A German health insurance contribution increase may no longer be announced through a separate personal letter. Statutory health insurance providers are no longer legally required to send every member an individual warning when they raise their additional contribution, known as the Zusatzbeitrag.
Your right to switch health insurance still exists, but you now need to monitor contribution changes yourself.
1. What happened?
People with statutory health insurance in Germany pay two parts:
- the general health insurance contribution, which is set by law;
- an additional contribution called the Zusatzbeitrag, which is set individually by each Krankenkasse.(Insurance company)
Until July 2026, a statutory health insurer had to send its members a separate written notice before introducing or increasing its Zusatzbeitrag. The notice also had to explain the member’s special right to switch insurers.
This legal notification requirement has now been removed.
A Krankenkasse may still inform its members voluntarily by letter, email, app or online account. However, you can no longer assume that you will receive a personal warning before the contribution increases.
The important point is:
The notification requirement has ended, but the special right to switch has not.
If your Krankenkasse introduces a Zusatzbeitrag or increases its existing rate, you can still switch without waiting for the normal 12-month membership period to end.
2. Who is affected?
The change affects members of Germany’s statutory health insurance system, called:
- gesetzliche Krankenversicherung;
- GKV;
- gesetzliche Krankenkasse.
This includes many:
- employees;
- pensioners;
- students;
- trainees;
- voluntarily insured members;
- self-employed people with statutory insurance.
It does not apply in the same way to people with private health insurance, or private Krankenversicherung.
Family members who are insured without paying their own contribution through Familienversicherung do not normally pay a separate Zusatzbeitrag themselves. The paying member should still monitor changes affecting the family’s Krankenkasse.
Special rules may apply if you have chosen a Krankengeld optional tariff, known as a Krankengeld-Wahltarif. This type of tariff can restrict when you are allowed to leave the insurer.
3. What should you do?
Check your Krankenkasse regularly
Do not wait for a letter. Check:
- the Krankenkasse website;
- your insurance app or online account;
- emails and digital messages from the insurer;
- your payslip;
- your pension statement, if applicable.
On a payslip, look for terms such as:
- KV-Beitrag;
- Krankenversicherung;
- Zusatzbeitrag;
- AN-Anteil KV.
A higher deduction may indicate that the contribution rate has changed. Remember that changes in your salary can also affect the amount, so verify the actual percentage on your insurer’s website.
Compare contribution rates and benefits
The general health insurance contribution is the same across statutory insurers, but the Zusatzbeitrag varies.
The Federal Ministry of Health announced an average Zusatzbeitrag of 2.9% for 2026. This is only a reference figure. Each Krankenkasse decides its own rate, and the actual rate may be higher or lower.
When comparing insurers, do not look at price alone. Also consider:
- whether the insurer is available in your region;
- English-language support;
- customer service;
- additional dental benefits;
- preventive examinations;
- vaccinations;
- bonus programmes;
- alternative treatments;
- digital services and apps.
The GKV-Spitzenverband publishes an official list of statutory health insurers and their current contribution rates.
Use your special right to switch
If your Krankenkasse introduces or increases its Zusatzbeitrag, you may switch even if you have not completed the usual 12-month membership period.
You must choose the new Krankenkasse by the end of the month in which the higher contribution first applies.
For example:
- The new Zusatzbeitrag applies from 1 January.
- You must choose the new Krankenkasse by 31 January.
- Your old membership normally ends on 31 March.
- Your new membership normally begins on 1 April.
You continue paying the increased contribution during the transition period.
Apply directly to the new Krankenkasse
You normally do not need to send a separate cancellation letter to your old insurer.
The switching process generally works like this:
- Compare eligible statutory health insurers.
- Apply for membership with the new Krankenkasse.
- The new insurer informs your existing insurer electronically.
- The existing insurer confirms when your membership will end.
- Tell your employer or other responsible organisation which Krankenkasse you selected.
Keep confirmation of your application and the date on which it was submitted. This is particularly important because the insurer is no longer required to remind you about the deadline.
4. When does it take effect?
The change took effect on 30 July 2026.
It was introduced through the GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz, or GKV Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act.
The law removed the previous sentences in Section 175(4) SGB V that required health insurers to send members an individual written notice about a Zusatzbeitrag increase and the related special switching right.
Since 30 July 2026, statutory insurers have no general legal duty to send that separate warning letter.
5. Official source
- Federal Law Gazette: GKV Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act
- Federal Ministry of Health: GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz
- Section 175 SGB V: Current rules for choosing and switching a Krankenkasse
- Federal Ministry of Health: Choosing and switching statutory health insurance
- Federal Ministry of Health: Statutory health insurance contributions
- GKV-Spitzenverband: List of statutory health insurers
6. Publication information
Last updated: 25 August 2026
LeeLink provides general information and not individual legal, financial or insurance advice.