The additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag) to statutory health insurance is set by each insurer itself, not by the state. That is why the rates differ, sometimes widely. This guide explains where the differences come from, what the Schätzerkreis (the official estimating panel) calculates for 2027 and how to respond if your insurer raises its rate.
Short answer: Each statutory health insurer sets its own additional contribution. The estimating panel expects an average of 2.9 percent for 2027. That is a calculated figure, not a rate that applies to your insurer. The differences come from the spending, the membership structure, the administration and the reserves of each individual insurer (Last updated: November 2026).
The most important points
- Each statutory health insurer sets its additional contribution itself. The compulsory benefits, by contrast, are fixed in Book V of the Social Code (SGB V).
- The average is a calculated reference figure. It says nothing about the rate your insurer charges.
- For 2027 the estimating panel calculates an average of 2.9 percent. The official determination is published in the Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger).
- If the additional contribution is raised during the year, you can terminate your membership under certain conditions.
- Changing insurer generally binds you to the new insurer for twelve months, unless a special case applies.
What the additional contribution is
The additional contribution is the part of the health insurance contribution that each insurer sets above the general contribution rate. It is charged as a percentage of contribution-liable income. Employees and employers generally pay it in equal halves. The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) states on its contributions page that the insurer-specific additional contribution can differ from the average.
| Figure | Value | Status | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| General contribution rate | 14.6 percent | 1 January 2026 | Set by law, not by the insurer |
| Average additional contribution 2026 | 2.9 percent | BMG, status 3 September 2026 | Calculated reference figure, not binding for each insurer |
| Average additional contribution 2027 | 2.9 percent | Estimating panel, 13 and 14 October 2026 | Forecast, official determination pending |
| Without the contribution stabilisation act | 3.8 percent | BMG FAQ | Figure named by the BMG for the situation without the act |
Why the rates differ so much
An insurer needs enough money to cover its spending. The additional contribution is meant to cover the part that the income from the general contribution rate and the allocations from the health fund (Gesundheitsfonds) do not cover. How large that need is depends on how many services its insured persons use, how old they are, which illnesses are common among them and how high its administrative costs are.
Reserves play a role too. An insurer that has to draw down reserves needs a higher rate than one that does not have to touch its reserves. Conversely, an insurer with well-filled reserves can keep its rate more stable. The gap between insurers therefore arises from membership structure, spending, administration and reserves together, not from a single factor.
Reports from autumn 2026 made the differences between insurers clear. There is no single figure that applies to all of them. What counts is the rate your own insurer sets and publishes.
What one percentage point means in everyday terms
A difference of half a percentage point in the additional contribution looks small at first glance. Assume your contribution-liable income is 2,000 euros a month (assumption). Half a percentage point then comes to 10 euros a month in total. Employees pay half of this, so 5 euros. Self-employed and voluntarily insured persons pay the full 10 euros, because they bear the contribution alone.
This view alone is not enough to decide on a change of insurer. What matters is the total cost over the year, the binding period and the services that are important to you. A list of your own priorities helps with that.
What the estimating panel calculates and what it does not
The Schätzerkreis calculates the financial framework of statutory health insurance every year. For 2027 it determined on 13 and 14 October 2026 a calculated average additional contribution rate of 2.9 percent, unchanged from 2026. This figure is a basis for calculation. It does not set a rate that every insurer must charge.
The BMG officially determines the average additional contribution. This determination was announced for early November 2026 and is published in the Federal Gazette. Check there whether it has now been published. The individual insurers announce their own rates for 2027, and these can be well above or below the average.
What you can do if your insurer raises its rate
If your insurer raises the additional contribution, you have a special right of termination under certain conditions. Under § 175 para. 4 SGB V (in German), you can terminate when an additional contribution is first levied or increased, up to the end of the month from which it applies. The twelve-month binding period then does not apply.
The deadline therefore runs from the month in which the increase first applies. Note this date as soon as the contribution notice or the insurer’s message arrives. If you wait too long, you may lose the chance to switch immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I pay less with another insurer?
Because each insurer has its own financing need. A lower additional contribution does not automatically mean better benefits or better service. The compulsory benefits are set in SGB V and apply equally to all statutory insurers. Differences lie mainly in voluntary additional benefits, optional tariffs and service.
Does a low additional contribution say anything about the future?
Only to a limited extent. The rate for the current year is based on the insurer’s financing need. If spending rises faster than expected, an increase can follow, and the special right of termination applies in that case. A low rate today is therefore no guarantee for the future.
Do students pay the additional contribution too?
Yes, if you are statutorily insured. For students, § 245 SGB V (in German) sets a contribution rate of seven tenths of the general rate, which works out at 10.22 percent. Your insurer’s additional contribution is added in full and is not reduced. Your contribution notice shows the rate that applies to you.
Do I have to change insurer if mine raises its rate?
No. An increase is a reason to check, but not an obligation. Anyone who wants to switch should look at the contribution, the benefits and the binding period together. The additional contribution alone does not decide which insurer suits you.
Where do I find my insurer’s current rate?
On your insurer’s website and in the information it sends you about contributions. The official average is published in the Federal Gazette and on the BMG page on contributions to statutory health insurance.
What to do now
- Check your insurer’s current additional contribution on its website or in your contribution notice.
- Compare the rate with the official average once the determination has been published.
- If there is an increase, check whether the special right of termination applies and note the deadline until the end of the month.
- Before any switch, look at contribution, benefits and the twelve-month binding period together.
Related articles
- Krankenkasse 2027: What changes for insured persons and students (in German)
- Average additional contribution 2027: why it does not apply to every insurer (in German)
- Additional contribution raised mid-year: is that allowed? (in German)
- Additional contribution 2027: what students can do at the turn of the year (in German)
- Changing health insurer as a student (in German)
Sources: Contributions to statutory health insurance, BMG (status 3 September 2026); Estimating panel on the finances for 2026 and 2027, Federal Social Insurance Office (October 2026); § 175 SGB V, exercise of the right of choice (gesetze-im-internet.de); FAQ on the GKV contribution stabilisation act, BMG (status November 2026); § 245 SGB V, contribution rate for students (gesetze-im-internet.de)
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
