The short answer on the additional contribution 2027
The estimation panel expects the additional contribution 2027 to average 2.9%, and the official figure follows by 1 November. If your health insurer raises its rate, you can terminate your membership by the end of the month in which the increase takes effect, without being bound by the twelve-month period. As a student, you pay the additional contribution in full, calculated on €855.
| Key fact | Value | Status and source |
|---|---|---|
| Average additional contribution 2027 (estimate) | 2.9% | Estimation panel 13 and 14 October 2026, Federal Office for Social Security |
| Official value for 2027 | Determined by the Federal Ministry of Health, we will add the figure once published | Announcement by 1 November 2026, § 242a SGB V |
| Special termination | Until the end of the month from which the additional contribution rises | § 175 para. 4 SGB V, accessed 20 October 2026 |
| Effective date of termination | At the end of the second calendar month after the notice | § 175 para. 4 SGB V, accessed 20 October 2026 |
| Contribution base for students | €855 per month | § 236 SGB V, status 2026 |
How is the additional contribution 2027 calculated?
The average additional contribution rate is set in two steps. First, the estimation panel estimates the income and expenditure of statutory health insurance. Then the Federal Ministry of Health sets the average value and publishes it in the Federal Gazette by 1 November (§ 242a SGB V). According to § 220 para. 2 SGB V, the ministry, the Federal Office for Social Security and the GKV-Spitzenverband take part in this process.
For 2027, the estimation panel calculated an arithmetic average of 2.9% on 13 and 14 October 2026, so the value stays the same as in 2026 (Federal Office for Social Security). According to the Federal Ministry of Health, without the Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act (GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz), 3.8% would have been expected. The official determination for 2027 is made by the Federal Ministry of Health. We will add the value once it is published.
The average is neither a ceiling nor a rate that every insurer charges. Each health insurer sets its own additional contribution rate in its statutes (§ 242 SGB V) and reports it to the GKV-Spitzenverband, which keeps an overview. In 2026, according to the list of health insurers of the GKV-Spitzenverband, the range runs from 2.18% to 4.39% (status 16 October 2026).
What do students pay for the additional contribution?
Students pay the additional contribution alone and in full. The contribution rate for compulsory members under § 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V is seven tenths of the general rate of 14.6%, which makes 10.22% (§ 245 SGB V). Your insurer’s additional contribution is not reduced. It is added on top of the contribution base of €855.
The following worked example shows what a higher rate means. It assumes a person without children aged 23 or over, a contribution base of €855, a previous additional contribution of 2.9% and a long-term care insurance contribution of 4.2%.
- Health insurance without additional contribution: €855.00 × 10.22% equals €87.38.
- Long-term care insurance: €855.00 × 4.2% equals €35.91.
- Additional contribution at 2.9%: €855.00 × 2.9% equals €24.80. Total: €148.09 per month.
- Increase by 0.3 points to 3.2%: additional contribution €27.36, that is €2.56 more, total €150.65.
- Increase by 0.5 points to 3.4%: additional contribution €29.07, that is €4.27 more, total €152.36.
- One percentage point of additional contribution corresponds to about €8.55 per month on €855, which is €102.60 per year.
| Additional contribution | Additional contribution in € (€855) | Total health and care insurance (€855) | Additional contribution in € (€943, planned) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.9% | 24.80 | 148.09 | 27.35 |
| 3.2% (+0.3 points) | 27.36 | 150.65 | 30.18 |
| 3.4% (+0.5 points) | 29.07 | 152.36 | 32.06 |
The column with €943 shows a scenario. Only if the BAföG reform comes as set out in the draft bill, the contribution base is expected to rise to €943 (€503 plus €440) from the winter semester 2027/28. Until then, it remains €855. Read more in our article BAföG reform 2027 (in German). The example figures show one possible situation. You can enter your own values in the health insurance contribution calculator.
When can I terminate because of the additional contribution?
You can terminate if your insurer charges or increases an additional contribution for the first time. Termination is possible until the end of the month from which the additional contribution is charged or increased (§ 175 para. 4 SGB V). The twelve-month binding period to the chosen insurer does not apply in this case. You have the right to choose from the age of 15, and the chosen insurer may not refuse your admission (§ 175 para. 1 SGB V).
What matters is the month of the increase, not the date of a letter from your insurer. If it increases on 1 January 2027, your deadline ends on 31 January 2027. Termination takes effect at the end of the second calendar month after you declare it, counted from the month in which you declare it. Until then, you pay the increased rate.
| Termination declared in | Membership ends on | New insurer from |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | 31 January 2027 | 1 February 2027 |
| December 2026 | 28 February 2027 | 1 March 2027 |
| January 2027 (last day of the deadline: 31 January 2027) | 31 March 2027 | 1 April 2027 |
The table applies to an increase on 1 January 2027. If your insurer increases at another time, the deadline shifts accordingly.
How do I terminate step by step?
