Definition. Unemployment benefit I (Arbeitslosengeld I) is a benefit of the unemployment insurance for people who have lost their job and have registered as unemployed. Anyone receiving it is generally insured for health, long-term care and pensions, and the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) pays the contributions. For graduates, this matters mainly when changing jobs.
What receiving the benefit means for health insurance
While you receive the benefit, you are insured for health and long-term care through the unemployment insurance. As a rule, you therefore do not have to arrange the contributions yourself. When the benefit ends, you check which cover applies afterwards. That can be new employment with compulsory insurance, voluntary membership or private health insurance.
Who is entitled
Entitlement depends on whether you were previously employed subject to social insurance contributions and meet the statutory requirements. How long you are entitled and in what amount follows from your previous employment. A general statement is therefore not possible, and the Federal Employment Agency decides each case individually.
Figures for 2026 and their sources
The amount of unemployment benefit and the contribution rates of the unemployment insurance are not part of our fact base, so we do not state figures for them. For health insurance, the general contribution rate in 2026 is 14.6 percent (§ 241 SGB V, fact sheet on calculation variables 2026). Contributions are levied on the unemployment benefit, not on your former salary.
An example after you start working
After your master’s degree you take up a fixed-term job that ends after a few months. You register as unemployed and receive unemployment benefit I. While you receive it, you are insured for health and long-term care. When you find a new job, your insurance returns to compulsory insurance through your employer.
Related terms
- Unemployment benefit after your studies: Unemployment benefit after your studies (in German)
- Starting work: Starting work after your studies (in German)
- Health insurance after your studies: Health insurance after studies without a job (in German)
- Compulsory insurance threshold: Glossary compulsory insurance threshold (in German)
- All terms at a glance: Health insurance for students: glossary from A to Z
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay health insurance contributions myself while unemployed?
While you receive unemployment benefit I, the Federal Employment Agency pays the contributions for health and long-term care insurance. As a rule, no share falls to you in this case.
What happens when the entitlement ends?
When the benefit ends, the insurance through the unemployment insurance ends as well. You then need new cover, for example through employment, voluntary membership or private health insurance. Clarify this in good time so that no gap arises.
Does the benefit also apply to students with a part-time job?
Whether a part-time job affects your entitlement depends on the scope and type of the employment. The Federal Employment Agency examines this case by case, so it is worth asking before you apply.
Last updated: October 2026. This entry is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
Sources: § 241 SGB V, GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation variables 2026.
