Your health insurer may raise its rate: without sending you a letter
Statutory health insurers no longer have to write to you when they raise the additional contribution. 76% of members do not know this.
By Finmon
Consumer rights · Germany · 2026-09-11 · 3 min · Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv)
Applies to Germany. Other countries have different rules.
76% of members are unaware of it
In 30 seconds
- Health insurers no longer have to inform you when they raise the additional contribution.
- According to a survey for vzbv, 76% of statutory members are unaware of this.
- The special right to cancel still applies, but only until the end of the month in which the higher rate is first charged.
What does this mean for you?
I have statutory health insurance (Likely downside)
It is now best to keep an eye on whether your insurer gets more expensive yourself. If you miss the deadline, you stay on the higher rate until you can switch the regular way.
I am employed (Likely downside)
As an employee you pay about half of the additional contribution, your employer the rest. You first see an increase on your payslip as lower net pay.
I am self-employed (Likely downside)
If you are self-employed and voluntarily in statutory insurance, you pay the full contribution yourself. An increase hits you twice as hard as an employee.
I am retired (Likely downside)
The additional contribution is also charged on your pension. You notice an increase as a slightly lower payment.
How it could hurt you
The deadline passes unnoticed
The special right to cancel only applies until the end of the month in which the new rate is first charged. If you notice later, you can no longer switch right away.
Where there may be an upside
Compare deliberately after an increase
Additional contributions differ between insurers. If you switch to a cheaper one after an increase, you pay less on an ongoing basis.
Only if Only within the deadline of the special right to cancel. Compare extra benefits and service that matter to you first. The additional contributions of all insurers are public, for example at the GKV-Spitzenverband.
What happened?
- On 11 September 2026 the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) reported that statutory health insurers no longer have to inform members about increases in the additional contribution.
- In a representative forsa survey of 1,021 statutory members from 27 to 31 August 2026, 76% had not heard of this.
- 84% of respondents consider a letter an appropriate way to be informed. vzbv is calling on the federal government to reinstate the obligation.
- Anyone who wants to cancel has to do so by the end of the month in which the higher contribution is first charged. The usual 12-month commitment then no longer applies.
Why does it matter?
The additional contribution is the part of your health insurance contribution that each insurer sets itself. If it goes up, you may switch to another insurer immediately. That right only helps if you learn about the increase in time. Without a letter, many people first notice it as lower net pay, and by then the deadline may have passed. Benefits of statutory insurers are largely set by law and therefore very similar.
What a small increase costs
Worked example
You earn 3,500 euros gross per month and your insurer raises the additional contribution by 0.4 percentage points. As an employee you pay half, i.e. 0.2%. That is 7 euros less net pay per month, 84 euros a year.
Assumptions: Illustrative figures, income below the contribution ceiling. Your insurer's increase may differ.
What you could check now
- Compare your January and July payslip or pension statement with the previous month: has the health insurance contribution gone up?
- Check your insurer's website or online mailbox for the current additional contribution.
- Note: cancel by the end of the month in which the higher rate is first charged.
No action needed if: You have private health insurance, or you deliberately stay with your insurer for extra benefits that are worth more to you than the price difference.
What is still uncertain
- Whether the federal government will reinstate the information obligation is open.
- Which insurers will raise their additional contribution at the turn of the year is not yet known.
Sources & checks
- Beitrag steigt, Kasse schweigt: Mehrheit kennt Wegfall der Informationspflicht nicht
Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) · 2026-09-11
This explainer was created with AI assistance from the original source and checked automatically: figures against the source text, identical statements in German and English, official sources only, no buy or sell recommendations.
Published 2026-09-29 · Revision 1 · Valid until 2027-03-31
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