Do you have to be insured? Everything about the health insurance obligation

Clear rules

If the money is not enough: do you have to be insured?

In Germany, everyone must be insured – even if there is little or no income. What happens if you are not insured.

In Germany, every person, whether old, young, young, employed, independent or looking for a job, must have health insurance. Depending on the living conditions, you are either compulsory in the statutory health insurance company, voluntarily insured or family -insured – or just insured privately.

The idea behind it: Unlike in countries such as the USA, everyone in this country should get the necessary basic medical care. However, this also means that even if someone has little or no income exists.

If you are compulsorily insured in the statutory health insurance, this means that you must be insured in a statutory health insurance. You can only choose the numerous statutory health insurance companies in which you want to be insured. The contribution and so -called additional services can differ to a clear extent. You can only be released from the compulsory insurance and insured privately in certain situations (see below).

Employees are generally compulsory in the SHI if they earn less than the so -called annual wage limit, also mentioned. The border rises annually and in 2025 is 6,150 euros gross per month, which corresponds to an annual income of 73,800 euros gross. Important: Vacation and Christmas bonus also belong to the creditable gross content.

Only those who earn more can be free from the statutory health insurance spent and insure themselves privately.

In addition to the employees with earnings below the 73,800 euros per year (as of: 2025), the following groups of people are subject to insurance in the GKV according to the Social Code:

If you have no health insurance, contact the last insurance company you were in. Formerly legally insured persons have to go to the statutory health insurance, formerly privately insured in private. Both the legal and private health insurance company is obliged to accept it.

However, it is not punishable if you are not insured. However, they face high costs: Even if they may not have been insured for years and were not at the doctor, contributions are performed during this time. In an emergency, it is advisable to seek advice from a consumer advice center or debt counseling.