Single or double room in private health insurance: which accommodation you get in hospital and what your insurer pays for it is set by your tariff. A single room offers more privacy, while a double room is usually cheaper. Prices differ between hospitals. What matters is therefore the tariff conditions, the length of your stay and your budget.
The key points at a glance
- A single room is a room for one person. In a double room you share the room with one other patient.
- What private health insurance pays for your choice of room is set by your tariff, including the reimbursement rate and the deductible.
- For inpatient treatment, the hospital and the insurer usually settle the bill directly with each other.
- Before a planned stay, ask for the daily rate for accommodation and get the offer in writing.
- Contributions in private health insurance can rise, and the application contains health questions.
Single or double room: what is the difference?
A single room is a room for one person. You have peace and quiet, set your own daily routine, and can receive visitors without regard to other patients. In a double room you share the room with another person. That is often cheaper and brings some company, but also conversations, light, and visits to your roommate.
Which accommodation you get without extra charge and which you book as an optional service depends on your tariff. An overview of tariffs and modules is given in the article on the benefits of private health insurance at a glance (in German).
How does the optional service of accommodation work in private health insurance?
Accommodation in a single or double room is, alongside treatment by the chief physician, a typical optional service in hospital. Whether your tariff reimburses it, and to what amount, is set out in the tariff conditions. How the medical side is billed is explained in the article on chief physician treatment in private health insurance (in German).
For inpatient treatment, direct billing between the hospital and the insurer is the rule. Otherwise you pay the bill yourself first and submit it to the insurer. The amount reimbursed then depends on your tariff. You have three years from the end of the year in which the bill was issued to do so.
What do single and double rooms cost in hospital?
The price differs from hospital to hospital and is calculated as a daily rate multiplied by the number of days. A double room is generally cheaper than a single room.
Example with assumed figures: the hospital charges 80 euros a day extra for a single room, and you stay for seven days. That makes 560 euros. If your tariff reimburses 100 percent of this, the insurer pays the whole amount. If a deductible or a lower reimbursement rate applies, part of it remains with you.
Before a planned stay, ask for the daily rate and how the bill will be issued. The hospital can give you a written offer.
What should you check when choosing a tariff?
Compare these points in the conditions and in the offer.
- Whether accommodation in a single or double room is included.
- Which reimbursement rate the tariff applies and whether there are maximum amounts.
- Whether a deductible applies and how high it is.
- How the contribution develops with entry age and health status.
The application contains health questions that you must answer truthfully, and contributions can rise later. During your studies, private insurance generally requires an exemption from compulsory insurance, which applies for the whole course of study and cannot be revoked. A change to another tariff with your own insurer is possible with credit for the rights you have already acquired, but for additional benefits the insurer may ask for surcharges or exclusions.
Which room suits you?
What matters is the length and type of stay, your need for peace and quiet, and your budget. For a longer planned stay, privacy counts for more than for a day in the clinic. The double room is usually the cheaper option.
A single room is more worthwhile if your tariff already includes it or the extra contribution is manageable.
Frequently asked questions
What does a single room in hospital cost as a private patient?
It varies by hospital and is calculated as a daily rate. With an assumed surcharge of 80 euros and seven days, it would be 560 euros. What share of that your private insurance pays depends on the reimbursement rate and deductible of your tariff.
Is a double room always included in private health insurance?
No, that depends on the tariff. Some tariffs include accommodation, others reimburse it only in part or not at all. The tariff conditions and the insurer’s offer give you the answer. For a planned stay, it is also worth checking the hospital’s offer.
Do I have to pay the bill for the room myself?
For inpatient treatment, the hospital and the insurer usually settle the bill directly with each other. Amounts beyond that, such as the deductible, remain with you. If you pay yourself, you submit the bill to the insurer.
Can I add a single room later?
A switch to a tariff with more benefits is possible with your own insurer, and your acquired rights and ageing provisions are credited. For the additional benefit, however, the insurer may require an exclusion of benefits, an appropriate risk surcharge and possibly a waiting period. Ask for the exact conditions in advance.
So what do you do now?
- Check in the tariff conditions which accommodation is included.
- For a planned stay, ask for the daily rate for a single room.
- Use the daily rate, reimbursement rate and deductible to calculate your share of the cost.
- Submit bills to the insurer on time.
- If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage.
You can read reviews of us on ProvenExpert, Trustlocal and Trustindex. Academycon was also mentioned, among other places, in a report in VersicherungsJournal. An overview of all mentions is on the press page (in German).
Related articles
- Private health insurance in hospital: what inpatient cover pays (in German)
- Private health insurance and aids: which benefits count (in German)
- Private health insurance and glasses: what private insurance pays (in German)
- Insurance for students: the cover you really need (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
