Apply for or terminate voluntary membership of statutory health insurance

You can submit your application for voluntary health insurance by post or - in the case of many statutory health insurance funds - in person at the office or online.

• Fill out the application form from your statutory health insurance fund and submit it to the health insurance fund together with the required documents.
• The health insurance company will check whether you meet the requirements for voluntary membership and inform you of the result.
• If you would like to change your statutory health insurance fund as a voluntary member:
• Submit a new membership application to the new health insurance company.
• Your new health insurance company will then take care of terminating your membership with your previous health insurance company. The health insurance funds use an electronic notification procedure for this purpose.
• If you are terminating your voluntary membership in order to switch to private health insurance (PKV):
• Submit your informal notice of termination to your statutory health insurance company together with proof of subsequent health insurance with a private health insurance company. You can submit the documents by post or - in the case of many statutory health insurance companies - hand them in personally at the office or submit them online.
• The health insurance company will check whether you meet the requirements for termination of voluntary membership and inform you of the result.
  

You can apply to become a voluntary member of the statutory health insurance scheme if

• your statutory insurance obligation ends and you
  • were insured for at least 12 months without interruption immediately before the end of compulsory insurance or
  • have been insured for a total of 24 months in the past 5 years.
    • Please note: As a rule, this condition only applies if you change health insurance company at the beginning of your voluntary membership.
• Your family insurance ends and you or the parent who previously co-insured you
  • were continuously insured for at least 12 months immediately before the end of family insurance or
  • have been insured for a total of 24 months in the last 5 years.
    • Please note: As a rule, this condition only applies if you change health insurance provider at the beginning of your voluntary membership.
• you take up employment in Germany for the first time and your income from employment is above the statutory annual income limit.
• Your previous statutory membership as an employee ended due to a period of work abroad and you take up employment again within 2 months of returning to Germany.
• you are severely disabled and you, one of your parents or your spouse or partner have been insured in the statutory health insurance scheme for at least 3 years in the 5 years prior to your application. Most statutory health insurance funds have also set age limits.
• you are a late repatriate moving to Germany and have previously had statutory health insurance abroad.
• you leave the service as a regular soldier.
• To terminate your voluntary membership, you will need
• subsequent health insurance with a private health insurance company or a statutory health insurance fund.
  

For the justification of membership:

• Passport photo for the electronic health card
• Health insurance number or social security number

Depending on the special case, further documents may be required. Please contact your statutory health insurance fund for more information.

For the calculation of contributions if you are not employed by an employer:

• Proof of your income, for example current income tax assessment notice, remuneration certificates or pension statements

For the termination of voluntary health insurance:

• Proof of subsequent health insurance with a private insurance company

You do not have to pay anything for the application.

You apply for voluntary membership of the statutory health insurance scheme no later than 3 months after

• your departure from compulsory statutory insurance or family insurance,
• the start of your first employment in which you also receive a salary above the annual income threshold,
• your return to Germany,
• the determination of your severe disability or
• the end of your period of service as a regular soldier.

If you are a late repatriate, you must apply for voluntary health insurance within 6 months of moving to Germany or at the latest 3 months after your last receipt of unemployment benefit II.

The notice period is 2 months to the end of the month. The date on which the health insurance company receives your notice of termination is decisive. For example: If you cancel your voluntary membership by post on April 29 and the notice is received by your health insurance company on May 2, your membership will end on July 31.

Processing normally takes around 2 to 5 working days.
Your health insurance company must have the necessary information and any required documents in a complete and meaningful form in order to process and decide quickly.
The health insurance company decides on applications promptly, whereby the statutory processing period is adhered to in order to protect patients' rights.
Please note that the processing time stated is an average value for all health insurance companies. It may vary in individual cases.
The exact processing time also depends on the complexity of the individual case and may be longer. The same applies if documents or records are sent to you or your health insurance company by post.

• § Section 9 of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code (SGB V)
• § Section 188 (4) of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code (SGB V)
• § Section 191 No. 3 of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code (SGB V)

• Contradiction
• Action before the social court
  

- Forms: Many statutory health insurance companies offer forms.

- Online procedure possible: Many statutory health insurance funds offer an online procedure.

- Written form required: no

- Personal appearance necessary: no

• Applications for voluntary statutory health insurance and for its termination via the GKV-Spitzenverband's health insurance navigator

As a rule, you cannot switch from private health insurance to voluntary statutory health insurance. It is only possible to switch to statutory compulsory or family insurance if you meet the relevant requirements.

25.10.2021