The process depends on whether you switch to a new insurer. In most cases you do, and then you do not need a separate termination letter, because the notification from the new insurer replaces the termination (§ 175 para. 4 SGB V). Here is how to proceed:
- Keep the notice about the new rate and note the month from which it applies. Your deadline depends on it.
- Choose the new insurer and apply for membership there. Do this within the deadline, so for an increase on 1 January 2027, by 31 January 2027 at the latest.
- The new insurer reports the change. The termination is considered declared at the time of your choice notice to the new insurer.
- Ask for written confirmation of your membership and check the start date in it.
- Inform your university if it asks for a new certificate of insurance when you re-enrol.
- If you terminate without a new insurer, for example because you are insured elsewhere, the insurer issues a termination confirmation within two weeks. The termination then only takes effect if you prove other cover in case of illness within the termination period.
You can use a template for the special termination in the case without a new insurer, or as a written supplement. The Verbraucherzentrale (consumer advice centre) also describes the procedure (special termination and switching).
How do I choose an insurer without following a ranking?
The additional contribution is one number, but not the only criterion. There is no universal ranking, because the right insurer depends on your situation. These questions help you decide:
- What is the additional contribution 2027, and does it apply for the whole time you are at university? The overview of the GKV-Spitzenverband shows the rates once the insurers have reported them.
- Can you choose this insurer? Not every insurer is open to every student in every federal state.
- Which benefits beyond the statutory catalogue does the insurer’s statute offer, and do you need them?
- How can you reach the insurer if you have questions: digitally, by phone or in person?
- Does the switch fit your timetable, for example before the end of your student insurance?
General help on switching is in our article Switching health insurer as a student (in German). The rates for 2026 are in Additional contributions 2026 (in German).
Which dates matter around the turn of the year?
Five dates structure the process. The date of the insurers’ decisions in autumn differs for each insurer, which is why no fixed day is given there.
| Date | What happens | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| 13 and 14 October 2026 | The estimation panel determines 2.9% as the arithmetic average | Nothing, the figure is an estimate |
| By 1 November 2026 | The Federal Ministry of Health announces the average in the Federal Gazette | Check the published value |
| Before 1 January 2027 | The insurers set their rates for 2027 and report them | Collect your insurer’s notice and check the GKV-Spitzenverband overview |
| 1 January 2027 | Increased rates take effect | The deadline runs until 31 January 2027 |
| 31 January 2027 | Last day for special termination for an increase on 1 January | Choose the new insurer by this date at the latest |
Frequently asked questions
What is the additional contribution 2027?
The estimation panel calculated an arithmetic average of 2.9%. The Federal Ministry of Health publishes the average in the Federal Gazette by 1 November. We will add the value once it is published. Your insurer sets its own rate.
Until when can I terminate because of the additional contribution?
Until the end of the month from which the additional contribution rises. For an increase on 1 January 2027, the deadline ends on 31 January 2027.
When does my membership end after a special termination?
At the end of the second calendar month after the month in which you declare the termination. If you terminate in January, you switch on 31 March. If you terminate in December, you switch on 28 February.
Does the twelve-month binding period apply to a special termination?
No. If the additional contribution is charged or increased for the first time, the twelve-month binding period does not apply.
Do I have to terminate with the old insurer when I switch?
As a rule, no. The new insurer’s notification of your choice replaces the termination. You apply for membership with the new insurer, which may not refuse it.
Do students also pay the full additional contribution?
Yes. The contribution rate for students is seven tenths of the general rate, and the additional contribution is added in full. It is calculated on the current contribution base of €855.
Related reading
- Switching health insurer as a student: deadlines, process and special termination rights (in German)
- Additional contributions 2026 of all health insurers and what students pay (in German)
- Student health insurance 2026 in figures: limits, contributions and deadlines (in German)
- BAföG reform 2027: what changes and from when (in German)
- Health insurance as a student over 30: obligation, costs and options (in German)
- Glossary of health insurance for students (in German)
Sources and review
- § 175 para. 4 SGB V (termination and special termination right), gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed 20 October 2026
- § 242 and § 242a SGB V (additional contribution, average additional contribution rate), gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed 20 October 2026
- § 245 SGB V (contribution rate for students) and § 236 SGB V (contribution base), gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed 20 October 2026
- Federal Office for Social Security, result of the GKV estimation panel of 13 and 14 October 2026, bundesamtsozialesicherung.de
- Federal Ministry of Health, contributions to the GKV, status 3 September 2026, and FAQ on the GKV Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act, bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
- GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on contribution calculation parameters, status 1 January 2026, and list of health insurers, status 16 October 2026, gkv-spitzenverband.de
Information, not individual advice.
Editorial team: Academycon · Last updated: October 2026
Last updated: 20 October 2026
To check your contribution and your options at the turn of the year, start with the Academycon online check.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative. The additional contribution 2027 is an estimate until the official determination.
