Medical student insurance follows the same rules as for all students: a private policy requires an exemption from compulsory insurance, which you apply for within three months of the obligation starting. The exemption is irrevocable and normally applies for the entire course of study. Statutory student insurance costs at least €118.16 per month in 2026, or €123.29 from age 23 without children, plus the insurer’s additional contribution. Private premiums depend on entry age, state of health and tariff. Electives, the practical year and a later start to your career deserve a close look at the pitfalls.
Key takeaways
- Even during medical studies you are initially compulsorily insured under statutory student insurance. You reach private insurance only through the exemption, applied for within three months.
- During the exemption there is no beitragsfreie family insurance. A return to statutory insurance is normally only possible after your studies, for example through employment subject to compulsory insurance.
- The KVdS costs at least €118.16 (under 23 or with a child), or €123.29 (childless from 23), plus the additional contribution.
- Whether electives and the practical year count as prescribed internships follows from your study and examination regulations. If in doubt, your health insurance fund will clarify it.
- If you later become a civil servant, the opening campaign of private insurers can help: application within the first six months, risk surcharge of at most 30 percent.
Medical student insurance: compulsory or private, what applies?
Anyone enrolled at a state or state-recognised university is compulsorily insured under statutory insurance under § 5 SGB V, unless a prior insurance exists. This also applies to medical studies. An overview of the obligation, the contribution and the alternatives is given in our article on which health insurance applies during your studies (in German).
Anyone who wants private insurance is exempted on application. The exemption only takes effect with proof that you are covered for illness elsewhere, in practice with a private policy. If you have not claimed any benefits by then, it takes effect retroactively from the start of the obligation.
| Criterion | Statutory student insurance | Private insurance after exemption |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution 2026 | From €118.16 or €123.29 plus additional contribution | According to entry age, state of health and tariff |
| Access | With enrolment, unless a prior insurance exists | Exemption application within three months, health questions in the application |
| Family insurance | Possible under the conditions | Excluded during the exemption |
| Duration | Until the end of the semester in which you turn 30 | Irrevocable, normally for the entire course of study |
What distinguishes private insurance in medical studies from statutory insurance?
In private insurance, the premium depends on entry age. There are student tariffs for young first-time insureds up to the age of 30, who take out their exemption at the start of their studies. Which benefits you receive is set by the tariff. For medical aids, tariffs distinguish between an open catalogue, which reimburses all medically necessary aids, and a closed one, which reimburses only the aids explicitly named.
In statutory insurance there are also fixed commitments: through the central service point 116117, a specialist appointment must be offered within one week, and the waiting time may not exceed four weeks. Whether private insurance is the better choice for you depends on your planning. The comparison of the two systems can be found in our article on costs and benefits of private health insurance during your studies (in German).
What pitfalls exist with private insurance during medical studies?
- Irrevocable: the exemption cannot be revoked. A switch into statutory insurance is normally only possible after your studies, for example through employment subject to compulsory insurance. A mini-job is not enough.
- Health questions: ongoing treatment and recommended operations often lead to rejection. An anonymous risk enquiry before the application shows whether an insurer will accept you.
- Premium adjustments: private premiums can rise over the years. In the event of an increase you have a special right of termination.
- Invoices: you pay the doctor’s invoice yourself first and submit it to your insurer. You have three years from the end of the year in which the invoice was issued.
If you change course or university, our article on health insurance when changing courses (in German) shows what applies to your cover.
How is cover during electives, the practical year and abroad?
A prescribed interim internship is exempt from social insurance, regardless of duration, weekly hours and pay. Compulsory student insurance remains possible alongside it. Anyone who completes a prescribed occupational practical activity without pay is compulsorily insured under § 5 para. 1 no. 10 SGB V, up to the age of 30 at most. Whether your electives or your practical year count as prescribed follows from your study and examination regulations. If in doubt, ask your health insurance fund.
If you go abroad for a semester in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, you remain in the KVdS, provided you stay enrolled, keep your residence in Germany and are under 30. With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) you receive medically necessary treatment under the rules of the country you are staying in. Statutory insurance does not pay for repatriation to Germany, for which a private travel health insurance is common.
