The pre-insurance period (Vorversicherungszeit) for voluntary statutory health insurance decides whether you can stay in the statutory scheme after your compulsory cover ends. Many students and trainee teachers ask whether 12 or 24 months apply. The answer is that both exist, depending on how your insurance periods fall.
Short answer: To join voluntary statutory health insurance under § 9 para. 1 sentence 1 no. 1 SGB V, you need one of two pre-insurance periods. Either you were insured for at least 24 months in the five years before you left compulsory cover, or you were insured without interruption for at least 12 months immediately before leaving (last updated October 2026).
The most important points
- The rule requires 24 months within the last five years, or 12 months without interruption directly before leaving compulsory cover.
- It is not enough that you were insured at some point. The periods must fall within the five-year window or lie directly before the end of cover.
- You must notify the health insurer of your membership within three months (§ 9 para. 2 sentence 1 SGB V).
- Periods as a student in the compulsory student health insurance (KVdS) count as compulsory membership.
- For 2026 the calculated minimum contribution for health insurance is 222.80 euros per month.
What exactly does the pre-insurance period require?
The law describes the pre-insurance period in § 9 para. 1 sentence 1 no. 1 SGB V. The rule applies to people who have left compulsory cover as members. They can join voluntary cover if they were insured for at least 24 months in the five years before leaving. Alternatively, uninterrupted insurance of at least 12 months directly before leaving is sufficient.
Only periods in which you were insured as a member count. Certain periods do not count, for example cover that existed only because basic security benefits (Grundsicherungsgeld) were wrongly received. The wording in the law is very precise, so check the original text if you are unsure, or ask your health insurer.
Which periods count as pre-insurance?
The most common cases are periods as an employee subject to social insurance and periods as a student in the student health insurance (KVdS). The KVdS is compulsory insurance under § 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V. You can therefore bring these months with you as periods of membership, provided they fall within the relevant window. Eight semesters in statutory student insurance usually provide enough months, but you should check the exact periods.
| Starting position | Pre-insurance met? |
|---|---|
| Assumption: 24 months of compulsory membership in the last five years, but only 6 months in a row most recently | Yes, over the five-year window |
| Assumption: 12 months without interruption directly before leaving | Yes, under the rule for the directly preceding period |
| Assumption: 10 months, interrupted by one month without cover | No, neither 24 months nor 12 uninterrupted months |
The table shows that the sum of months alone is not decisive. What matters is how the periods are arranged in time.
How does joining work?
You notify the health insurer you want to join voluntary cover. For former compulsory members under no. 1 the three-month period starts when the compulsory membership ends. If you meet the deadline and can prove your pre-insurance, you become a member of voluntary cover. The health insurer checks the periods against your insurance history, so it is worth collecting the proof in advance.
Assumption: You are voluntarily insured, have no entitlement to sick pay and pay the minimum contribution. For 2026 the minimum assessment base is 1,318.33 euros per month, one third of the reference income of 3,955 euros. With the reduced contribution rate of 14.0 percent plus the average additional contribution of 2.9 percent, this gives a calculated 222.80 euros per month for health insurance. Your insurer’s actual additional contribution may differ.
What about the legal traineeship?
For trainee teachers and trainee lawyers (Referendarinnen und Referendare) this question is especially relevant, because the move from studies or employment is often gradual. Whether you are compulsorily insured by statute, privately insured or entitled to state aid (Beihilfe) during the traineeship depends on your status and the federal state. You check the pre-insurance period once it is clear which compulsory cover you are leaving. An overview is given in our guide Health insurance during the traineeship (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Does a private insurance period in between count as pre-insurance?
No, not under no. 1. That provision concerns periods as a member of compulsory statutory insurance. Periods with private health insurance do not count as membership in the statutory scheme. What matters is therefore whether you were most recently in compulsory statutory cover.
What happens if I miss the three-month deadline?
In that case the join cannot usually be based on the pre-insurance under no. 1. You then need to check whether another route is open, for example employment that creates new compulsory insurance. Put the deadline in your calendar as soon as the end of compulsory membership is certain.
Do semesters in the KVdS count towards pre-insurance?
Yes. Student compulsory insurance is compulsory membership under § 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V. If you switch to voluntary cover after your studies, you can have these months counted, provided they fall within the relevant period. The health insurer confirms the periods based on your insurance history.
What is the minimum cost of voluntary cover?
For 2026 the minimum assessment base is 1,318.33 euros per month. This results in a calculated minimum contribution of 222.80 euros per month for health insurance. The long-term care contribution comes on top, and the amount depends on the individual additional contribution. Your insurer confirms the current figures on request.
Is the deadline the same for everyone?
No. The deadline starts at different points depending on the case. For former compulsory members under no. 1 it runs from the end of membership. Other groups have their own starting points, for example the birth of a child or taking up employment. Check which case applies to you.
How to proceed now
- Ask your current health insurer to confirm your insurance periods for the last five years.
- Find out the date on which your compulsory membership ends.
- Count the months within the five-year window and the uninterrupted months directly before.
- Notify the chosen health insurer of your joining within three months and keep the proof.
- Clarify open questions with the health insurer or an adviser before the deadline runs out.
Related reading
- Student Health Insurance Germany 2026: Rates and Example
- Student Health Insurance in Germany 2026: Key Figures
- Health insurance for students: glossary from A to Z
- Working Student Health Insurance: Costs by Age
Sources: § 9 SGB V, as of October 2026, § 5 SGB V, as of October 2026, GKV-Spitzenverband: Fact sheet on 2026 reference values, as of 1 January 2026 (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
