Family insurance (Familienversicherung) ends as soon as one requirement no longer applies, and for most graduates this happens when training ends or the first salary starts. If you do not know which limit applies first, you risk a gap in cover or unnecessary contributions. This guide explains the age limits, the rules for your first job and a worked example for the contribution.
Short answer: Family insurance ends as soon as one requirement no longer applies. Children are generally insured until age 25, including during a degree (section 10 (2) no. 3 SGB V). Cover ends at the end of the day before the 25th birthday. Your own compulsory employment makes family insurance secondary. In 2026 the compulsory insurance threshold is 6,450 euros per month. Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points
- Family insurance ends when one requirement falls away, such as the age limit, the end of training or the income limit.
- Compulsory employment makes family insurance secondary, and it usually ends then.
- As an employee you are compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance up to the threshold of 6,450 euros per month (2026).
- Above that threshold, voluntary statutory or private health insurance is possible.
- Members notify changes to the health insurer, so ask your insurer if in doubt.
When does family insurance end for children?
For children, the age rules are staggered. Family insurance ends at the relevant limit or when another requirement falls away. The main limits are listed below.
| Life phase | Limit | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Until the 18th birthday | No further requirement | Section 10 (2) no. 1 SGB V |
| Until age 23, if not employed | Ends at age 23 | Section 10 (2) no. 2 SGB V |
| School or vocational training, study | Until age 25, including studies | Section 10 (2) no. 3 SGB V |
| Disability that occurred before the limit | No age limit | Section 10 (2) no. 4 SGB V |
The end of training usually removes the requirement as well. Whether your studies still count depends on your enrolment. If you are deregistered, ask your insurer whether the training requirement still applies.
What happens when you start your first job?
Family insurance is secondary. It only applies if no primary compulsory or voluntary insurance exists (section 10 (1) sentence 1 no. 2 SGB V). If you start a job subject to compulsory insurance, your own insurance becomes the relevant one. You choose a statutory health insurer, and your employer registers you there.
| Monthly gross income | Health insurance | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Below 6,450 euros (2026) | Compulsory insurance in statutory health insurance | Employer pays half of the contribution |
| Above 6,450 euros (2026) | Choice between voluntary statutory and private health insurance | Check deadlines and costs before deciding |
| Working student up to 20 hours a week | Exempt from health and long-term care insurance | Family insurance generally continues, clarify individual case with the insurer |
| Mini-job | Family insurance generally continues | Applies up to the mini-job limit of 603 euros (2026) |
The 6,450 euro threshold is the general annual earnings limit divided by twelve. It decides whether you remain compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance. With special payments such as a Christmas bonus, look at the threshold across the whole year.
How high is the contribution as an employee?
Employees pay half of the health insurance contribution, and the employer pays the other half. The general contribution rate is 14.6 percent in 2026, plus the additional contribution of your insurer. The contribution assessment ceiling for health and long-term care insurance is 5,812.50 euros per month in 2026.
Assumption: gross salary of 3,000 euros per month and an average additional contribution of 2.9 percent. The total rate is then 17.5 percent, half of which is 8.75 percent. Your share for health insurance is 262.50 euros per month. Long-term care insurance comes on top, with a contribution rate of 3.6 percent, also split in half. Childless insured people over 23 pay an additional 0.6 percentage points.
When do voluntary or private insurance come into play?
If your salary is above the compulsory insurance threshold, you are no longer compulsorily insured. You can then take out voluntary statutory insurance or a private health insurance policy. Voluntary statutory insurance is based on your total income and has a minimum contribution. Private health insurance depends on tariff, health check and scope of cover.
Both routes have advantages and disadvantages that vary with income, health and life plans. Which option suits your situation is best clarified in a personal conversation, for example at Academycon.
What do you have to report?
Under section 10 (6) SGB V, the member reports family-insured persons and changes to the health insurer. This is usually one parent. Still, take an active role yourself. Once you have your own insurance, clarify the end of family insurance with the insurer and ask whether gaps arise.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to cancel myself when family insurance ends?
No. Family insurance ends when the requirements fall away, and no cancellation is needed. What matters is that your own insurance follows without a gap. A short written notice with the end of training and the start of employment helps the insurer record the change correctly. Keep your employment contract and proof of the end of training as evidence.
What applies between studies and the first job?
In this period family insurance can continue if no compulsory employment exists and the requirements are met. Whether the age and income limits apply is checked by the insurer, so ask in good time.
Does the income limit also apply to children?
For family-insured persons an income limit of 565 euros per month applies in 2026, one seventh of the reference income. Whether and how it applies to children in training is clarified by your health insurer for your case.
What happens to student insurance after deregistration?
Compulsory membership as a student ends with the last enrolled or re-registered semester when you are deregistered (section 190 (9) SGB V). Afterwards your new situation applies, for example as an employee or through family. The insurer provides information on your case.
What to do next
- Note the date on which training or your studies end.
- Check your first salary against the limit of 6,450 euros per month.
- Inform your health insurer as soon as the employment contract is signed.
- Ask the insurer before family insurance ends whether gaps arise.
- If your salary is above the limit, compare the options before you decide.
Related guides
- Health Insurance Income Limit 2026: What It Means
- Health insurance for students: glossary from A to Z
- Registering as unemployed after studies (in German)
- Career start after your studies (in German)
Sources: section 10 SGB V, family insurance (as of October 2026), section 5 SGB V, compulsory insurance (as of October 2026), GKV-Spitzenverband, reference figures for contribution law (as of January 2026)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
