A consultation on private health insurance for students is worth it mainly if you are considering an exemption from compulsory insurance. The exemption is irrevocable, and the application must reach your health insurer within three months of the start of compulsory insurance. A good conversation compares private health insurance (PKV), statutory student health insurance (GKV) and family insurance, and it also names the risks. All rules, costs and benefits are covered in our main guide Private health insurance for students (in German).
The key points in brief
- A consultation helps above all with the decision about exemption from compulsory insurance, because it is irrevocable and usually applies for the whole course of study.
- A good conversation first clarifies your starting position and then compares private health insurance, statutory student health insurance and family insurance.
- Health details are the critical point. Before applying, an anonymous risk enquiry is advisable.
- Ask about the adviser’s status and remuneration in advance. Insurance intermediaries must give you initial information under § 15 VersVermV at the start.
- If you are covered by family insurance at no extra cost, a consultation is less urgent. Anyone who obtains an exemption loses family insurance for the duration of the exemption.
When is a consultation on private health insurance worth it during your studies?
Not every situation calls for a conversation. The overview shows where it makes sense. Weighing benefits against risks is also covered in the advantages of private health insurance for students (in German) and the disadvantages of private health insurance during your studies (in German).
| Your situation | Why a consultation helps |
|---|---|
| You are considering an exemption from compulsory health insurance. | The exemption is irrevocable and the deadline is three months. Returning to statutory insurance is generally only possible after you finish your studies. |
| You have pre-existing conditions or ongoing treatment. | The insurer decides on admission based on health questions. Ongoing treatment and recommended operations often lead to refusal. |
| Your parents are entitled to state aid (Beihilfe). | The premium is initially low. State aid usually ends at 25, when the family allowance stops, and the burden then rises. |
| Your studies will end soon. | After your studies, the annual earnings threshold (Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze, €77,400 a year in 2026) also determines whether you are subject to compulsory statutory insurance. An expectancy (Anwartschaft) can keep open a later return to private health insurance without a new health check. |
| You are covered by your parents’ family insurance at no cost. | A consultation is less urgent. Anyone who obtains an exemption loses family insurance for the duration of the exemption. |
Whether you meet the requirements at all is explained in the guide on the requirements for private health insurance during your studies (in German).
How does a private health insurance consultation for students work?
The process differs from adviser to adviser. A conversation that does not steer you in one direction usually covers these steps.
- Clarify your starting position: Are you in compulsory or family insurance? When does compulsory insurance start, and when does the three-month deadline expire? How old are you, what is your income, and do your parents have entitlement to state aid?
- Set goals and budget: What premium do you want to pay, what excess (Selbstbehalt) are you willing to accept, and what matters to you for glasses, dental care or aids?
- Assess your health: before applying, an anonymous risk enquiry shows whether and under what conditions an insurer would accept you.
- Compare options: In 2026, statutory student health insurance costs about €143 to €148 a month including long-term care insurance. Family insurance and private tariffs are also available, each with its risks, such as irrevocability, premium adjustments and a difficult return.
- Decide and apply: Complete the insurance application with truthful information, then submit the exemption application to your health insurer. The exemption only takes effect once you prove that you have other cover.
- Clarify aftercare: Who reviews future premium adjustments, who supports you with a tariff change, and what happens after your studies?
The application steps are described in our guide how to apply for an exemption from compulsory insurance (in German).
Which documents and details do you need?
- Details about your studies: university, start of the semester and the date on which compulsory insurance begins.
- Details about your current insurance, such as family insurance or a statutory health insurer.
- If your parents are entitled to state aid: information about their employer or public authority, so that the aid rate can be clarified.
- Health details only as required by the insurer’s questions: diagnoses, treatments and medication, as far as they are asked for.
- The confirmation from a statutory health insurer for your university. It can be requested no earlier than 1 June for the winter semester and no earlier than 1 December for the summer semester.
