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Newcomer guide for Germany

Supplementary Care Insurance Germany 2026

The statutory care fund pays only part of the bill. A private Pflegezusatzversicherung closes the gap and protects your family from high out of pocket costs.

Last updated: May 21, 2026 · meinetarife24 Editorial Team · aligned with SGB XI 2026

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Key Takeaways

  • Supplementary care insurance closes the gap between the statutory care fund and the real cost of care. Self-paid shares in nursing homes often exceed 2,500 EUR per month.
  • Statutory contribution 2026: 3.6 percent of gross income for parents, 4.2 percent for childless employees (0.6 pp childless surcharge). Split roughly fifty fifty with the employer.
  • Care benefits Pflegegrad 2: 347 EUR cash. Pflegegrad 5: 990 EUR cash, up to 2,299 EUR in-kind. Figures fixed for 2025 and 2026 (source: BMG).
  • Earlier is cheaper: at age 30 a solid plan costs roughly 20 to 35 EUR per month. Wait until 50 and the same benefit easily doubles.

Tip for newcomers

Long-term care insurance in Germany is mandatory and gets deducted from your salary automatically. Many newcomers do not know this: the statutory fund covers only part of actual nursing home costs. If you plan to stay in Germany long term, it is worth knowing the supplementary plan, even though it is optional.

German terms you will encounter

Pflegezusatzversicherung
Private top-up to the statutory long-term care fund
Pflegegrad 1-5
Care need level under SGB XI section 15
Pflegegeld
Cash benefit when family provides home care
Pflegesachleistung
In-kind benefit when an ambulatory service provides care
Pflege-Bahr
State-subsidised tariff with 60 EUR per year top-up
Beitragsanpassung
Premium adjustment under VVG section 203
Wartezeit
Waiting period before benefits become payable
Sonderkundigungsrecht
Special termination right after a premium increase
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What is supplementary care insurance?

Supplementary care insurance (Pflegezusatzversicherung) is a private policy that tops up the statutory long-term care fund. It pays out once an official care level (Pflegegrad) under § 15 SGB XI is granted and softens the gap between statutory benefits and real care costs. Unlike the statutory fund, this insurance is voluntary.

The market offers three core models: Pflegetagegeld (daily allowance), Pflegekostenversicherung (cost reimbursement) and Pflegerentenversicherung (care annuity). The right one depends on how much flexibility you want and whether you prefer a fixed cash benefit or reimbursement of actual expenses.

Why a supplementary plan pays off: the care gap

Care costs in Germany have risen sharply. The average self-paid share in a nursing home sits between 2,500 and 3,300 EUR per month (see VDEK care statistics, values vary by federal state). The statutory fund pays a fixed amount, the rest comes from your pocket. People who built wealth or do not want to burden family use a private plan to close the gap.

Sample calculation: nursing home at Pflegegrad 4

  • Total home costsroughly 4,500 EUR per month
  • Statutory fund benefit (PG 4, inpatient)1,855 EUR
  • Self-paid shareroughly 2,645 EUR per month

Indicative figures, depending on federal state and facility. § 43 SGB XI sets graduated fixed amounts for inpatient care.

Three tariff types compared

Before comparing offers, decide which model fits your situation. The three options differ in how they pay out, how flexible they are and what they cost.

Pflegetagegeld (per diem)

Fixed daily amount regardless of actual costs. The money lands on your account and you decide how to use it.

Best for: Best if you want flexibility and plan to compensate family caregivers.

Example: 50 EUR per day at Pflegegrad 5 means roughly 1,500 EUR extra per month.

Pflegekostenversicherung (cost reimbursement)

Reimburses a percentage of actual care costs against invoices. Each tariff has a monthly cap.

Best for: Best if you want predictable coverage of real expenses.

Example: Plan covers 80 percent of home costs up to 3,000 EUR per month.

Pflegerentenversicherung (care annuity)

Lifelong monthly annuity once a care level is recognised. Some plans include a capital component.

Best for: Best if you want long-term planning and view premiums as savings.

Example: 1,000 EUR annuity from Pflegegrad 3 onwards, lifelong without depletion.

Care levels and statutory benefits 2026

Money only flows once a care level is officially recognised. The monthly amounts below have been in force since January 1, 2025 and remain unchanged for 2026. The next regular adjustment is scheduled for January 1, 2028 (source: Federal Ministry of Health).

Care levelCashIn-kind
Pflegegrad 1——
Pflegegrad 2347 EUR796 EUR
Pflegegrad 3599 EUR1,497 EUR
Pflegegrad 4800 EUR1,859 EUR
Pflegegrad 5990 EUR2,299 EUR

Legal basis: § 37 SGB XI (cash benefit), § 36 SGB XI (in-kind benefit), § 45b SGB XI (relief allowance). For inpatient care, § 43 SGB XI applies with graduated fixed amounts.

Statutory care contribution rate 2026

Since January 1, 2025 the social long-term care contribution stands at 3.6 percent of contribution-relevant gross income. The Federal Cabinet decided on October 15, 2025 to keep the rate stable through 2026 (source: GKV-Spitzenverband).

  • Parents: 3.6 percent, split between employee and employer at 1.8 percent each.
  • Childless from age 23: additional 0.6 percentage points (4.2 percent total). The surcharge is paid by the employee alone.
  • Families with several children under 25 get a 0.25 percentage point reduction per child (up to the fifth child).
  • Saxony is the exception: employees carry a larger share because the Bussfeiertag holiday remains.

