Switch provider
Move to a cheaper fund in a few steps.
Binding periods, termination rules, and the smart sequence — to make the switch seamless.
When can I switch?
After 12 months of uninterrupted membership you can cancel any time — the notice period is two full calendar months, so membership ends on the last day of the second following month. If your fund raises its supplementary contribution, the special right of termination kicks in: you can cancel within one month of being notified, even if you’re still inside the 12-month lock-in. Job changes or moving into family coverage cancel the lock-in entirely. The annual rate-change notification typically arrives in December or January — the perfect moment to compare.
The 12-month minimum binding period was reduced from 18 to 12 months in 2021 — a clear relief for those wanting to switch. It starts on the first day of your membership at the current fund, not on the calendar year. So if you joined Fund A on 1 March 2025, you can cancel earliest on 1 March 2026 — effective 31 May 2026. The 12-month rule does not apply if the membership itself has been less than 12 months, e.g. after starting university, a job, or moving from family coverage to your own compulsory insurance.
Three life events override any binding period: starting a new job with GKV-compulsory status, joining free family coverage via a spouse or parent, and the start of unemployment benefit I (ALG I). In these cases you can switch immediately to any fund, since the insurance is formally re-established. A status change between compulsory and voluntary insurance also opens a fresh choice — use these moments deliberately for a comparison.
The special right of termination
The special right of termination is your strongest lever: as soon as your fund raises the supplementary rate, you can cancel regardless of the 12-month lock-in — within one month of receiving the notification. The fund is legally required to notify you of this right in writing; if it doesn’t, the one-month period doesn’t even start. The special right applies even when the rate is first introduced or only slightly adjusted — the mere occasion of "rate adjustment" is enough.
Practical timing: funds typically publish new supplementary rates in December (effective 1 January) or summer (effective 1 July). The written notice arrives by post or digitally in your member portal. From the day of receipt you have exactly one month to cancel — and the switch becomes effective at the end of the second following month. So if you receive the notice in January, you can cancel by end of February and start at the new fund on 1 April.
A small trap: some funds send the notice very close to or even after the start of the increase. The special termination right remains valid as long as you can prove receipt of the letter. Keep the letter, check the date carefully, and submit the cancellation in writing or via the new fund’s online portal. The new fund handles the cancellation of the old one — you don’t need to deal with the old insurer directly.
Which fund is right for me?
Four factors decide: the supplementary rate (2026 range roughly 0.9 %–3.5 %, which on a €4,500 gross salary translates to up to €117/month difference), the bonus program (up to €600/year cashback), optional tariffs (deductible, GP-only, premium refund), and service quality (app, wait times, online consultations). Stiftung Warentest and Finanztest publish regular rankings — trust those over marketing material. Optimising only for the lowest supplementary rate, without considering bonus or optional tariffs, often leaves more money on the table than it saves.
A sensible comparison method: list your actual healthcare usage from the past year — preventive care, sports, dental hygiene, vaccinations — and check which fund rewards them best. A fund with a 2.5 % supplementary rate and a €600 bonus program is often cheaper than one at 1.7 % with only a €100 bonus. Statutory benefits like osteopathy, alternative medicine or extended preventive care (e.g. skin cancer screening under 35) make several hundred euros of difference over a year.
Specific life situations need specific funds: families with children benefit from funds with strong U-exam bonuses and free sports programs. Frequent travellers should look for solid telemedicine and 24/7 hotlines. Chronically ill members are better served by funds with DMP programs (Disease Management) and supply contracts. Seniors benefit from funds with strong care advice and supplementary services for eyeglasses. There is no universal recommendation — individual need decides.
Step-by-step: the switching process
Four steps with no coverage gap: 1. Pick the new fund and submit the membership application online — the new fund automatically cancels the old one for you. 2. Your membership certificate arrives by post or digitally within about two weeks. 3. Forward the certificate to your employer or pension provider. 4. The old fund settles outstanding bonus claims and reimbursements. You’re never uninsured for a single day, you don’t have to manage the cancellation yourself, and the new contribution starts being deducted on the first of the month after the notice period ends.
The whole process has been fully digital since 2021: most funds offer an online application with identification via ePerso, BundID or video-ident. Your data is forwarded directly to your employer, pension insurance and old fund — you don’t need to fill or send a single piece of paper. Voluntary insured and self-employed have a slightly longer registration (extra income check) but it remains online. Processing takes on average 5–10 working days.
Tip for a smooth transition: before switching, check that ongoing treatments (e.g. orthodontics, rehab, therapy plans) will continue without issue at the new fund. Prescribed assistive devices must be covered by the new fund either through the existing supplier contract or a comparable one. In most cases this is unproblematic since benefits are statutory — only with optional tariffs or fund-specific extras will adjustments arise.
