Month 1
Time
30 min to apply · days to confirm
Cost
~14.6% of gross (GKV) or from €250/mo (PKV)
Difficulty
Medium
What to bring
Passport and Anmeldung
Steuer-ID
Employment contract (for the employer split)
Not needed: A long wait, public funds confirm membership quickly online
Our pick
Compare all 4 →Prices checked June 2026
Do it
- 1
Decide public vs private
Employees default to public (GKV), the safe choice. Private suits some high earners and freelancers, but it's a one-way door.
- 2
Apply to a public fund online
Pick TK or another Krankenkasse and apply in English where possible. You'll get a membership confirmation fast.
- 3
Give the details to your employer
Your employer registers you and pays roughly half the premium straight from payroll.
- 4
Use a bridge policy if there's a gap
Between jobs or still on a visa application? An expat policy covers you and satisfies the permit appointment until GKV starts.
Words you'll hear
GKV (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung)
Public health insurance, what most employees get (TK, AOK, Barmer…). Income-based premium, covers family members for free.
PKV (private Krankenversicherung)
Private health insurance. Cheaper when young and healthy, but hard to leave later; mainly for high earners, freelancers and civil servants.
Common questions
Can I switch from public to private later, or back?
Public to private is possible above the income threshold; going back to public is hard once you're over 55 or self-employed. Choose carefully.
Does my family get covered?
Under public insurance, a non-working spouse and children are covered for free. Under private, each person is insured, and billed, separately.
Read more
Healthcare & insurance in Berlin
Full guide · 6 min read
Full checklist tracking and task completion live in the Settli app for Berlin.