In Germany, the health insurance belongs to the social security system. In general all persons are required to insure themselves on a statutory or private basis. The contributions (for employees) are made jointly by employers and employees. In statutory health insurance, persons in employment (below certain income thresholds), recipients of revenues as income replacement (for example, unemployment benefit, pension or sickness benefit), students, pensioners and pension claimants as well as certain family members are insured.
For employees above certain income thresholds, self-employed, artists and other exceptions, there is the possibility to insure voluntarily in a statutory or private health insurance. Public officials or self-employed persons are usually insured with a private health insurance company.
87% of the employed persons are insured statutorily
In 2015, 95% of the employees and 56% of the self-employed were insured statutorily. Almost all employees are compulsorily insured, only a low part (5%) is a voluntary member of a statutory health insurance. 5% of the employees and 43% of the self-employed are secured in a private health insurance.
Men more often insured voluntarily than women
Men are insured to a higher portion than women privately. This is probably mainly due to the fact that men exceed the income threshold more often than women and thus may choose whether they insure voluntarily in a statutory or a private health insurance.
Less than 1% of employed persons are not insured
It is astonishing that, in spite of the obligation, not all employed persons are insured. Although it is a small proportion, it is remarkable that especially young people are not insured. Among men aged 15-24 years, the share of people without health insurance is 0.7%.
Information on the Indicator
Description or definition
Percentage of employees with additional private health insurance in all persons in employment.
Source
Microcensus
Information for interpretation
Because the questions on health insurances have changed (partly significantly) during the elevation years, the comparability is limited. With temporal comparisons this should be considered.
In the last few years, the methodology of the microcensus has been continuously improved in terms of employment status coverage. Therefore comparisons over time are partly limited. Methodological changes affecting the results were performed especially in 2005 and, more currently, for the years from 2011. Consequently, the results for those years can be compared with the results for previous years to a limited extent only.
In the context of the current changes , the extrapolation of microcensus data uses the population figures from the 2011 Census, which was conducted as at 9 May 2011. The results have been revised from 2010 onwards. With effect from the year 2016, the sample is based on the 2011 census data. This transition affects the comparability of the results with previous years.
For more information please refer to Methods: Quality Reports and Explanations (only in German).