Everyone in Germany needs health insurance but how do the rules work for children? We look at what parents have to do to ensure their children are covered and check out the pros and cons of statutory versus private coverage.
For newcomers and non-German residents living in Germany, understanding how health insurance works – especially for children – can seem complex.
Whether you’re insured privately or via Germany’s statutory health insurance system, here’s an overview of everything you need to know to ensure your children have access to the healthcare services they need, when they need them.
Who needs health insurance in Germany?
Anyone living in Germany, regardless of nationality, must have health insurance – a requirement which includes children from birth.
Most residents in Germany earning under a specified threshold (approximately €73,800 a year in 2025) have statutory health insurance. EU citizens previously insured in their home countries can often continue with that coverage under reciprocal agreements.
Those with higher incomes or in certain professions may opt for, or be required to have, private insurance. Non-EU citizens and those without formal employment also face more complex rules, often requiring private insurance.
How should parents register their children for health insurance?
At birth, children in Germany are automatically covered temporarily on the mother’s health insurance for the first medical examination (U1). However, parents must actively register the child with either a statutory health insurance fund or private insurer within two months of the birth.
Registration requires submitting documents such as the birth certificate. Once registered, children receive their own health insurance card, enabling them to access healthcare benefits.
READ ALSO: Does having a baby in Germany make it easier for parents to become citizens?
Foreign-born children don’t benefit from automatic temporary coverage under the mother’s insurance when they arrive in the way that children born in Germany do.
When parents arrive with children from abroad, every member of the family is obliged to register at the local citizens’ office (Einwohnermeldeamt) where the family lives in Germany. This registration is a prerequisite for obtaining health insurance coverage.
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Parents must then register their child with either a statutory health insurance fund (GKV) or a private insurer within two months of moving to Germany.
Only then will the child receive a health insurance card and access to healthcare services.
Through which parent are children insured in Germany?
Children are generally insured under the parent who has the higher income. If both parents have statutory insurance, children are usually included through family insurance at no extra cost.
READ ALSO: When is it worth buying supplementary dental insurance in Germany?
If one parent has private insurance and is a higher earner, the children generally have to be insured privately.
Conversely, if the statutory-insured parent earns more, children can remain covered by statutory family insurance. Both parents need to be married or in a civil partnership for these rules to apply.
If the parents are unmarried, children can be insured under either parent’s health insurance.
What is the difference between private health insurance and statutory health insurance?
Private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV) is an option mainly for high earners, civil servants, freelancers, and self-employed people. It provides broader benefits, private hospital rooms, shorter waiting times, and flexibility in the choice of providers.
READ ALSO: What are my options for private health insurance in Germany?
Family members including children aren’t automatically covered and must have individual contracts that require their own premiums. However, premiums for children are generally lower than for adults and employers typically cover half of the employee’s health insurance premiums, which can include children insured through the employee’s plan.
Statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) covers about 90 percent of residents in Germany.
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It’s funded via payroll contributions, shared between employees and employers and offers comprehensive basic healthcare: doctor visits, hospital stays, maternity care, preventive services, medication, and more.
One of the main advantages of statutory insurance is the family insurance provision. Children, spouses, and partners who meet certain eligibility conditions – such as residing in Germany and earning below certain income limits – can be co-insured for free.
This family insurance lasts while children are minors and can be extended up to the age of 25 for students or trainees, and even longer for disabled children.
Can parents with statutory health insurance insure their children privately?
Yes. Parents with statutory insurance can choose to obtain private supplementary insurance for their children, which offers additional benefits like private hospital rooms, special treatments, and outpatient surgeries. This coverage is optional and supplements basic statutory insurance.
READ ALSO: The check-ups you can get in Germany with statutory health insurance
Do you have questions about health insurance coverage for children in Germany which we haven’t answered here? If so, feel free to let us know in the comments below.
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