Outside the EU, clarify your cover with your health insurance fund before departure. Health insurers and the Consumer Advice Centre recommend private travel health insurance that matches the duration and scope of your stay and covers repatriation.
When are you family-insured during medical studies?
As the child of statutory insured parents, you are family-insured free of contributions under § 10 SGB V. This applies up to 23 if you are not in employment, and up to 25 if you are studying. Your total income may not exceed €565 per month in 2026. Child benefit, BAföG and maintenance do not count; everything about child benefit during your studies (in German) is explained in a separate article. If there is a break between school and the start of your studies, our article on the gap year and health insurance (in German) helps.
If one parent is entitled to Beihilfe, the private premium during your studies can initially be low, for example with 80 percent Beihilfe for eligible children in Hamburg. The Beihilfe usually ends when you reach the age of 25, when the family supplement ends. The burden then rises considerably. The exact rates are given by the competent Beihilfe office.
Private insurance, Beihilfe and career start as a doctor
If you become a civil servant on probation, for life or in any other status, a combination of Beihilfe and private health insurance is common. The Beihilfe rate at federal level is 50 percent for eligible persons and 70 percent if there are at least two eligible children. The federal states have their own rules with similar rates and deviations, usually 50 percent, and usually 80 percent for children. Ask the Beihilfe office for the exact figures.
If you have pre-existing conditions, the opening campaign of private insurers can help. You submit the application within the first six months after your first appointment as a civil servant. The risk surcharge is at most 30 percent of the tariff premium, there are no benefit exclusions and no maximum entry age. The entitlement only covers Beihilfe-compliant tariffs and only applies to the first company to which you submit a formal application. The PKV association leaflet sets out the conditions.
As an employed doctor, the following applies: if your pay is below the compulsory insurance threshold, which in 2026 is €6,450 per month or €77,400 per year, statutory insurance is compulsory. An expectancy cover (Anwartschaft) in private insurance secures your state of health, and the large expectancy cover additionally secures your entry age. It allows a return without a new health assessment, usually within two months after the reason has ceased.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take out private insurance as a medical student?
Yes, through the exemption from compulsory insurance. You apply to your health insurance fund within three months of the obligation starting and prove that you are covered elsewhere. The exemption is irrevocable and normally applies for the entire course of study.
Is an electives placement subject to social insurance?
A prescribed interim internship is exempt from social insurance. Without pay, compulsory insurance can apply under § 5 para. 1 no. 10 SGB V, up to the age of 30 at most. Which rule applies to your electives follows from your study and examination regulations; if in doubt, ask your health insurance fund.
What does health insurance cost for medical students?
In statutory student insurance you pay at least €118.16 per month in 2026 (under 23 or with a child) or €123.29 (childless from 23), plus your fund’s additional contribution. At an average additional contribution of 2.9 percent, that comes to around €143 and €148 respectively. The private premium depends on entry age, state of health and tariff.
What happens to my private insurance when I become a civil servant?
With civil servant status, Beihilfe is added, and the private insurance supplements it. If you have pre-existing conditions, you can use the opening campaign: application within the first six months after the first appointment, risk surcharge of at most 30 percent, no benefit exclusions.
How to proceed now
- Decide before your studies begin whether you want the exemption, and plan the three-month deadline. Keep in mind that it is irrevocable.
- Before applying, use an anonymous risk enquiry, and answer the health questions fully and truthfully later.
- Clarify with your health insurance fund whether your electives and practical year count as prescribed internships, and arrange cover for stays abroad separately.
- Inform yourself in good time before your career start at the Beihilfe office, if civil servant status is an option.
If you want to discuss your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage.
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Related reading
- Health insurance for students: compulsory cover, options and special cases (in German)
- Private health insurance for students: costs and benefits (in German)
- PKV for dual students: what you need to know (in German)
- Health insurance during a gap year: how you stay covered (in German)
- Disability insurance during medical studies (in German)
- Medical studies: electives, practical year and health insurance (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