How the health questions work is described in our guide PKV and health checks: what you need to know (in German).
What does a private health insurance consultation cost?
It depends on the remuneration model. It is common for insurance intermediaries to receive commission from the insurer if a contract is concluded. Other advisers charge a fee that you pay them directly. In both cases the same applies: ask before the first conversation how the adviser is paid, and get the answer in writing. An intermediary naturally has an interest in closing a contract. That is not a reason to reject an intermediary, but it is a reason to ask about alternatives, such as family insurance or statutory student insurance.
An online comparison shows premiums. It does not check whether a tariff suits your health, the length of your studies and your plans after graduation. How to recognise reputable providers is described in our guide financial advice for students: how to spot reputable providers (in German).
Which questions should you ask a private health insurance adviser?
- What is your status, and where can I find your initial information under § 15 VersVermV?
- How are you paid, and apart from the premium, will I have to pay anything?
- How do you compare private health insurance with statutory student insurance and family insurance?
- What does the irrevocability of the exemption mean in my specific situation?
- How high will the premium be after my studies, and how do premium adjustments and tariff changes work?
- Who supports me with questions and invoices while the contract is running?
Anyone who shows only one side of the calculation is advising incompletely. The risks belong in the conversation. These include the irrevocable exemption, the loss of family insurance, possible premium increases and the difficult return to statutory insurance, which is generally excluded from age 55.
How do advisers handle your health data?
Health data is among the especially sensitive categories of personal data. Only provide it once it is clear what it is needed for. Before the actual application, an anonymous risk enquiry is the usual route, so that your name does not appear with the insurers. In the application itself, you must answer the questions asked truthfully. If you breach the duty of disclosure under § 19 VVG, the insurer may withdraw from or terminate the contract, depending on how serious the breach is.
Also ask what data the adviser stores and for how long. If in doubt, the adviser’s privacy notice will help.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a consultation to apply for an exemption?
Not for the application itself. It goes to your health insurer, and the exemption takes effect once you prove that you have other cover. A consultation helps you weigh the decision, however, because it is irrevocable and usually applies for the whole course of study.
When should I seek advice before starting my studies?
Preferably before enrolment. Compulsory insurance begins with the semester, and the three-month deadline runs from then. Health questions and the risk enquiry need lead time. You can request the confirmation from a statutory health insurer for your university from 1 June for the winter semester or from 1 December for the summer semester.
Can I get advice on private health insurance anonymously?
The risk enquiry is anonymous, so no insurer learns your name. For the application and the exemption, you must identify yourself. You can ask in advance how an adviser handles your data.
What happens if I do not get advice?
Then you decide alone. That may be enough if your situation is simple, for example if you are covered by family insurance at no cost. For an exemption, make sure you understand the consequences: it is irrevocable for the duration of your studies, there is no family insurance while the exemption applies, and a return to statutory insurance is generally only possible after your studies.
So what should you do now?
- Note when your compulsory insurance begins, and enter the end of the three-month deadline in your calendar.
- Check whether you can stay in family insurance, and compare statutory student insurance at about €143 to €148 a month with concrete offers.
- Ask the questions from the list above before you book a consultation, and ask for the initial information.
- Before applying, make an anonymous risk enquiry and answer all questions truthfully.
Academycon is an insurance intermediary based in Göttingen, with a focus on health insurance for students and for trainee teachers and lawyers (Referendare). Before any consultation, Academycon provides the initial information under § 15 VersVermV. If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to a consultation on the Academycon homepage. This article is also advertising for our brokerage activity.
You can find experiences with us on ProvenExpert, Trustlocal and Trustindex. Academycon was also mentioned in a press release by Kurier. An overview of all mentions is on the press page (in German).
Related articles
- How to apply for an exemption from compulsory insurance (in German)
- PKV and health checks: what you need to know (in German)
- What does private health insurance really cost for students? (in German)
- Returning to statutory health insurance: is it possible? (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