What does supplementary care insurance cost?

The monthly premium depends mainly on entry age, tariff type and benefit amount. The table shows typical premiums for two daily benefit levels (market observation 2025/2026, indicative).

Entry age30 EUR daily benefit50 EUR daily benefit
Age 3015 - 25 EUR/month25 - 40 EUR/month
Age 4022 - 35 EUR/month35 - 55 EUR/month
Age 5035 - 55 EUR/month55 - 90 EUR/month
Age 6060 - 90 EUR/month95 - 160 EUR/month

Ranges informed by the Verbraucherzentrale (May 2026) and market observation. See the comparison tool below for concrete quotes.

Pflege-Bahr: the state-subsidised tariff

The so called Pflege-Bahr is a supplementary care plan with a government subsidy. If you pay at least 10 EUR per month, the state adds 5 EUR, that is 60 EUR per year. The subsidy is regulated in § 126 SGB XI; minimum benefits sit in § 127 SGB XI.

Strong points

  • No health screening, nobody is rejected.
  • People with pre-existing conditions get cover too.
  • Government subsidy lowers your personal contribution.

Limitations

  • Five year waiting period before benefits start.
  • Benefit levels often lower than in regular plans.
  • Hard to upgrade the plan later on.

Pflege-Bahr makes sense if pre-existing conditions block you from a regular policy. Otherwise a standard tariff usually delivers more coverage per euro.

Waiting period, health check and disclosure duty

When you apply, the insurer asks about pre-existing conditions. False answers can lead to loss of cover later (§ 19 VVG disclosure duty). Risk surcharges or rejections are possible.

Waiting periods of three to five years are standard. During this time the insurer does not pay out. Care needs from accidents are usually covered immediately. Pflege-Bahr always carries five years of waiting time (§ 127 SGB XI).

Tip: clarify any open diagnosis with your doctor before applying. Withholding a fact hurts more in the care case than a moderate risk surcharge.

When premiums rise: adjustment, tariff switch, termination

Private insurers may adjust premiums under § 203 VVG when calculation assumptions change. The German Federal Court tightened the documentation requirements in its 16 June 2022 ruling (IV ZR 161/21). If you receive an increase, you have three options.

  1. Review: a consumer association or law firm can check the wording. Insufficient justification can roll back the increase.
  2. Switch tariff under § 204 VVG: move to a cheaper plan with the same insurer without new health screening.
  3. Special termination under § 205 VVG: cancel within two months of the notice. Mind that a new policy means new health screening and waiting period.

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Tax deductibility of premiums

Premiums for private supplementary care insurance count as Vorsorgeaufwendungen under § 10 EStG. In practice the cap is often used up by statutory health and pension contributions. Self-employed people or those with headroom can claim a meaningful deduction.

Check the exact room with your tax advisor or a Lohnsteuerhilfeverein. With Pflege-Bahr the state subsidy does not count as a personal contribution for tax purposes.

Supplementary care insurance and dementia

Since the 2017 care reform (Second Care Strengthening Act) the medical service treats physical and cognitive impairments equally. If dementia leads to an officially recognised care level, you receive the same statutory and supplementary benefits as someone with purely physical care needs.

New in Germany? What expats should know

In Germany the social care insurance is tied to health insurance. Statutory health insurance membership automatically enrolls you in the mandatory care fund. Private health insurance members get the equivalent through the private mandatory care insurance. Neither is voluntary and both come straight out of payroll.

Supplementary care insurance is different: it is optional. Whether it makes sense depends on how long you stay, whether you build wealth in Germany and whether you want to shield family from being asked to contribute (Elternunterhalt). For short stays it usually is not a priority.

For more on the German social system see our guides on health insurance, pension insurance and occupational disability insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers around supplementary care insurance in Germany for 2026

What does supplementary long-term care insurance in Germany cost in 2026?

The monthly premium depends on your age at entry, the tariff type and the benefit level. For a Pflegetagegeld plan paying 30 EUR per day, expect roughly 15 EUR per month at age 30 and around 90 EUR at age 60. The Verbraucherzentrale lists 70 to 160 EUR per month for a 50 EUR daily benefit at age 50 (Stand 19.05.2026).

When should I take out supplementary care insurance?

The best moment is while you are still healthy and premiums are low. Between 30 and 50 is the classic recommendation. After 60 the premiums rise sharply and pre-existing conditions can lead to surcharges or rejection.

What is the statutory long-term care contribution rate in 2026?

Since 01.01.2025 the rate is 3.6 percent of gross income and stays unchanged in 2026 (BMG cabinet decision of 15.10.2025). Childless employees pay an additional 0.6 pp, reaching 4.2 percent.

What is the Pflege-Bahr?

A state-subsidised supplementary tariff under §§ 126/127 SGB XI. With at least 10 EUR per month from your side, the state adds 5 EUR (60 EUR per year). Five year waiting period applies.

I am new to Germany. Do I need it?

Mandatory care insurance is automatic with your health insurance. Supplementary cover is voluntary and matters mainly if you stay long term, build wealth or want to protect your family from being asked for Elternunterhalt.

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Last updated: May 21, 2026 · meinetarife24 Editorial Team · Sources: BMG, GKV-Spitzenverband, Verbraucherzentrale, SGB XI, VVG