What about supplemental plans?
Private supplemental policies — dental, travel, inpatient, long-term care — are legally separate from your GKV membership. They continue unchanged, retain their waiting periods and age reserves, and premiums stay the same. Bonus points you earned at the old fund are paid out before the switch — so don’t forget to submit your bonus booklet before terminating. Only fund-specific optional tariffs (e.g. a GP-only tariff at your old BKK) end automatically with the switch.
A special case applies to discounted group tariffs for supplemental policies that some funds negotiate with private insurers. If you switch funds, the preferential rate may lapse — you then pay the regular rate of the same private insurer, without having to cancel or sign up anew. Before switching, a quick call to the supplemental insurer is worth it to check whether a price jump looms. In most cases the difference is minimal and far outweighed by the GKV savings.
For a state-subsidised long-term care supplement (Pflege-Bahr), the subsidy continues as long as you stay in GKV. Even when switching from GKV to PKV most supplemental policies remain valid, but you should check whether the double cover still makes sense — a premium PKV can already include many supplemental benefits. In that case cancelling the supplemental policy makes sense, but only after confirmation of the new main insurance.
Use bonus programs before switching
Before cancelling, be sure to submit the current bonus booklet of your old fund — otherwise several hundred euros often go to waste. Payout follows after document review, usually within 4–6 weeks. Important: all activities (preventive exams, sports courses, vaccinations) must be documented up to the day membership ends. Some funds even allow pro-rata payout for an interrupted bonus year — ask explicitly before switching. A bonus already earned but not yet paid for the prior year must also be fully refunded by the fund regardless of your departure.
At the new fund the bonus program starts from zero on the day you join. Some activities count immediately once they are done after entry — others have wait periods of 3–6 months or only apply within a calendar year. Read the new fund’s bonus rules right after switching: a quick preventive exam in the first quarter can "rescue" the whole bonus year and trigger a first payout.
Strategic tip: if you want to switch multiple times in a year (e.g. job change plus simultaneous special termination), keep both funds’ bonus booklets running in parallel — some activities count pro-rata so a double bonus payout is possible. This strategy works only if the bonus terms allow it; a quick call to the bonus service of each fund avoids ugly surprises at year-end.
Common switching mistakes
Five typical traps cost members money or coverage every year. First: blindly picking the cheapest fund without comparing bonus — what looks cheapest is often the most expensive after bonus. Second: cancelling without applying — direct cancellation at the old fund risks a coverage gap and your employer is not informed. Third: forgetting to submit the bonus booklet, leaving hundreds of euros on the table. Fourth: not bringing your optional tariffs along, eating into savings. Fifth: not coordinating ongoing treatment with the new fund, an avoidable break in care.
A frequently overlooked mistake: missing the special termination window. Once the fund notifies of a rate increase, the one-month clock starts — anyone who waits has to wait until the next regular cancellation date. Schedule a firm calendar entry right after receiving the notice and compare at least three alternative funds within 14 days. That leaves time to compare calmly without rushing.
A rare but expensive trap: switching from voluntary GKV with a new employment contract requires careful status clarification. Compulsory members pay only on employment income; voluntary members on other income too. A wrong status report can lead to back-dated demands or refunds. Anyone with rental income, capital gains or self-employment income should clarify status with the new fund explicitly, ideally in writing.
Switching for self-employed and pensioners
The self-employed in voluntary GKV have the same switching rights as compulsory members but with extra steps: at every switch, a current income certificate (last year’s tax assessment) must be submitted, since the new fund sets the contribution itself. Anyone able to prove low income should apply for a contribution adjustment at entry — some funds react faster than others and apply the minimum contribution (around €230/month 2026 without sick pay) immediately. Switching can also pay off for solo self-employed because some funds’ bonus programs are particularly favourable for them.
Pensioners are usually insured under the pensioners’ statutory health scheme (KVdR), provided they were GKV members for at least 90 % of the second half of their working life. They too can switch — the contribution is automatically transferred from the German Pension Insurance to the new fund. Timely notification of the pension insurer is essential, otherwise double deductions can occur which are later refunded but temporarily strain liquidity.
A specialty for civil-servant pensioners: they are usually privately insured and cannot switch to GKV unless they actively opted into GKV in younger years. Anyone benefiting from the KVdR minimum-membership rule (the “9/10 rule”) at pension age can switch from voluntary GKV to KVdR compulsory membership and often save several hundred euros a month. A tax and social insurance consultation is worth it before applying.