Referendariat (the German teacher or legal traineeship) without civil servant status usually means that you work as an employee during your training and are therefore compulsorily insured with the statutory health insurance fund (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV). This guide shows how to check your status, how the 2026 contributions are split and where the difference to the civil servant route lies.
Short answer: Employees in a Referendariat are compulsorily insured with the statutory health insurance under section 5(1) no. 1 SGB V. For 2026 the general contribution rate is 14.6 percent, and the average additional contribution is 2.9 percent (as of 1 January 2026). Employer and employee pay the contribution in equal shares. Your contract shows which status applies to you.
The essentials in brief
- Employees in a Referendariat are generally compulsorily insured in the statutory health insurance (section 5(1) no. 1 SGB V).
- Civil servants with a right to Beihilfe (state aid for medical costs) are exempt from insurance (section 6(1) no. 2 SGB V).
- For 2026 the contribution is made up of the general rate of 14.6 percent and the additional contribution, which averages 2.9 percent.
- Employer and employee pay the contributions in equal shares (section 249 SGB V).
- Childless employees aged 23 and over pay the childlessness surcharge in long-term care insurance on their own.
- Private health insurance is generally not an option for employees whose pay is below the compulsory insurance threshold.
How do you recognise your status during the Referendariat?
Your status depends on your training and on the law of your federal state, not on your personal preference. Your training or employment contract and your appointment letter are the key documents. An employment contract leads to compulsory insurance in the statutory health insurance. An appointment as a probationary civil servant (Beamter auf Widerruf) leads instead to Beihilfe, usually combined with private health insurance or voluntary membership of the GKV.
For federal civil servants, the Federal Civil Service Career Ordinance (Bundeslaufbahnverordnung) provides that trainees are taken on as probationary civil servants (section 13(1) BLV). Trainee teachers and legal trainees in the federal states follow their own state rules. Check whether your contract refers to pay under a collective agreement or to an appointment, because that tells you your status.
What do you pay as an employee trainee?
As an employee you pay half of the contribution. The calculation starts with your gross pay subject to contributions. Contributions apply up to the contribution assessment ceiling, which in 2026 is 5,812.50 euros per month for health and long-term care insurance (GKV-Spitzenverband, as of 1 January 2026). All contribution rates in this guide apply to 2026.
| Contribution | Rate 2026 | Employee share (example) | Employer share (example) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health insurance (general rate plus additional contribution) | 17.5 percent | 8.75 percent, that is 131.25 euros | 8.75 percent, that is 131.25 euros |
| Long-term care insurance | 3.6 percent | 1.8 percent, that is 27.00 euros | 1.8 percent, that is 27.00 euros |
| Childlessness surcharge (no children, aged 23 and over) | 0.6 contribution points | 0.6 percent, that is 9.00 euros | none |
Example (assumption): gross pay of 1,500 euros per month, average additional contribution of 2.9 percent, no children, aged 23 or over. Without the childlessness surcharge you pay 158.25 euros per month in health and care insurance, with the surcharge 167.25 euros. Your actual contribution differs if your fund charges a higher or lower additional contribution.
This guide does not state a fixed salary. Pay follows the collective agreement or the state regulation, and your grade is set out in your contract. For insurance purposes only the contribution-liable pay counts.
Does the compulsory insurance threshold apply to you?
Employees only become exempt from compulsory insurance above the annual earnings threshold (section 6(1) no. 1 SGB V). For 2026 that threshold is 6,450 euros per month or 77,400 euros per year (GKV-Spitzenverband, as of 1 January 2026). Pay during a Referendariat normally stays well below it, so compulsory insurance continues.
Exceptions under section 8 SGB V are tied to specific circumstances that usually do not apply to trainees. So look at the status question first and not only at the contribution.
What happens if you fall ill during an employee Referendariat?
If you are unable to work, your employer continues to pay your salary for up to six weeks, provided you are not at fault (section 3(1) EFZG). The entitlement arises after four weeks of uninterrupted employment (section 3(3) EFZG). After that your health insurance fund may pay sick pay (Krankengeld) if the conditions of section 44 SGB V are met.
For probationary civil servants this logic does not apply, because pay and Beihilfe are tied to their status. The health insurance guide Health Insurance for Referendare in Germany explains the options in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay the full contribution as an employee trainee?
No. You pay half of the health and care contribution, as shown above. The childlessness surcharge is borne by you alone if you have no children and are at least 23. Your employer collects the contributions together with your share and passes them on to the fund.
Can I take out private health insurance as an employee trainee?
Generally not. For employees, private full cover is only possible outside compulsory insurance, that is above the annual earnings threshold. During a Referendariat that threshold is usually not reached. Becoming a civil servant changes the picture, because then exemption applies under section 6(1) no. 2 SGB V.
How long does my employer keep paying me during illness?
Up to six weeks for the same illness. For a new illness, the rules in section 3(1) sentence 2 EFZG apply, which only open a new entitlement under certain conditions. If you are unsure, your personnel office can calculate the periods from your sick notes.
What changes if I become a civil servant after the Referendariat?
You are then exempt from compulsory insurance under section 6(1) no. 2 SGB V, provided you have a right to Beihilfe. Beihilfe covers part of the costs and a private health insurance usually covers the rest. The exact Beihilfe rate depends on the federal state and on your family situation. See Beihilfe im Referendariat (in German) for details.
Can I return to statutory health insurance after the Referendariat?
Yes, through voluntary membership, if you were previously a compulsory member and meet the pre-insurance periods (section 9(1) no. 1 SGB V). The join must be notified within three months (section 9(2) SGB V). If you were privately insured before, this route is generally not available to you.
So what should you do now?
- Read your contract and check whether you are an employee or a probationary civil servant.
- Ask the personnel office in writing for an overview of your contributions to health and care insurance, including the employer share.
- Calculate your share with your gross pay and compare it with the cost of a civil servant solution before you plan a switch.
- Clarify with your health insurance fund from when sick pay is paid and which additional contribution applies.
- Keep the deadlines for voluntary membership in mind if you plan to return to the GKV after the Referendariat.
Related reading
- Health Insurance for Referendare in Germany
- Trainee Teachers in Statutory Health Insurance: How Voluntary Cover Works
- Health Insurance After the Trainee Period: What Comes Next
- Civil Servant Health Aid During Training: Rates and Claims
- Teacher training insurance: from studies to traineeship
Sources: Section 5 SGB V, compulsory insurance (German), Section 6 SGB V, exemption from insurance (German), Section 3 EFZG, continued pay during illness (German), GKV-Spitzenverband, social insurance reference figures 2026 (as of 1 January 2026, German), Section 249 SGB V, bearing of contributions (German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
