The additional contribution 2026 of statutory health insurers ranges from 2.18 to 4.39 percent, and the average set by the Federal Ministry of Health is 2.9 percent. In student health insurance you pay your insurer’s additional contribution on a fixed basis of 855 euros a month. At a rate of 2.69 percent, that is 23.00 euros.
The table below lists the 91 health insurers from the list of the GKV-Spitzenverband with their additional contribution, plus the monthly health insurance contribution for students. The list is dated 16 October 2026.
The key points at a glance
- According to the Federal Ministry of Health, the average additional contribution in 2026 is 2.9 percent. Each insurer sets its own rate, and in the table the range runs from 2.18 to 4.39 percent.
- Students pay the additional contribution on 855 euros a month. One percentage point equals 8.55 euros a month or 102.60 euros a year.
- The basic contribution of 87.38 euros and long-term care insurance of 30.78 euros (under 23 or with a child) or 35.91 euros (childless from age 23) are the same at all insurers.
- If your insurer raises its additional contribution, you may terminate until the end of the month from which the higher rate applies.
- Statutory benefits are largely uniform. Differences lie in statutory-option benefits and service.
What is the additional contribution 2026 at each health insurer?
The table shows the additional contribution of each insurer according to the list of the GKV-Spitzenverband, sorted in ascending order of the rate. The order is a pure numerical sort and not a rating of the insurers. The last column gives the monthly health insurance contribution for students: 10.22 percent plus the additional contribution, calculated on 855 euros. Long-term care insurance comes on top.
| Health insurer | Open to | Additional contribution 2026 | Health insurance for students per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| BKK firmus | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt | 2.18 percent | 106.02 euros |
| Krones Betriebskrankenkasse | company-based | 2.2 percent | 106.19 euros |
| AOK Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland (Die Gesundheitskasse) | Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland | 2.47 percent | 108.50 euros |
| BKK Faber-Castell & Partner | Bavaria | 2.48 percent | 108.59 euros |
| BKK Public | Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia | 2.5 percent | 108.76 euros |
| BKK evm | company-based | 2.5 percent | 108.76 euros |
| TUI BKK | nationwide | 2.5 percent | 108.76 euros |
| Handelskrankenkasse (hkk) | nationwide | 2.59 percent | 109.53 euros |
| Audi BKK | nationwide | 2.6 percent | 109.61 euros |
| AOK Bayern (Die Gesundheitskasse) | Bavaria | 2.69 percent | 110.38 euros |
| Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) | nationwide | 2.69 percent | 110.38 euros |
| EY Betriebskrankenkasse | company-based | 2.75 percent | 110.89 euros |
| Betriebskrankenkasse der G.M. Pfaff AG | Rhineland-Palatinate | 2.78 percent | 111.15 euros |
| BKK Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg (SBH) | Baden-Württemberg | 2.79 percent | 111.24 euros |
| BKK MTU | company-based | 2.8 percent | 111.32 euros |
| Betriebskrankenkasse PricewaterhouseCoopers | company-based | 2.8 percent | 111.32 euros |
| WMF BKK | nationwide | 2.85 percent | 111.75 euros |
| AOK Sachsen-Anhalt (Die Gesundheitskasse) | Saxony-Anhalt | 2.89 percent | 112.09 euros |
| HEK (Hanseatische Krankenkasse) | nationwide | 2.89 percent | 112.09 euros |
| BMW BKK | company-based | 2.9 percent | 112.18 euros |
| AOK (Die Gesundheitskasse für Niedersachsen) | Lower Saxony | 2.98 percent | 112.86 euros |
| AOK (Die Gesundheitskasse in Hessen) | Hesse | 2.98 percent | 112.86 euros |
| SKD BKK | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein | 2.98 percent | 112.86 euros |
| AOK Baden-Württemberg | Baden-Württemberg | 2.99 percent | 112.95 euros |
| AOK NordWest (Die Gesundheitskasse) | North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein | 2.99 percent | 112.95 euros |
| BKK Freudenberg | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony | 2.99 percent | 112.95 euros |
| BKK Linde | nationwide | 2.99 percent | 112.95 euros |
| KARL MAYER BKK | company-based | 2.99 percent | 112.95 euros |
| AOK PLUS (Die Gesundheitskasse für Sachsen und Thüringen) | Saxony, Thuringia | 3.1 percent | 113.89 euros |
| Bosch BKK | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia | 3.18 percent | 114.57 euros |
| Koenig & Bauer BKK | company-based | 3.18 percent | 114.57 euros |
| BKK VDN | Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony | 3.19 percent | 114.66 euros |
| Betriebskrankenkasse EWE | company-based | 3.19 percent | 114.66 euros |
