Switching health insurer as a student: once you have chosen an insurer, you are bound to it for at least twelve months. Termination takes effect at the end of the second calendar month after notice. If your insurer raises its additional contribution, you can terminate even within the twelve months. You do not have to give notice yourself when switching, because the new insurer reports the change to the previous insurer and to your university.
The key points at a glance
- After choosing an insurer you are generally bound for at least twelve months (section 175(4) SGB V).
- Termination takes effect at the end of the second calendar month after notice. If you declare the switch in January, the membership with the previous insurer ends at the end of March, provided the commitment has expired by then.
- If the additional contribution rises, a special right of termination applies until the end of the month from which the higher rate applies. The binding period does not matter then.
- The new insurer reports your switch to the previous insurer and to the university. You do not have to inform either of them yourself.
- Termination without a switch takes effect only if you prove other cover in the event of illness.
How often can a student switch health insurer?
After choosing an insurer you are bound to it for at least twelve months. This applies to compulsorily insured persons, and so to students in compulsory student health insurance. A switch is therefore generally possible at most once a year, and earlier if the additional contribution rises.
There are exceptions. The binding period does not apply if membership ends by law, for example at the end of student insurance. If the additional contribution rises, you can terminate early, as explained below. In addition, an insurer’s articles of association may provide a shortcut for switching within the same type of insurer, so it is worth checking the articles.
| Rule | Deadline | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Choose insurer when compulsory insurance begins | no later than two weeks after the start | Verbraucherzentrale |
| Binding period with the chosen insurer | at least twelve months | section 175(4) sentence 1 SGB V |
| Termination after the binding period has expired | at the end of the second calendar month after notice | section 175(4) sentence 3 SGB V |
| Special termination for a new or higher additional contribution | until the end of the month from which the contribution is charged or raised | section 175(4) sentence 5 SGB V |
| Confirmation by previous insurer when switching | no later than two weeks after receipt of the new insurer’s notice | section 175(2) SGB V |
| Confirmation of termination without a switch | within two weeks | section 175(4) sentence 4 SGB V |
The statutory text is in section 175 SGB V.
What notice period applies to students?
Termination takes effect at the end of the second calendar month after the month in which it is declared. Example: you declare the switch in January. Then membership with the previous insurer ends at the end of March, provided the twelve-month commitment has expired by then. Your new insurer will tell you the exact start date with it.
When you switch insurers, the new insurer’s notification replaces your termination, so you do not need to write to the previous insurer. If you only want to terminate and not replace the insurer with another statutory one, termination takes effect once you prove other cover in the event of illness within the notice period. The insurer confirms the termination within two weeks.
How do you switch health insurer in four steps?
- Choose the new insurer and declare your joining there. Check beforehand when your commitment ends or whether a special right of termination applies.
- The new insurer reports your choice without delay to the previous insurer through the electronic reporting procedure.
- The previous insurer confirms the end of your membership no later than two weeks after receiving the notification.
- The new insurer reports the switch to your university.
| Point in time in the example | What happens |
|---|---|
| January | You declare your joining to the new insurer. The new insurer reports the choice to the previous insurer. |
| No later than two weeks after receipt of the notification | The previous insurer confirms the end of membership. |
| End of March | Membership with the previous insurer ends. The new insurer is then responsible and confirms the exact start date to you. |
Does the special right of termination also apply to students?
Yes. The special right of termination applies to compulsorily insured persons and to voluntary members, so it also covers students in compulsory student insurance. If your insurer charges an additional contribution for the first time or raises its rate, you can terminate until the end of the month from which the additional contribution is first charged or raised. You do not have to wait out the twelve-month commitment for this.
Here too, termination takes effect only when you prove other cover. Example: an insurer raises its rate with effect from 1 February. Then the deadline runs until the end of February. One percentage point of additional contribution equals 8.55 euros a month or 102.60 euros a year for students. The current rates of all insurers are in the overview additional contributions 2026 of all health insurers (in German).
How do you choose a health insurer when studies begin?
