Sign up for health insurance in Germany

Health insurance is mandatory for everyone living in Germany — you cannot get a residence permit or start most jobs without it. You choose between public (gesetzlich, e.g. TK, AOK, Barmer) and private cover, and your employer needs the membership confirmation to register you for payroll.

⏱️Public: 14.6% plus an add-on averaging 2.9% in 2026, split with your employer. Confirmation often same-day.

Good to know — wherever you live

• ✓Employees earning under the threshold must take public insurance; high earners and most freelancers can choose private — but switching back from private to public later is hard, so decide carefully.
• ✓Public insurers are legally required to accept you, and the core benefits are nearly identical between them — pick on service, English support and app quality.
• ✓Family members without their own income are usually covered for free under public insurance (Familienversicherung) — a big advantage over private cover.
• ✓Ask for the Mitgliedsbescheinigung (membership confirmation) right after signing up; your employer and the immigration office both need it.