| Bertelsmann BKK | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Thuringia | 3.2 percent | 114.74 euros |
| Betriebskrankenkasse Miele | company-based | 3.2 percent | 114.74 euros |
| DAK-Gesundheit | nationwide | 3.2 percent | 114.74 euros |
| Mercedes-Benz BKK | company-based | 3.2 percent | 114.74 euros |
| Debeka BKK | nationwide | 3.25 percent | 115.17 euros |
| AOK Bremen/Bremerhaven | Bremen | 3.29 percent | 115.51 euros |
| AOK Rheinland/Hamburg (Die Gesundheitskasse) | Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia | 3.29 percent | 115.51 euros |
| BARMER | nationwide | 3.29 percent | 115.51 euros |
| Salus BKK | nationwide | 3.29 percent | 115.51 euros |
| Continentale Betriebskrankenkasse | nationwide | 3.33 percent | 115.85 euros |
| BKK Akzo Nobel Bayern | Bavaria | 3.39 percent | 116.37 euros |
| BKK EUREGIO | Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia | 3.39 percent | 116.37 euros |
| IKK gesund plus | nationwide | 3.39 percent | 116.37 euros |
| BKK Deutsche Bank AG | company-based | 3.4 percent | 116.45 euros |
| BKK GILDEMEISTER SEIDENSTICKER | nationwide | 3.4 percent | 116.45 euros |
| BKK-Würth | company-based | 3.4 percent | 116.45 euros |
| ZF BKK | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia | 3.4 percent | 116.45 euros |
| BKK Herkules | Bavaria, Hesse, Lower Saxony | 3.48 percent | 117.14 euros |
| BKK exklusiv | Bremen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein | 3.49 percent | 117.22 euros |
| Betriebskrankenkasse Technoform | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate | 3.49 percent | 117.22 euros |
| R+V Betriebskrankenkasse | nationwide | 3.49 percent | 117.22 euros |
| AOK Nordost (Die Gesundheitskasse) | Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 3.5 percent | 117.31 euros |
| BKK Salzgitter | company-based | 3.5 percent | 117.31 euros |
| BKK mkk (meine krankenkasse) | nationwide | 3.5 percent | 117.31 euros |
| Südzucker BKK | company-based | 3.5 percent | 117.31 euros |
| novitas bkk | nationwide | 3.6 percent | 118.16 euros |
| BAHN-BKK | nationwide | 3.65 percent | 118.59 euros |
| BKK B. Braun Aesculap | company-based | 3.65 percent | 118.59 euros |
| BIG direkt gesund | nationwide | 3.69 percent | 118.93 euros |
| Pronova BKK | nationwide | 3.7 percent | 119.02 euros |
| Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH) | nationwide | 3.78 percent | 119.70 euros |
| BERGISCHE KRANKENKASSE | Hamburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia | 3.79 percent | 119.79 euros |
| BKK ProVita | nationwide | 3.79 percent | 119.79 euros |
| vivida bkk | nationwide | 3.79 percent | 119.79 euros |
| BKK Diakonie | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein | 3.8 percent | 119.87 euros |
| Siemens-Betriebskrankenkasse (SBK) | nationwide | 3.8 percent | 119.87 euros |
| IKK classic | nationwide | 3.85 percent | 120.30 euros |
| mhplus Betriebskrankenkasse | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | 3.86 percent | 120.38 euros |
| IKK Südwest | Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland | 3.87 percent | 120.47 euros |
| BKK_DürkoppAdler | North Rhine-Westphalia | 3.88 percent | 120.56 euros |
| BKK VerbundPlus | nationwide | 3.89 percent | 120.64 euros |
| Betriebskrankenkasse Mobil | nationwide | 3.89 percent | 120.64 euros |
| BKK Pfalz | nationwide | 3.9 percent | 120.73 euros |
| Heimat Krankenkasse | nationwide | 3.9 percent | 120.73 euros |
| SECURVITA BKK | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia | 3.9 percent | 120.73 euros |
| bkk melitta hmr | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein | 3.9 percent | 120.73 euros |
| Merck BKK | company-based | 3.97 percent | 121.32 euros |
| energie-BKK | nationwide | 3.98 percent | 121.41 euros |
| BKK Scheufelen | Baden-Württemberg | 3.99 percent | 121.50 euros |
| BKK WIRTSCHAFT UND FINANZEN | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony | 3.99 percent | 121.50 euros |
| VIACTIV Krankenkasse | nationwide | 4.19 percent | 123.21 euros |
| BKK Groz-Beckert | company-based | 4.2 percent | 123.29 euros |
| BKK MAHLE | company-based | 4.2 percent | 123.29 euros |
| BKK Rieker.RICOSTA.Weisser | company-based | 4.2 percent | 123.29 euros |
| IKK (Die Innovationskasse) | nationwide | 4.3 percent | 124.15 euros |
| KNAPPSCHAFT | nationwide | 4.3 percent | 124.15 euros |
| BKK WERRA-MEISSNER | Bavaria, Hesse | 4.35 percent | 124.57 euros |
| BKK24 | nationwide | 4.39 percent | 124.92 euros |
Source: list of health insurers of the GKV-Spitzenverband, as of 16 October 2026. The amounts in the last column are our own calculations from this list. This page is updated at the turn of the year and when rates change. If your insurer has changed its rate in the meantime, the new value applies, which you will find on your insurer’s website.
