insurers are in the article on additional contributions of health insurers 2026 (in German).
For enrolment, the university requires a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurer. If your employment means you are insured through your job, you request it from your own insurer. If you switch insurers later, the new insurer informs the university.
How does it continue after the dual study?
That depends on what follows the qualification:
- Employment: As an employee you remain compulsorily insured with statutory health insurance as long as your salary stays below the insurance compulsory limit. In 2026 that is 6,450 euros a month (77,400 euros a year). More on this is in the article on the insurance compulsory limit for students (in German).
- Full-time master’s: On enrolment at a state or state-recognised university, the compulsory student insurance generally applies, unless a priority insurance exists. It ends at the end of the semester by which you have turned 30.
- Master’s with a part-time job: If you work at most 20 hours a week and mainly study, you are exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance and remain insured through student insurance. Pension insurance compulsion remains. Details on working student status and health insurance (in German).
- Part-time master’s alongside work: If you regularly work more than 20 hours a week, you are generally treated as an employee and remain compulsorily insured. Taxes, costs and insurance are covered in part-time master’s degree (in German).
If compulsory insurance ends without another one starting immediately, your membership with your insurer continues as voluntary insurance. You can leave within two weeks of the insurer’s notice if you prove other cover. If you do not provide proof of income, the insurer assumes the maximum contribution. Whether family insurance is possible in a gap between bachelor’s and master’s is something to clarify with the insurer in advance.
When is private health insurance an option?
Private health insurance is a decision for many years. When you apply, you must answer health questions truthfully, because if you breach the duty of disclosure the insurer may, under certain conditions, withdraw from the contract. Before applying, an anonymous risk enquiry is advisable. The insurer also reviews its tariffs at least once a year and may adjust contributions, which means they can rise.
A return to statutory insurance is generally possible before the age of 55, for example through compulsorily insured employment below the insurance compulsory limit. A mini-job is not enough for this. From age 55 a return is generally excluded. If you are exempted from compulsory student insurance during your studies, you cannot revoke the exemption, and it normally applies for the whole course of study. Whether a switch is possible at all in your case is explained in the article private health insurance for dual students (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Am I family insured during a dual study?
Generally not. Anyone compulsorily insured as an employee cannot be family insured, and that applies to dual students who receive a salary. The limit of 565 euros a month (603 euros for a mini-job) only matters where no compulsory insurance exists. For special cases without any significant pay, the parents’ health insurer gives a binding answer.
Who pays for health insurance in a dual study?
The contributions are calculated as part of your employment relationship and deducted from your pay. The general contribution rate of 14.6 percent applies, plus your insurer’s additional contribution. Your share and the company’s share are shown on your payslip. You pay the childless surcharge for long-term care from age 23 yourself.
Can I choose my health insurer during a dual study?
Yes, compulsorily insured persons have a choice of insurer. After that you are bound to the insurer for twelve months. If it raises its additional contribution, you can terminate earlier, provided you prove other cover. The company registers you with the insurer you have chosen.
What applies during the theory phase?
The same compulsory insurance as in the practical phase. Dual students are insured for the whole duration, and the student health insurance does not apply. For enrolment you need the confirmation from your statutory health insurer.
Is private insurance worth it for a dual study?
That cannot be answered in general terms. You need to check your health information, possible contribution increases, the difficult return to statutory insurance, and whether a switch is possible in your case. Have the consequences explained before you submit an application.
So what do you do now?
- Check your training or employment contract: start date, pay, and which insurer the company should register you with.
- Choose your health insurer and compare the additional contributions.
- Tell your parents’ health insurer when compulsory insurance starts, so that family insurance ends cleanly.
- Request the confirmation from your insurer for the university.
- Plan the end of the contract in good time: ask your insurer which cover applies afterwards.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage.
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Related articles
- Private health insurance for dual students: what you need to know (in German)
- Dual study: advantages, disadvantages and requirements (in German)
- Family insurance during study: how long you are co-insured (in German)
- Health insurance for students: compulsory, options and special cases (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
