Family insurance via your spouse is possible for students at no extra contribution if your partner is a member of a statutory health insurer and your total income in 2026 does not exceed 565 € a month. It also applies to registered life partners, has no age limit for spouses and takes priority over student health insurance. If your partner is privately insured, it is not an option.
The most important points in brief
- Spouses and registered life partners of a member of the statutory health insurance can be covered. Unmarried partners are not included.
- The income limit in 2026 is 565 € a month. For a mini-job the limit is 603 €.
- For spouses and life partners there is no age limit. The limits of 18, 23 and 25 apply only to children.
- Family insurance takes priority over student health insurance. Beyond age 30, it replaces voluntary membership.
- If your partner is privately insured or you are exempt from insurance, family insurance is not possible.
When can you be covered as a student via your spouse?
Several requirements must be met at the same time. The legal basis is § 10 of Book V of the Social Code (SGB V). The table shows the conditions as they apply in 2026:
| Requirement | What applies |
|---|---|
| Relationship | Marriage or registered life partnership. Unmarried partners are not covered by family insurance. |
| Partner’s insurance | The partner is a member of a statutory health insurer. |
| Residence | Residence or habitual abode in Germany. |
| Income | Total income of at most 565 € a month (2026), 603 € for a mini-job. |
| Your own status | No own compulsory insurance, for example as an employee, no voluntary membership, no exemption from insurance and no full-time self-employment. |
| Age | No age limit for spouses and life partners. |
For family insurance of children and up to age 25 via the parents, the rules are different. Family insurance during your studies (in German) explains this route.
What income limit applies to students?
The limit is 565 € a month in 2026. It applies to all income added together. If you are an employee, you can deduct the flat-rate work expenses allowance of 102.50 €, so you stay in family insurance up to a total income of 667.50 €. For a mini-job, the marginal earnings limit of 603 € applies.
What counts as income matters:
| Counts as income | Does not count |
|---|---|
| Earned income and profits from self-employment | BAföG |
| Rental income | Child benefit |
| Interest, but only above the saver’s allowance of 1,000 € | Parental allowance and housing benefit |
| Severance pay for a defined period | Tax-free scholarships |
A brief, unpredictable excess does no harm, and your health insurer will tell you how long that may last. If your income is regularly higher, family insurance ends and you must inform your insurer.
Does family insurance take priority over student health insurance?
Yes. If you are covered under § 10 SGB V, you do not need compulsory student health insurance. You must then be insured in the family insurance and not as a student. Beyond age 30 this has a further effect: anyone who is voluntarily insured as a student over 30 cannot also use family insurance, because the two exclude each other. You would have to end the voluntary membership and report this to your insurer. Speak to your insurer about the process in advance. Other routes are described in health insurance as a student over 30 (in German).
What does family insurance save per month?
An example with the average additional contribution of 2.9% for 2026. Your rate depends on your insurer.
| Situation | Without family insurance | With family insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Student, 27, compulsorily insured as a student | 148.09 € (87.38 € + 24.80 € additional contribution + 35.91 € long-term care) | 0 € |
| Student, 31, voluntarily insured, income below 1,318.33 € | 278.17 € (222.80 € + 55.37 € long-term care) | 0 € |
Both examples assume students without children.
What applies if your spouse has private health insurance?
In that case, family insurance is not possible. Your partner must be a member of a statutory insurer. The income limit of 6,450 € a month, above which children of a privately insured parent are no longer covered, applies only to children, not to spouses. For spouses, the only question is whether the partner is statutorily insured.
If you have been exempted from insurance, family insurance is ruled out for the duration of the exemption. You then need your own cover. For options beyond age 30, see private health insurance for students over 30 (in German).
Which other exclusions are there?
- Full-time self-employment of the student.
- Own compulsory insurance, for example through work above the mini-job limit, unemployment benefit or statutory pension.
- Exemption from insurance, for example through civil service status.
What happens on marriage, divorce or a change in income?
Family insurance follows the marriage or partnership. Once it ends, for example after a divorce, the cover continues as voluntary membership from the following day (compulsory follow-on insurance). You can leave within two weeks of your insurer’s notice, but only with proof of other cover in case of illness. If you are under 30 and enrolled, student health insurance applies again, because the priority family insurance no longer exists. The same applies if your income rises permanently above 565 €.
What about children and family insurance for the couple?
Shared children can also be covered by family insurance if one parent is a member of a statutory insurer. Studying with a child is covered in studying with a child: money and insurance (in German).
New from 2028: does covering your spouse cost anything?
According to reports on the GKV contribution rate stabilisation act, from 2028 the insured member is to pay a surcharge of around 2.5% for covering a spouse or life partner. Exceptions include, among others, a child under 12 in the household, caring for a relative with at least care level 2, reaching the statutory retirement age and full reduction in earning capacity. Sources differ on how the surcharge will be levied. For you, family insurance remains free of contributions, and the surcharge would fall on your partner. Ask your insurer for the current position.
How do you apply for family insurance?
Registration goes through the health insurer. Expect to provide proof of marriage or partnership and of your income. The insurer decides which documents are needed. Universities also require the digital confirmation of a statutory insurer for enrolment, and the insurer responsible for you issues it. If your income or family situation changes, inform the insurer promptly.
Values 2026 (status as of 1 January 2026)
| Measure | Values 2026 | 2027 (status) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income limit (total income) | 565 € a month | 590 € (calculated and planned, not yet decided; Bundesrat approval pending) | § 10 SGB V; planned regulation |
| Mini-job special case | 603 € a month | 633 € (official) | § 10 para. 1 sentence 5 SGB V; Minijob-Zentrale |
| Age limit during training | 25 years | unchanged | § 10 para. 2 SGB V |
| Extension of the age limit | by the duration of service or voluntary service | unchanged | § 10 para. 2 SGB V |
| Monthly reference income (basis) | 3,955 € | 4,130 € (planned, not yet decided; cabinet decision 7 October 2026) | BMAS; planned regulation |
Frequently asked questions
Can I be covered by family insurance through my spouse as a student?
Yes, if your partner is a member of a statutory health insurer and your total income in 2026 is at most 565 € a month. For a mini-job the limit is 603 €. You must not be compulsorily insured yourself, exempt from insurance, or self-employed full-time.
Which income limit applies?
In 2026 it is 565 € a month for total income. Employees can deduct a flat-rate allowance of 102.50 €, which raises the effective limit to 667.50 €. For a mini-job, 603 € applies.
What if my spouse has private health insurance?
Then family insurance is not possible. You need your own cover. As a student under 30, that is usually student health insurance.
Does this also apply to registered life partners?
Yes, registered life partners are treated the same as spouses. Unmarried partners are not covered by family insurance, even in a long relationship or a shared household.
What happens in a divorce?
Family insurance ends because the marriage is its basis. The cover then continues as voluntary membership, unless you leave within two weeks of your insurer’s notice with proof of other cover. If you are under 30 and enrolled, you are again compulsorily insured as a student.
What to do now
- Check whether your partner is a member of a statutory insurer. Only then is family insurance an option.
- Calculate your total income: BAföG and child benefit do not count, but part-time work and rental income do.
- Speak to your partner’s insurer about registration and ask which documents you need.
- If you are voluntarily insured, agree with your insurer how to end that membership so there is no gap in cover.
- Get the confirmation from your insurer for the university and report any changes in income or family status.
Related articles
- Family insurance or private insurance during your studies (in German)
- Health insurance as a student over 30 (in German)
- Family insurance under 25 (in German)
- Health insurance for students: what you need to know (in German)
- Private health insurance for students over 30 (in German)
- Studying with a child: money and insurance (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
