The healthcare system in Germany consists of public and private insurance options, allowing individuals to choose based on their eligibility and preferences.
Public health insurance companies are the primary option for those not eligible for private insurance. These public companies, known as statutory health insurance funds (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung or GKV), provide coverage to most of the population.
On the other hand, individuals who meet specific criteria, such as self-employed individuals or high-income earners, can opt for private health insurance. Private health insurance companies (Private Krankenversicherung or PKV), such as DR. Walter or Feather Insurance , provide tailored coverage with varying benefits and premiums.
By understanding the options available, individuals can choose a provider that best meets their requirements and ensures access to quality healthcare services when needed.
List of Public Health Insurance Companies in Germany
Here is a complete list of public health insurance companies (as of 2023) in Germany:
| Substitute funds and Knappschaft (Ersatzkassen (EK) und Knappschaft)— Public health insurance providers for specific professional groups in Germany | ||
| BARMER | hkk health insurance | KNIGHTSHAFT
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| DAK health | KKH commercial health insurance company | Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) |
| HEK – Hanseatic Health Insurance
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| Guild Health Insurance (Innungskrankenkassen-IKK)— Public health insurance for guild members in Germany | ||
| BIG directly healthy
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IKK Brandenburg and Berlin | IKK healthy plus |
| IKK – The Innovation Fund | IKK classic | IKK Southwest |
| General local health insurance (Allgemeine Ortskrankenkassen-AOK)— Regional public health insurance provider serving residents in Germany | ||
| AOK Baden-Württemberg | AOK Lower Saxony | AOK Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland |
| AOK Bavaria | AOK Northeast | AOK Rhineland/Hamburg |
| AOK Bremen/Bremerhaven | AOK Northwest | AOK Saxony-Anhalt |
| AOK Hesse | AOK PLUS | |
| Company health insurance (Betriebskrankenkassen-BKK)— Public health insurance for employees of specific companies in Germany | ||
| Audi BKK | BKK Palatinate | energy BKK |
| BAHN-BKK | BKK ProVita | home health insurance |
| BERGISCHE health insurance | BKK Public | mhplus health insurance |
| Bertelsmann BKK | BKK SBH | Mobile health insurance |
| BKK Akzo Nobel Bavaria | BKK Scheufelen | Novita’s BKK |
| BKK Diaconia | BKK Technoform | Pronova BKK |
| BKK DürkoppAdler | BKK Textile Group Hof | R+V company health insurance |
| BKK EUREGIO | BKK VBU | Salus BKK |
| BKK exclusive | BKK VDN | SBK |
| BKK Faber-Castell & Partner | BKK VerbundPlus | SECURVITA health insurance |
| BKK firmus | BKK Werra-Meissner | SKD BKK |
| BKK Freudenberg | BKK ECONOMY & FINANCE | TUI BKK |
| BKK GILDEMEISTER SEIDENSTICKER | BKK ZF & Partners | VIACTIV health insurance |
| BKK HERCULES | BKK24 | vivida bkk |
| BKK lime tree | Bosch BKK | WMF BKK |
| bkk melitta hmr | Continental BKK | |
| BKK PFAFF | Debeka BKK | |
| Agricultural health insurance (Landwirtschaftliche Krankenkasse-LKK)— Public health insurance provider in Germany that caters to individuals working in the agricultural sector | ||
| Agricultural health insurance – LKK | ||
| Company-related health insurance companies (Betriebsbezogene Krankenkassen)— Public health insurance providers that offer coverage specifically for employees of certain companies or industries | ||
| BKK B. Braun Aesculap | BKK Merck | BMW BKK |
| BKK BPW Bergische Axles KG | BKK Miele | Ernst & Young BKK |
| BKK Deutsche Bank AG | BKK MTU | Koenig & Bauer BKK |
| BKK possibly | BKK PwC | Krones BKK |
| BKK EWE | BKK Rieker.Ricosta.Weisser | Mercedes-Benz BKK |
| BKK Groz-Beckert | BKK Salzgitter | Südzucker BKK |
