After the Referendariat (the German traineeship following the state exam), many teachers take up a salaried post (angestellte Lehrkraft) instead of becoming civil servants. Unlike civil servants, you do not receive civil servant health aid (Beihilfe). In most cases you are compulsorily insured in the statutory health insurance (GKV). Whether you can later switch to private health insurance (PKV) depends on one figure: your regular annual earnings.
Short answer: As a salaried teacher you are a compulsory member of the statutory health insurance as long as your regular annual earnings stay below the threshold. For 2026 that threshold is 77,400 euros per year. Compulsory insurance ends only if you exceed the threshold and also exceed the threshold of the following year. Last updated: October 2026.
The essentials in brief
- As long as your pay stays below the compulsory insurance threshold (Versicherungspflichtgrenze), you are a compulsory member of the GKV and cannot freely switch to PKV.
- For 2026 the annual earnings threshold is 77,400 euros, which is 6,450 euros per month.
- Compulsory insurance ends at the end of the calendar year in which you exceed the threshold, but only if you also exceed the threshold of the following year (§ 6 para. 4 SGB V).
- You pay your contributions yourself, half of them as employee. Childless employees aged 23 or over pay a long-term care surcharge on their own.
- Whether PKV pays off depends on age, health and tariff. There is no general answer.
When are you insured in the GKV as a salaried teacher?
Many German states hire teachers after the traineeship as salaried employees under the collective agreement for public-sector employees of the states (TV-L). Your pay grade and steps are in the pay table of your state. For health insurance, however, the type of contract does not matter. Only your regular annual earnings count.
Under § 6 para. 1 no. 1 SGB V, employees are not compulsorily insured if their regular annual earnings exceed the annual earnings threshold. Allowances paid because of your marital or family status are not taken into account. A family allowance therefore does not raise the threshold. If you want to compare the options for your situation, see our guide on trainee teachers in statutory health insurance.
Which threshold applies in 2026 and 2027?
| Year | Per month | Per year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6,450 euros | 77,400 euros | In force, according to the GKV-Spitzenverband, status 1 January 2026 |
| 2027 | 7,012.50 euros | 84,150 euros | Draft regulation, consent of the Bundesrat still pending |
The 2027 values only apply once the social insurance calculation regulation takes effect. Until then they are a draft (source: Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, draft of the 2027 calculation variables).
When does compulsory insurance end?
If your pay exceeds the threshold, compulsory insurance ends at the end of the calendar year in which this happens. There is one exception: if your pay does not exceed the threshold that applies from the start of the next calendar year, you stay compulsorily insured.
Assumption: you regularly earn 6,600 euros per month, which is 79,200 euros per year. In 2026 you are therefore above 77,400 euros. The draft threshold for 2027 is 84,150 euros. Because you do not exceed that threshold, you remain compulsorily insured, even though you were above the 2026 threshold.
The check is therefore repeated every year. Retroactive pay increases are counted in the calendar year in which the entitlement to the higher pay arose. If your salary jumps, ask your health insurer which year counts for the check.
What does GKV cover cost for a salaried teacher?
The general contribution rate is 14.6 percent (§ 241 SGB V). On top comes the insurer’s additional contribution, which averaged 2.9 percent for 2026 (source: GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation variables 2026). Employer and employee each pay half of the health insurance contribution. The long-term care contribution is 3.6 percent. Childless employees aged 23 or over pay a surcharge of 0.6 percentage points on their own.
Assumption: gross monthly pay of 4,000 euros and the average additional contribution. Only social insurance contributions are calculated. Taxes and other deductions are not included.
| Contribution part | Rate (your share) | Amount at 4,000 euros |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | 8.75 percent (7.3 percent plus half of the additional contribution of 1.45 percent) | 350.00 euros |
| Long-term care insurance | 1.8 percent | 72.00 euros |
| Childless surcharge, from 23, no child | 0.6 percentage points extra | 24.00 euros |
| Total, childless and over 23 | 11.15 percent | 446.00 euros |
What happens when compulsory insurance ends?
You then have two options. You can switch to PKV, or you can stay voluntarily insured in the GKV. Voluntary membership has a minimum contribution based on a minimum assessment basis of 1,318.33 euros per month. For 2026, the health insurance part comes to 222.80 euros if the reduced rate of 14 percent and the additional contribution apply (source: GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet 2026).
Whether an employer contribution applies in this case is for your insurer and your employer to clarify. What matters most is that you are never uninsured. A seamless transition is more important than the fastest switch.
What does this mean for a switch to PKV?
As long as you are compulsorily insured, you cannot simply switch to PKV. Only when compulsory insurance ends do you have a real choice. Private insurers usually require a health check, and their premiums depend on tariff, age and health rather than on income. For the pros and cons, see our guide on health insurance after the trainee period.
If you are privately insured after compulsory insurance has ended, your employer may contribute to the premiums (§ 257 SGB V). The amount follows statutory limits, so ask your employer. If you want a personal assessment of your situation, you can book one with Academycon (see how we work).
Frequently asked questions
Can I simply switch to PKV as a salaried teacher?
No, not while you are compulsorily insured. You only have a choice once compulsory insurance ends. Before that, a switch is generally not possible, except in narrow exceptional cases.
Does my family allowance count toward the threshold?
No. Allowances paid because of your marital or family status are not taken into account for the annual earnings threshold (§ 6 para. 1 SGB V). Still, check your pay slip to see which amount counts as regular pay.
Do I have to check the threshold every year?
Yes. The check is made annually, and the end of compulsory insurance always depends on the calendar year. If your salary changes significantly during the year, ask your health insurer.
Am I entitled to civil servant health aid as a salaried teacher?
No. The right to civil servant health aid is part of civil service law. Which allowances salaried employees receive is set by your employer and your state. There is no general figure for this.
So what should you do now?
- Check your pay: read your pay statement and determine your regular annual earnings without the family allowance.
- Compare with the threshold: hold the result against 77,400 euros for 2026 and the draft threshold for 2027.
- Clarify with HR: ask about the responsible health insurer, your insurance status and a possible employer contribution.
- Compare offers: if a switch is possible, compare benefits, premium development and tariff conditions, not only the monthly figure.
Related reading
- PKV Without Health Check: Is It Possible?
- Trainee Teachers in Statutory Health Insurance: How Voluntary Cover Works
- Teacher training insurance: from studies to traineeship
- Which health insurance as a trainee? Decision guide in five steps
Sources: Social Code Book V, § 6 (gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved October 2026); Social Code Book V, § 241 (gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved October 2026); GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation variables 2026 (gkv-spitzenverband.de, status 1 January 2026); Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, draft 2027 calculation variables (bmas.de, status October 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
