German health insurance when unemployed

All German residents need health insurance, even when unemployed. This guide explains how health insurance works when you have no income.

Losing your job in Germany

If you lost your job

With public health insurance

Your public health insurance becomes cheaper. The coverage stays the same.

In some cases, your health insurance is free for 1 month after you lose your job (nachgehender Leistungsanspruch).8 This happens automatically; you don’t need to apply for it.

With private health insurance

Your private health insurance becomes more expensive, because you employer stops paying half of it. The coverage stays the same.

  • If you get unemployment benefits
    You must switch to public health insurance, then you get insured for free.2 The Agentur für Arbeit pays it.3 In some cases, you can keep your private health insurance.4 If you are over 55 years old, you must usually keep your private health insurance.5
  • If you don’t get unemployment benefits
    You keep your private health insurance.1 The Agentur für Arbeit pays €210 per month.7 Your employer does not pay half of it. For example, if your private health insurance costs €500 per month, your employer paid €250, and you paid €250. If you lose your job, you pay €500 alone without help.

Who gets unemployment benefits

After you find a job

When you start a new job, you must switch to public health insurance. If you make more than €73,800 per year, you can choose private health insurance instead.

Health insurance for employees

If you just moved to Germany

Health insurance for a residence permit application

Sources and footnotes
  1. krankenkassen.de (February 2025), Feather 

  2. krankenkassen.de (February 2025), Seamus Wolf (April 2025) 

  3. krankenkassen.de (February 2025), aok.de, aok.de, Arbeitsagentur 

  4. pkv.de (June 2025) 

  5. pkv.de (June 2025) 

  6. Techniker Krankenkasse (June 2025) 

  7. Feather Insurance (June 2025) 

  8. Finanztip (June 2025)