For long-term care insurance there are no differences between insurers: 30.78 euros a month if you are under 23 or have a child, and 35.91 euros if you are childless from age 23. With two or more children under 25 the amount is lower.
Which health insurers can students choose?
As a compulsorily insured student in student health 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 column “Open to” shows where an insurer accepts members. 34 of the 91 insurers in the table are open nationwide. The eleven AOKs work regionally, each for its own area, and their additional contributions range from 2.47 percent (Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland) to 3.5 percent (Berlin, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania). For 20 insurers the entry reads “company-based”. They are tied to a company, and whether they accept students is for each insurer to decide.
What is the additional contribution and what is the average?
The additional contribution is the rate that a health insurer charges on top of the statutory contribution rate. Each insurer sets it itself. For students it is the only part of the contribution that differs between insurers.
The average additional contribution rate for 2026 is 2.9 percent. The Federal Ministry of Health announced it in the Federal Gazette of 10 November 2025. It is a reference figure, and what counts for you is your insurer’s rate.
In the table, 19 insurers are below 2.9 percent, one is exactly on it, and 71 are above. The lowest rate is 0.72 percentage points below the average, and the highest is 1.49 points above it. The gap between the two is 2.21 percentage points, which on a contribution basis of 855 euros is 18.90 euros a month.
The Federal Ministry of Health announces the average additional contribution for 2027 by 1 November 2026 (section 242a SGB V). Which rate the individual insurer charges for 2027 is for each insurer to decide.
Do students pay the additional contribution?
Yes. If you are compulsorily insured in student health insurance, you pay your insurer’s additional contribution on top of the basic contribution and long-term care insurance. If you are family insured through your parents or your partner, you pay no contribution and therefore no additional contribution either. Which options you have is explained in the article health insurance for students (in German).
Example: Lea is 21 and has an insurer with an additional contribution of 2.69 percent. Ben is 24, childless, and has an insurer with 3.29 percent.
| Component 2026 | Lea, 21 | Ben, 24 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic contribution (10.22 percent of 855 euros) | 87.38 euros | 87.38 euros |
| Additional contribution (on 855 euros) | 23.00 euros | 28.13 euros |
| Long-term care insurance | 30.78 euros | 35.91 euros |
| Total per month | 141.16 euros | 151.42 euros |
The difference of 10.26 euros a month comes from two equal parts. 5.13 euros arise from the additional contribution, which is 0.6 percentage points higher for Ben. A further 5.13 euros come from the childless surcharge for long-term care from age 23. More amounts and limits are in student health insurance 2026 in figures (in German).
After compulsory student insurance ends, for example at 30, membership generally continues voluntarily. A reduced rate then applies of 14.0 percent plus the additional contribution on at least 1,318.33 euros a month. At 2.9 percent, the example comes to 222.80 euros for health insurance, plus 55.37 euros for long-term care for childless people. How costs change with age is shown in costs of health insurance by age (in German).
What are the additional contributions of TK, AOK, Barmer and DAK?
