If I switch from statutory to private health insurance, can I go back?
Once you have switched to private insurance (PKV), you cannot go back to statutory insurance (GKV) just because you want to. It usually takes a new job with compulsory insurance, and it gets harder as you get older.
Germany has two systems: statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) and private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV). In statutory insurance, contributions depend on your income. In private insurance they depend on your age and plan, and they can rise as you get older.
Once you are privately insured, you cannot go back simply because you would like to. Going back usually becomes possible when your situation changes, for example when you start a job with compulsory insurance. After a certain age it is almost impossible. To leave statutory insurance, you also have to prove that you are insured elsewhere.
Private insurance can look cheap when you are young and healthy, but check carefully what the plan covers. On a cheap plan, a simple blood test has cost hundreds of euros.
If you plan to stay in Germany for a long time, statutory insurance may be the safer choice. Before you decide, talk to an independent adviser or an insurer.
This information is based on community experience and is not legal advice. Rules can change; check important things with the responsible office.
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