Private health insurance premiums are not fixed for the whole contract term. The insurer reviews them at least once a year and may adjust them if actual benefit payments or mortality probabilities deviate from the assumptions of the calculation. The statutory threshold is 10%, and an independent trustee (Treuhänder) must approve every adjustment. For students, the development of private premiums is a long-term question, because the exemption from compulsory insurance applies for the entire course of study.
The Key Points in Brief
- For each tariff, the insurer compares at least once a year the required and calculated benefits as well as mortality probabilities. If the deviation exceeds the threshold, the premiums are reviewed.
- By law the threshold is 10%. The tariff conditions may lower it to 5%.
- After a premium increase you can cancel within two months of receiving the notice, but only if you can prove seamless follow-on cover.
- Ageing provisions and a statutory surcharge of 10% are meant to dampen premiums in old age.
Why Do Private Health Insurance Premiums Rise?
Private premiums rise when a tariff pays out more benefits, or when insured people live longer, than the insurer assumed in its calculation. The law ties an adjustment to exactly these two factors. An increase therefore affects everyone insured in the same tariff.
| Rule | Content |
|---|---|
| Review | At least once a year for each tariff (section 155 VAG) |
| Compared | Required and calculated benefits as well as mortality probabilities |
| Threshold | 10% by law, can be lowered to 5% by tariff conditions |
| Control | An independent trustee must approve |
| Your right | Cancellation within two months of receiving the notice (section 205 (4) VVG) |
Statutory health insurance also changes constantly. The average additional contribution in 2026 is 2.9%, which is 0.4 points above the 2025 figure. For compulsory student insurance, however, a fixed contribution base of €855 applies. How the private premium is made up at the start is explained in our article on how private premiums are calculated (in German).
How Does a Premium Adjustment Work?
The insurer determines the deviation for each tariff, obtains the trustee’s approval and notifies you of the new premiums. From the receipt of the notice a two-month period runs, within which you can cancel effective from the date of the planned change. The cancellation only takes effect if you prove seamless follow-on cover within two months of the cancellation notice. Cancelling without new cover is therefore no solution, because compulsory insurance continues to apply.
What you should check after a notice is explained in our guide on how to respond correctly to premium adjustments (in German). If you fall into arrears with payments, the emergency tariff threatens. It covers only acute illnesses and pain, pregnancy and maternity, benefits for children and young people, and vaccinations recommended by the STIKO. No new ageing provisions build up there.
What Does the Development of Private Premiums Mean for Students?
Three special features come together for students. First, the exemption from compulsory insurance normally applies for the entire course of study and cannot be revoked. Second, student tariffs are aimed at young people taking out private cover for the first time up to the age of 30, and are usually no longer open after that. Third, the premium with state aid is initially low, but rises noticeably when the aid usually ends at the 25th birthday.
After graduation the decision depends on your job. With employment subject to compulsory insurance below the annual earnings threshold (2026: €77,400 per year), a move back into the GKV may be due. Cancelling the private contract is then possible within three months, retroactively to the start of compulsory insurance. A minijob is not enough for a return. If you want to keep the option of returning to private insurance open, check an expectancy policy: the small one secures your health status, while the large one also secures your age at entry and builds up ageing provisions further.
Because the decision has long-term effects, it is worth planning the route into private health insurance (in German) with the time after your studies in mind.
What Cushions Premiums in Old Age?
In full private cover the insurer charges a statutory surcharge of 10% on the premium. It starts at the latest in the calendar year after the 21st birthday and ends in the year of the 60th birthday. The money flows into the ageing provision and serves to reduce premiums in old age. For time-limited contracts and some special cases it does not apply. Our guide explains what ageing provisions are (in German).
How Secure Is Private Insurance in the Long Term?
The framework is set by law: premium adjustments require the approval of a trustee, and in the basic tariff the premium is capped at the maximum GKV contribution, although special conditions apply to entry. You should still know the risks. Premiums can rise over the years, and returning to the GKV is difficult. Anyone who becomes compulsorily insured after turning 55 remains, under certain conditions, insurance-exempt, which generally rules out a return. Before 55 a return is generally possible, for example through employment below the annual earnings threshold.
What Can You Do If Your Premium Rises?
- Check a tariff switch with your own insurer. Under section 204 VVG you are entitled to switch to tariffs with similar cover. Acquired rights and ageing provisions are credited. For additional benefits the insurer may require an exclusion of benefits or a risk surcharge.
- Keep an eye on premium refunds: if you submit no invoices for a year, you can get part of the annual premiums back. As a guide, up to around 50% of one year’s premium applies, depending on the tariff.
- Use the special right of cancellation only once your follow-on cover is secured.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often may the insurer raise the premium?
The insurer reviews the premiums for each tariff at least once a year. An adjustment is possible if the deviation exceeds the threshold. By law it is 10%, and the tariff conditions may lower it to 5%. Without the trustee’s approval no increase is possible.
Can I cancel after an increase?
Yes, within two months of receiving the notice, effective from the date of the planned change. However, the cancellation only takes effect if you prove seamless follow-on cover within two months of the cancellation notice.
What changes for my premium when state aid ends?
With state aid the private premium is initially low during your studies. The aid usually ends when you turn 25, when the family supplement ends. The burden then rises noticeably. Plan for this point in time early.
Can I return to statutory insurance after private insurance?
Before 55 a return is generally possible, for example through employment below the annual earnings threshold. A minijob is not enough. The exemption applies for your studies, and a switch is normally only possible after them.
Here Is How to Proceed Now
- Note the date on which a premium notice reaches you, and count the two-month period from it.
- Before any cancellation, ask about your follow-on cover.
- Check the tariff switch with your own insurer before you change insurers.
- Note the date on which your student tariff or state aid ends for you.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage (in German).
You can find reviews of us on ProvenExpert, Trustlocal and Trustindex. Academycon was mentioned, among other places, in a report in VersicherungsJournal. An overview of all mentions is on the press page (in German).
Related Articles
- Premium refunds in private insurance: when not claiming pays off (in German)
- Return to statutory insurance: when switching from private insurance is possible (in German)
- Private or statutory insurance as a student: what pays off more? (in German)
- Personal development during your studies: how to grow beyond yourself (in German)
- Additional contributions over time, 2019 to 2027 (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