Academycon has separate articles on these four insurers. The figures are shown here side by side, in alphabetical order.
| Insurer | Additional contribution 2026 | Health insurance for students per month |
|---|---|---|
| AOK (eleven regional insurers) | 2.47 percent to 3.5 percent | 108.50 euros to 117.31 euros |
| Barmer | 3.29 percent | 115.51 euros |
| DAK-Gesundheit | 3.2 percent | 114.74 euros |
| Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) | 2.69 percent | 110.38 euros |
For the AOK, the rate depends on which AOK is responsible for your place of residence or study. Details are in the articles Techniker Krankenkasse for students (in German), AOK for students (in German) and Barmer and DAK for students (in German).
What distinguishes health insurers apart from the additional contribution?
Most benefits are set by law and are largely the same at all insurers. Differences lie in the benefits an insurer may additionally provide under its articles of association, and in its service. Which statutory-option benefits an insurer offers is stated on its website. Compare them there with your own needs.
Where statutory benefits reach their limits during study is described in statutory health insurance during study (in German).
What does a difference in additional contribution mean over a study year?
The additional contribution has a uniform effect: every percentage point costs 8.55 euros a month. The following overview calculates three differences for a full year.
| Difference in additional contribution | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| 0.2 percentage points | 1.71 euros | 20.52 euros |
| 1.0 percentage point | 8.55 euros | 102.60 euros |
| 2.21 percentage points (range of the table) | about 18.90 euros | about 227 euros |
Is a switch worth it because of a lower additional contribution?
That depends on the difference and on what matters to you about your insurer. Convert the difference into euros at 8.55 euros per percentage point, and set it against what the other insurer offers in statutory-option benefits and service.
After your choice you are generally bound to your insurer for at least twelve months. Termination takes effect at the end of the second calendar month after the month of notice (section 175 SGB V). When you switch, the new insurer deregisters you from the old one, so you do not have to terminate yourself. Deadlines, process and the notification to the university are described in switching health insurer as a student (in German).
What happens if the additional contribution increases?
If your insurer raises its additional contribution or charges one for the first time, you have a special right of termination. You can terminate until the end of the month from which the additional contribution is first charged or raised. The twelve-month commitment does not have to be waited out for this.
Termination takes effect only when you prove other cover in the event of illness, for example through membership with the new insurer. Example: an insurer raises its rate with effect from 1 February. Then the deadline runs until the end of February. The new insurer decides when your membership with it begins. So check your insurer’s website at the turn of the year, so that you do not miss an increase and its deadline.
Frequently asked questions
What is the additional contribution 2026 at each health insurer?
It ranges from 2.18 to 4.39 percent. The table above shows the rate of the 91 insurers from the list of the GKV-Spitzenverband. For students, multiply the rate by 855 euros. An insurer with 3.29 percent charges 28.13 euros a month, and one with 2.69 percent charges 23.00 euros. The current rate on your insurer’s website always applies.
Do students pay the additional contribution?
Yes, if you are compulsorily insured in student health insurance. The additional contribution is charged on top of the basic contribution of 87.38 euros and long-term care insurance. Family-insured students pay no contribution and therefore no additional contribution.
Is a switch worth it because of a lower additional contribution?
At a difference of 0.4 percentage points, you save 3.42 euros a month and 41.04 euros a year. Against this stand the twelve-month commitment to the insurer and the question whether the new insurer’s statutory-option benefits and service suit you. With larger gaps the saving weighs more.
Where can I find the current additional contribution of my insurer?
On your insurer’s website. The GKV-Spitzenverband lists all insurers in its list of health insurers, which states the additional contribution for each. Check the rate at the turn of the year, because it can change.
What happens if the additional contribution increases?
You can terminate outside the usual deadlines, until the end of the month from which the higher rate applies. Termination takes effect only with proof of other cover. The twelve-month commitment does not apply to this special right of termination.
So what do you do now?
- Find your insurer in the table and note its additional contribution.
- Convert the difference to other insurers at 8.55 euros per percentage point, per year.
- Read the statutory-option benefits and service of the insurers you are considering.
- Keep in mind the twelve-month commitment and the special right of termination if the rate rises.
- Check your insurer’s rate again at the turn of the year.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage.
You can read reviews of us on ProvenExpert, Trustlocal and Trustindex.
Related articles
- Switching health insurer as a student: deadlines, process and special right of termination (in German)
- Health insurance costs for students by age: under 25, 25 to 29 and from 30 (in German)
- Student health insurance 2026 in figures: limits, contributions and deadlines (in German)
- Health insurance for students: compulsory, options and special cases (in German)
- Minimum contribution basis (in German)
- Special right of termination for additional contributions (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.