| BKK KARL MAYER | BKK Voralb HELLER*INDEX*LEUZE | |
| Merged health insurance companies (Fusionierte Krankenkassen)— Public health insurance providers that have undergone mergers or consolidations, combining their operations and resources | ||
| actimonda health insurance – now: BIG directly healthy | BKK GRILLO-WERKE AG | GERMAN BKK – now: BARMER |
| atlas BKK ahlmann – now: vivida bkk | BKK Heimbach – now: actimonda | E.ON company health insurance – now: energie-BKK |
| BKK Achenbach Buschhütten – now: VIACTIV | BKK Henschel plus – now: Continentale BKK | ESSO BKK – now: Novitas BKK |
| BKK advita – now: BKK24 | BKK Kassana – now: BKK VerbundPlus | HEAG BKK – now: Linde BKK |
| BKK Aesculap | BKK MAN and MTU – now: Audi BKK | Hypovereinsbank BKK – now: BKK Mobil Oil |
| BKK AXEL SPRINGER – now: DAK health | BKK MEDICUS – now: BKK VBU | Metzinger BKK – now: mhplus |
| BKK Basell – now: BKK VBU | BKK Melitta Plus – now: BKK Melitta HMR | SAINT-GOBAIN BKK |
| BKK Beiersdorf AG – now: DAK Gesundheit | BKK MEM – now Metzinger BKK | Schwebeniger health insurance – now: vivida bkk |
| BKK BJB – now: BKK Gildemeister Seidensticker | BKK PHOENIX – now: Novitas BKK | Shell BKK/LIFE – now: DAK Gesundheit |
| BKK Braun-Gillette – now: pronova BKK | BKK RWE – now: energy BKK | SIEMAG BKK – now: Novitas BKK |
| BKK Demag Krauss-Maffei – now: BKK VBU | BKK SH – now: BKK VBU | TBK (Thuringian company health insurance fund) |
| BKK ESSANELLE – now: BARMER | BKK Sisterhood of BRK – now: BKK ProVita | Vaillant BKK – now: pronova BKK |
| BKK family – now: BKK ProVita | BKK Stadt Augsburg – now: Audi BKK | United BKK – now: BKK VBU |
| BKK futur – now BKK VBU | BKK Vital – now: BKK Palatinate | Wieland BKK – now: BKK Verbund Plus |
| BKK Health – now: DAK Health | Brandenburg BKK – now: BKK VBU | |
There are over 100 public insurance companies, and depending on your profession and employer you can pick out your provider based on your needs and requirements.
List of Private Health Insurance Companies in Germany
Below is a complete list of accredited private health insurance companies in Germany:
| Allianz private health insurance | Old Oldenburg health insurance | ARAG health insurance |
| AXA health insurance | Barmenia health insurance | the Bavarian |
| General health insurance | Concordia health insurance | Continental health insurance |
| DBV German Civil Servants Insurance | Debeka Health Insurance Association | German Ring Health Insurance Association |
| DEVK health insurance | DKV – German Health Insurance | Enviva’s health insurance |
| ERGO health insurance | Gotha health insurance | HALLESCHE health insurance |
| HanseMerkur health insurance | HUK-Coburg health insurance | Inter health insurance |
| LKH State Health Aid | LVM health insurance | Mecklenburg Health Insurance |
| Munich Health Insurance Association | Nuremberg health insurance | ottonova health insurance |
| R+V health insurance | South German health insurance | Signal Iduna health insurance |
| Insurance Chamber of Bavaria | VGH health insurance | vigo health insurance |
| UKV Union health insurance | Universal health insurance | VRK Health Insurance Ltd |
| Württemberg health insurance |
Can I Switch Providers?
If you have statutory health insurance, you generally can switch providers unless your insurance is tied to a specific company or profession. For instance, if you are a farmer, you are legally obligated to stay with the designated insurance company for farmers and cannot switch.
With private insurance, there are no such requirements, you can change your company as you see fit based on your needs.
Can I Be Covered by Private and Public Providers?
Yes, individuals who meet the eligibility criteria for private insurance in Germany can maintain their coverage with a public health insurance company while also purchasing a health insurance policy from a private company. This allows them to have dual coverage and access to the benefits of both types of insurance.