At the start of compulsory insurance you choose freely among the AOKs, the substitute health insurers, the Knappschaft and the company and guild health insurers at your place of residence or study. You must make the choice no later than two weeks after compulsory insurance begins. The commitment only starts from this choice.
Before enrolment, the university requires a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurer. How the proof and reporting procedure work in detail is explained in the article proof of health insurance at enrolment (in German). If you do not want compulsory insurance, you can apply for an exemption within three months of compulsory insurance beginning. This exemption cannot be revoked and normally applies for the whole course of study. How the route into private health insurance works is described in switching to private insurance as a student (in German).
Do I have to notify the university of the switch?
No. When you switch insurers, the new insurer reports the switch to the university (section 199a(4) SGB V, legal text). The insurer responsible is the one with which you are or will be insured. If you change university instead, your insurance status is reassessed and reported there. This is described in the article health insurance when changing degree programme (in German).
If you work alongside your studies, tell your employer the new insurer. If contributions remain unpaid, the insurer reports the arrears to the university, which may then refuse enrolment or re-registration. Contributions for student insurance are generally payable in advance for the semester, and monthly payment is possible by SEPA mandate or standing order.
How do you avoid gaps in cover?
Never terminate before the new cover is confirmed. Termination without other cover does not take effect, and you then remain with the previous insurer. For students, the route into private health insurance runs through an exemption from compulsory insurance. It takes effect only once you prove other cover in the event of illness.
A fixed order helps: first declare your joining to the new insurer, then wait for the confirmation from the previous insurer. The notification to the university runs digitally through the insurer, and processing can take up to 24 hours.
Can I switch to any insurer?
Not every insurer is open to everyone. You choose among the AOKs, the substitute health insurers, the Knappschaft and the company and guild health insurers at your place of residence or study. The AOKs work regionally, each for its own area. Company health insurers are tied to a company, and the insurer itself decides whether to accept you. The regions in which each insurer is open are shown in the column “open for” in the table in the article additional contributions 2026 of all health insurers (in German).
What should you look at besides the additional contribution?
The statutory benefits are largely the same at all insurers. Differences arise in the benefits that an insurer provides additionally in its articles of association, and in its service. So read the statutory-option benefits of your insurer and of the one you want, before you decide on the additional contribution alone. Accessibility also matters, for example whether the insurer has a contact person at your place of study.
Where the statutory benefits reach their limits during study is described in the article statutory health insurance during study (in German).
Frequently asked questions
How often can a student switch health insurer?
After choosing an insurer you are bound for at least twelve months, so a switch is generally possible at most once a year. If the additional contribution rises, you can switch earlier, as long as you prove other cover.
What notice period applies?
Termination takes effect at the end of the second calendar month after the month of notice. If you switch to another statutory insurer, the new insurer’s notification replaces your termination.
Does the special right of termination also apply to students?
Yes, it applies to compulsorily insured persons and voluntary members. You can terminate until the end of the month from which the additional contribution is first charged or raised, provided you prove other cover.
Do I have to notify the university of the switch?
No. The new insurer reports the switch to the university. If you change university, your insurance status is reassessed and reported there.
Can I switch to any insurer?
You choose among the AOKs, the substitute health insurers, the Knappschaft and the company and guild health insurers at your place of residence or study. Regional insurers accept members in their area, while company-based insurers are tied to a company. If in doubt, ask the insurer you want.
So what do you do now?
- Note when you chose your current insurer and work out when the twelve-month commitment ends.
- Compare the additional contribution and the statutory-option benefits of the insurers you are considering.
- Declare your joining to the new insurer and wait for the confirmation from the previous insurer.
- If you also work alongside your studies, tell your employer the new insurer.
- Keep the confirmations until the membership with the new insurer is running.
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
- Additional contributions 2026 of all health insurers and what students pay (in German)
- Statutory health insurance during study: experience, costs, limits (in German)
- Health insurance at enrolment: proof, reporting and exemption (in German)
- Health insurance for students: compulsory, options and special cases (in German)
- Special right of termination for additional contributions (in German)
- Insurance compulsory limit (in German)
- Additional contribution of the health insurer (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
