When it comes to private health insurance psychotherapy, your tariff decides what is paid: which methods are covered, how many sessions are reimbursed and under which conditions. There is no blanket answer, so it is worth reading the terms closely before you start therapy. One point first: if you are struggling right now, treatment comes first. In an acute emergency, call 112.
The most important points at a glance
- The coverage of psychotherapy depends on your tariff: the reimbursement rate, the number of sessions, the maximum amounts and the methods all vary.
- Ask your insurer for a written cost approval before therapy begins.
- For outpatient treatment you usually pay the bill first and submit it to your insurer.
- When you apply for private insurance, health questions are asked, and you must answer them truthfully.
Does private health insurance pay for psychotherapy?
Whether it does, and to what extent, is set out in your tariff. As a rule, treatment is reimbursed if it is medically necessary and carried out by suitably qualified practitioners. Check which methods your tariff names and whether it requires certain professional groups.
For a general overview of what private health insurance covers (in German), see our article on private health insurance benefits for students. For psychotherapy, it is also worth looking at the special conditions of your tariff.
How many therapy sessions does private health insurance pay for?
Your tariff determines this. Some tariffs name a number of sessions, others set maximum amounts per year or require a new approval for longer treatments. The framework of statutory health insurance can serve as a benchmark, which you can compare with the terms of your tariff.
| Component in statutory insurance | Scope |
|---|---|
| Psychotherapy consultation | 25 or 50 minutes, the start of treatment |
| Probatory sessions | 2 to 4 before therapy begins |
| Acute treatment | Up to 24 units of 25 minutes each, without approval |
| Short-term therapy | Up to 24 units of 50 minutes each |
| Long-term therapy | Up to 60 units of 50 minutes each, extendable depending on the method, with an expert report |
These values apply to statutory health insurance. For private health insurance they only bind if your tariff refers to them. The basic tariff matches the scope of benefits of statutory insurance.
Do I need approval from my insurer?
Your tariff sets out whether approval is required. Even if it is not, approval protects you from unpleasant surprises. Ask your therapist for a treatment plan with the diagnosis, the planned number of sessions and the method, and submit it to your insurer before therapy begins. Get the answer in writing.
How do private patients find a therapy place?
Privately insured patients also contact practices directly and ask about appointments. The central appointment service 116117 is an offer for statutory insured patients. Whether private patients get an appointment more quickly cannot be said in general terms. How this works for specialist appointments is described in our article on getting specialist appointments faster as a private patient (in German).
When you first make contact, ask whether the practice treats private patients and which fee rate it bills at. Also check whether a therapy place is available soon, before you apply to your insurer for approval.
How are therapy bills settled?
The principle of cost reimbursement applies: after the sessions you receive a bill, pay it and submit it to your insurer. The insurer reimburses according to your tariff. You can submit bills within three years from the end of the year in which the bill was issued. The procedure is explained step by step in our article on cost reimbursement in private health insurance (in German).
Example with assumed figures: one session costs 100 €, and your tariff reimburses 80 percent. For each session you receive 80 € back, and 20 € remain with you. For 10 sessions that is 800 € reimbursed and 200 € of your own share. If your tariff has a deductible, your share increases accordingly.
What applies to medication and acute crises?
Prescribed medicines are reimbursed by your tariff under its own rules, and the agreed rate applies here too. The details are in our article on medication and private health insurance (in German).
In acute crises the emergency department is a point of contact. How this is billed for privately insured patients is set out in our article on the emergency department as a private patient (in German). In a life-threatening situation, call 112.
What should you consider with pre-existing conditions and psychotherapy?
If you want to switch to private insurance, you must answer health questions in the application. They can also refer to treatment in the past, and how far back they ask is stated in the respective application. You must answer truthfully: if you conceal circumstances about which the insurer asked in text form, the insurer can withdraw from the contract. If you acted without intent and without gross negligence, withdrawal is excluded, but the insurer can then terminate the contract with a notice period of one month.
For ongoing treatment and recommended operations, insurers often reject the application. How an earlier or current psychotherapy affects your application is decided by the insurer in each individual case, and there is no general rule. If you want certainty, you can ask for an anonymous risk pre-assessment before you apply. Keep in mind that the exemption from the insurance obligation during your studies cannot be revoked.
These considerations should not stop anyone from seeking help. If you need support now, get it, even if a later switch to private insurance may become more difficult as a result.
Frequently asked questions
Does private health insurance pay for every type of therapy?
Not necessarily. Your tariff names which methods are reimbursed. Before you begin, ask whether your preferred method is included and whether a written approval is required, so that a later reduction does not come as a surprise.
Do I have to pay the therapist upfront?
As an outpatient, usually yes. Privately insured patients pay the bill first and submit it to their insurer. There is no direct contractual relationship between the practitioner and the insurer. For an inpatient stay, the hospital usually settles directly with the insurer.
Is an earlier therapy asked about in the private health insurance application?
That can happen. The health questions in the application determine which diagnoses and periods are asked about. Answer them fully and truthfully. Unsure? An anonymous risk pre-assessment shows you in advance how an insurer assesses your information.
How long does it take to get a therapy place?
There is no reliable figure for this. The waiting time depends on the region and the practice. Contact several practices and note when you got in touch. The central appointment service 116117 is aimed at statutory insured patients.
How to proceed now
- Look in your tariff terms for the sections on psychotherapy, methods, number of sessions and approval.
- Ask several practices about free places and about billing for private patients.
- Submit the treatment plan to your insurer before therapy begins and get the cost approval in writing.
- Keep all bills and submit them promptly.
- If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage.
You can read about your experiences with us on ProvenExpert, Trustlocal and Trustindex. Academycon was mentioned, among other places, in a press release by Münchner Merkur. An overview of all mentions is on the press page.
Related articles
- Insurance for students: an overview (in German)
- Cost reimbursement in private health insurance (in German)
- Private health insurance benefits for students (in German)
- Pharmacy and psychology: insurance during the practical year (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
